SB 102-RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:07:58 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE-CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 102.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
TOM  OBERMEYER, staff  to Senator  Davis, said  SB 102  increases                                                               
compulsory   school  attendance   relating   to   the  crime   of                                                               
contributing  to  the delinquency  of  a  minor and  relating  to                                                               
school disciplinary  action and truancy. This  bill increases the                                                               
compulsory  school attendance  age to  18;  at the  same time  it                                                               
necessarily amends  the crime of contributing  to the delinquency                                                               
of  a minor  from 16  to 18.  He mentioned  that in  the members'                                                               
packets is  the National  Education Association's  (NEA) 12-point                                                               
plan  and  the  first  item  on their  list  was  increasing  the                                                               
compulsory school age. It has  been supported by school districts                                                               
and superintendents throughout the state.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:09:30 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE-CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at ease.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:10:31 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE-CHAIR  DAVIS called  the meeting  back to  order and  made a                                                               
brief statement about SB 102.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SB  102  has  been  endorsed   by  teachers,  the  Department  of                                                               
Education   and    Early   Development   (DEED),    many   school                                                               
superintendents and  others. This bill  is just one of  the steps                                                               
the state  needs to take to  try to help students  finish school;                                                               
many  kids  are not  graduating  and,  although keeping  them  in                                                               
school until 18  is not the whole  answer, it is part  of it. She                                                               
stressed that  16 is  too young  an age to  make the  decision to                                                               
drop out  of school  and this  will provide  more time  to engage                                                               
kids and  get them through  to graduation. She clarified  that it                                                               
is not  the intent of  this bill to  require students to  stay in                                                               
school  if they  have earned  sufficient credits  for graduation;                                                               
those who  have enough credits to  graduate before age 18  may do                                                               
so. She added that many kids who  drop out do so not because they                                                               
are  failing, but  for lack  of interest;  she thinks  we can  do                                                               
something  about that,  and  she  would like  to  move this  bill                                                               
forward.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:13:19 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE-CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at ease awaiting a quorum.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
        SB 102-RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:15:18 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE-CHAIR DAVIS returned attention to SB 102.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  OLSON moved  to report  CS for  SB 102,  referred to  as                                                               
Version  R, from  committee with  individual recommendations  and                                                               
accompanying fiscal  notes. Hearing  no objection,  CSSB 102(EDC)                                                               
moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee.