SCR 12-FEBRUARY PUBLIC EDUCATION MONTH  8:00:41 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced that the first order of business would be SCR 12. He said the committee would hear from the sponsor and take public testimony. He noted that SB 147 and SB 139 would be heard simultaneously and would focus specifically on the Base Student Allocation (BSA). He said he would keep public testimony open beyond today's meeting. 8:02:09 AM THOMAS PRESLEY, Staff, Senator Berta Gardner, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented SCR 12 on behalf of the sponsor. He said the motivation for introducing SCR 12 was to proclaim February the Public Education Month. The resolution was written after Senator Gardner and Representative Drummond visited all the schools in their district. They wished to give the schools credit for some of the innovative and creative things they were doing. After the visits he said they heard about an Anchorage School District parent survey which found that 90 percent of parents of students in public schools would recommend their school to others. The same survey also found that there are parents with students waiting to get into charter schools who don't know the name of their neighborhood schools. He concluded that the resolution would be a good way to raise the level of public awareness. MR. PRESLEY noted that the sponsor has drafted an amendment that would change the date to be effective in February of 2015. 8:04:01 AM SENATOR HUGGINS asked for clarification about the charter school comment. SENATOR GARDNER explained that members of the public who don't use neighborhood schools don't know anything about them and what they offer. She offered to make the survey available to the committee when she receives it. She said she loved the Anchorage School District's idea to have a "visit your public school month in February" idea. She opined that many people do not know what schools offer and she supports any effort to get members of the public into schools. SENATOR HUGGINS agreed. He said he would like to expand this idea to a year of education where every month is dedicated to an element of education. 8:05:46 AM SENATOR DUNLEAVY stated that the idea is to make people more aware of neighborhood schools. SENATOR GARDNER said yes; the whole community, not just families. SENATOR DUNLEAVY agreed. He said engagement it key. He asked for clarification regarding charter schools and waitlists. MR. PRESLEY reported that the parent survey showed that charter school parents on a waitlist did not know the name of their neighborhood schools. SENATOR DUNLEAVY asked if the children were on a waitlist for public charter schools. MR. PRESLEY said yes. 8:07:03 AM CHAIR STEVENS commented that general information about public education includes charter schools. SENATOR STEDMAN agreed with the concept of building the morale of public schools. He wondered about the amendment date. CHAIR STEVENS apologized for not getting to the bill faster. He asked what the amendment would do. MR. PRESLEY reiterated that it would change the date to February 2015. CHAIR STEVENS requested a motion regarding the amendment for the purpose of discussion. MR. PRESLEY said it would be a conceptual amendment. 8:08:34 AM SENATOR GARDNER moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, to add "2015" to the date. CHAIR STEVENS objected for discussion. SENATOR HUGGINS wondered if February would be the best choice. He suggested that the beginning of the year would be better. SENATOR GARDNER said the Anchorage School District was planning for "Visit Your Public School Month" for February. She said she is happy to make it any date or time. The federal government is planning a week in November to honor education. MR. PRESLEY said International Education Week begins November 27. SENATOR HUGGINS said the resolution applies to all school districts. He thought it was a good idea, but he would prefer it last a year and highlight a different segment each month. CHAIR STEVENS asked where the amendment would go. MR. PRESLEY replied that the date "2015" would be added to page 2, line 11, after "February". There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted. 8:12:04 AM SENATOR DUNLEAVY noted his support of public education, but he thought the wording was odd. SENATOR STEDMAN suggested changing the wording. SENATOR DUNLEAVY said it was interestingly worded. CHAIR STEVENS noted a zero fiscal note. 8:13:17 AM SENATOR GARDNER said she is strongly considering Senator Huggins' suggestion to make September Public Education Month at the start of the school year. There being no objection, the motion carried. CHAIR STEVENS said there is no rush. SENATOR HUGGINS moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 2, to add "September" to the date in place of "February." SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to report SCR 12, as amended, from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSCR 12 (EDC) was reported from the Senate Education Committee. 8:14:22 AM At ease