SB 133-PUBLIC SCHOOL COMPETENCY EXAM/REPORTS  CHAIRWOMAN LYDA GREEN called the Senate Health, Education & Social Services Committee meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. and announced SB 133 to be up for consideration. She said they had language from the Department that dealt with two of their concerns regarding the waiver. AMENDMENT 1 Page 1, line 16: following "rates,"; insert "including the number of students who received a diploma under a waiver from the competency examination required under AS 14.03.075(a)," Page 3, line 27: following "student": insert "; criteria regarding granting a waiver must include provisions requiring that a student satisfy the performance standards developed under AS 14.07.020(b) to the maximum extent possible" - She said they would also have a reporting section that would bring this issue back before the legislature in 2003. Page 4, line 26: delete "Sections 2 - 4" and insert "Sections 2 - 5" Page 4, line 30: delete "Sections 5 and 8" and insert "Sections 6 and 9" Page 4, line 31: delete "Sections 9 and 10" and insert "Sections 10 and 11" SENATOR WARD moved to adopt Amendment 1, version 0.4 to CSSB 133 (HES). There were no objections and it was so adopted. AMENDMENT 2 Page 4, following line 28: Insert a new bill section to read: "*Sect.9. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: REPORT. The Department of Education and Early Development shall, by January 31, 2003, deliver a report to the Alaska State Legislature that describes the proposed criteria and procedure under which a school district could use a waiver to grant a diploma to a student." Page 4, line 31: delete "9 and 10" and insert "10 and 11" SENATOR WARD moved to adopt Amendment 2, version 0.3, to CSSB 133 (HES). There were no objections and it was so adopted. SENATOR WILKEN said he was concerned about the requirement in the exit exam to be proficient in the English language. He hoped the State Board of Education would consider his language when they enact SB 133. He read for the record: In regard to the waivers, that each student achieve competency in the English language before graduation from high school and that the waiver process enacted and the regulations governing the issuance of a waiver for the secondary student competency examination adopted by the Department of Education and Early Development should not be used to allow a diploma to be given to a student who lacks a minimal level of competency in the English language. CHAIRWOMAN GREEN thanked the members of the committee, the agencies, the departments and the many other people for their work on this issue. Number 577 SENATOR DAVIS said she appreciated the Senator's statement, but she didn't know what they were doing with it. It is not part of the bill. CHAIRWOMAN GREEN said that is correct. She thought it was reasonable for them to be able to have their interests on the record and how they would continue to be reviewed. SENATOR DAVIS said that she wanted to go on record not supporting that statement. SENATOR LEMAN said he appreciated the Chair's leadership in pulling this issue together. He moved to pass CSSB 133 (HES) from committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.