Capital Budget & Explanation of Education Funding in SB 182

Here is a link to the capital budget: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/27/Bills/SB0160C.PDF.  This is the House Finance version: HCS CSSB 160(FIN).  It was amended on the floor of the house with the addition of $25 million for revenue sharing, but that version is not available on line yet.  Once you pull up the bill, you can do "find" search within it to quickly find specific projects.

Here is SB 182, the education funding package: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/27/Bills/SB0182C.PDF 

The fiscal notes for the bill have details on how much funding each district will get for the individual provisions of the bill:

Fiscal Note #3: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/27/F/SB0182-3-4-041412-EED-N.PDF shows how much increased state contribution for education a municipality will get for going to a flat mill rate of 2.65 for required local contribution.  This provision has the most widely varying effect on districts - for those municipalities already funding to the cap, there will be no benefit to the school, although there will be a benefit to the municipality.  For those already at the low end of the local contribution mill rate, there won't be as much benefit, and for REAA's there will be no impact.  For municipalities not funding to the cap, there would then be more money available at the municipality's discretion, should they decide to increase educuation funding.  For instance.....

Correction: Advisory Programs NOT YET Required for Postsecondary Institutions to Accept APS Awards

I need to retract my statement that advisory programs are required at postsecondary institutions in order for them to accept Alaska Performance Scholarship awards.  The original legislation passed to establish the program does not contain a requirement that postsecondary institutions have advisory programs (SB 221, passed in 2010 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=SB221). 

 

However, both HB 104 (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=HB104) and SB 43 (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=SB43) which establish a funding mechanism for the scholarship program require advisory programs at postsecondary institutions in order for them to accept Alaska Performance Scholarship awards.  So that legislation, if passed, will either have to have that provision removed, or funding will have to be reinstated for advisory programs at the University of Alaska in order for them to receive Alaska Performance Scholarship awards on behalf of recipients.

Governor Parnell Zeroes Out Funding for University of Alaska Advisory Programs, Putting Performance Scholarship Awards at Risk

On Wednesday, University of Alaska President Patrick Gamble testified at the end of the House Education Committee, telling the committee that Governor Parnell's proposed FY 13 operating budget left out ALL of the funding (every single cent, zeroed the whole program out - even funding originating from the university) for student advisory programs at the university.  


Those are the same advisory programs that post-secondary institutions will be required to have in order to accept Alaska Performance Scholarship awards if the legislation establishing a funding mechanism for the program is passed.  Both HB 104 (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=HB104) and SB 43 (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=SB43) require advisory programs at postsecondary institutions in order for them to accept Alaska Performance Scholarship awards.  So that legislation, if passed, will either have to have that provision removed, or funding will have to be reinstated for advisory programs at the University of Alaska in order for them to receive Alaska Performance Scholarship awards on behalf of recipients.

President Gamble also made the point during his testimony that every career he could think of starts at a higher salary than teachers, and that teacher pay is an issue they can't ignore. 

All the funding for the Institute for Social & Economic Research (ISER) was also zeroed out from the governor's proposed budget.  George Rogers is likely rolling in his grave (or was he cremated?  I don't know). 

Lots of testimony Wednesday in the Senate Finance Committee on SB 171.  Sen. Hoffman got a little testy about people discussing pink slipping.  He said he was under the impression that forward funding education would remove that issue (which it largely has).  However, as pointed out by John Alcantra, flat funding still creates pink slipping issues, due to budget deficits.  I think Hoffman would have appreciated recognition of SB 97, which establishes a fuel supplement for school districts and municipalities when fuel prices are high.  

Update on SB 84 CTE Funding, Implementation of the Alaska CTE Plan, SBA Test Scores, ESEA Reauthorization, Early Learning RttT, WorkKeys Testing, Terra Nova Replacement, & The Alaska Learning Network

The Dept. of Education & Early Development and the Association of Alaska School Administrators were kind enough to let me attend the second day of their summer meeting at the DEED offices on Monday, August 1.  It was very helpful in keeping up-to-date on issues that schools and the department are working on.

POINTS OF INFORMATION/INTEREST INCLUDE:

SB 84 CTE Funding: there is no reporting requirement for how this funding is spent, but school districts should be proactive in letting the legislature know how funds are being used. The only restriction to how funding may be used is that.....

SB 84 – Vocational Education & Basic Funding/Tax Credits

The House Finance Committee heard and moved SB 84 Thursday evening. They adopted a committee substitute that substantially changed the bill.

The House Finance Committee substitute:
• Removes the BSA increase
• Removes the Seward Sea Life Center as an institution allowed to receive certain corporate tax credit donations
• Adds annual intercollegiate sports tournaments as an allowable organization to receive certain corporate tax credit donations
• Adds Alaska Native cultural or heritage programs and educational support as programs allowed to receive certain corporate tax credit donations
• Incorporates HB 199, which increases the room and board reimbursement for Galena, Nenana, and Lower Kuskokwim School Districts
• Creates a pilot project for theme-based learning in the Iditarod Area School District

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%2084&session=27

Senate Passes SB 84 to increase the BSA by $110 for FY 12

The big news today is the senate passed SB 84 - Vocational Education & Basic Funding/Tax Credits (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%2084&session=27). The Finance Committee substitute includes a one-year increase to the BSA of $110 for FY 12 and a vocational funding factor of 1 percent. The Finance Committee removed BSA increases for FY 13 and FY 14. The bill also extends the sunset period for the educational tax credits that were passed last year.

Also, Sen. French introduced a Parents as Teachers bill in the senate. That's a good indication that he is trying to give HB 49, the house version (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20%2049&session=27), a better chance of passing this session. If senate committees hear the senate version of the bill, the house bill's senate committee referrals may be waived when it gets to the senate.

Alaska, with a population of 710,231, is too small a population to be able to train 800 new teachers per year?

On Monday, April 4 the Senate Education Committee heard a presentation on University of Alaska teacher training programs from Deborah Lo, dean, School of Education at UAS, Mary Snyder, dean, School of Education at UAA, and Eric Madsen, dean, School of Education at UAF.  

During that presentation, Dean Snyder made a comment that I thought odd.  She said she doesn't believe they will ever be able to meet the demand for teachers in state, because of the population base.  She thought at most they might someday be able to meet 50 percent of the teacher need. 

Alaska needs about 800 new teachers trained every year, but only about 200 new teachers graduate from the University of Alaska every year.  According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Alaska is 710,231.  Was Dean Snyder actually saying that Alaska does not have a big enough population base in which to find and train 800 new teachers every year?  I feel I must have misunderstood her statement, as it doesn't make any sense to me.

Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness

The task force met to begin discussing what recommendations they would make in their April 1 report to the legislature. Task force staff put together a comprehensive list of preliminary recommendations for discussion (http://hecr.aksenate.org/archives/779/hecr_preliminary_recommendations_09march11). Chairman Stevens said the recommendations on the list are just suggestions, some of which he thinks are wonderful, and some he thinks are dreadful.

A number of task force members questioned the wide array of items listed as preliminary recommendations, and said they didn’t see how they fit in with the mission of the task force. Barb Angaiak, president of NEA-Alaska, said there are items in the recommendations that belong in a different venue. She was astonished at some of the things in the draft recommendations and wondered where they came from.

But several other task force members said they could see how many of the items fit in with the task force’s mission. Lolly Carpluk, coordinator, Alaska Teacher Preparation Project, UAF, said she sees all decisions as having a ripple effect.

Chairman Stevens said nothing on the list of preliminary recommendations was made up, and everything on it was suggested either at the meetings or in correspondence.

Mike Andrews, executive director, Alaska Works Partnership, said he's been looking forward to more opportunity for discussion, so when he saw the recommendations he thought it was a good opportunity to discuss them. While he didn't recognize all the recommendations, he knew there were comments made. He viewed today as the day the take the skin off the grape – to bring everything together on this critically important topic, with task force members who are highly invested. They are at a point where they can talk about the issues.

Tim Lamkin, staff to Chairman Stevens, said the suggested recommendations are the result of task force discussions, and additional discussions. Duties of the task force include identifying contributing causes and exploring new approaches that may be effective. One of the most consistent messages he heard, from many people who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, was that they're looking at it from the wrong end, and need to go deeper into the whole education system. If they can improve parental involvement, and different ways that they look at every one of the components, then that could result in less need for remediation, rather than just band aiding remediation in and of itself. He said that’s why the recommendations may be such a shock to people.

There were several suggested recommendations that were not supported by any task force member, and other suggestions where there was conflicting opinion. Chairman Stevens asked people to look through recommendations and suggest which should just be tossed, and which should be considered further.

The task force also heard a presentation from Cathy LeCompte, Tech Prep Consortium board member, on the Tech Prep Initiative (http://www.alaska.edu/techprep/).

A full report on task force deliberations from Thursday and Friday will appear in a special weekend edition of the Alaska Education Update.

SB 84 – Vocational Education Funding/Base Student Allocation

SB 84 – Vocational Education Funding/Base Student Allocation
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=SB84
Introduced 2/4/2011, by the Senate Education Committee
Referred to the Senate Education & Finance Committees

SB 84 increases the base student allocation and adds a separate vocational education component to the BSA. The BSA is increased to $5,790 for FY 12, to $5,905 for FY 13, and to $6,025 for FY 14. Under SB 84, vocational education remains part of the 20 percent block grant funding for special needs, but also adds 2.5 percent for high school vocation education instruction. The additional funding cannot be spent on administrative expenses or instruction in general literacy, mathematics, and job readiness skills.

Discussion to Remove Career-Tech from Block Grant Funding

Today in both the House Minority press conference and the Senate Majority press conference there was discussion to remove some or all of the funding for career and technical education from the block grant.  Rep. Gardner said she supports separating it entirely from block grant funding, while Sen. Thomas and Sen. Meyer said they will  propose carving 2.5 percent out of the 20 percent for block grant funding for career-tech education in legislation they plan to introduce soon.  Their proposal will also include raising the base student allocation to keep pace with inflation. 

Upcoming Legislative Hearings

Monday, October 4
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness (http://hecr.aksenate.org/)
Location: Nome, Pioneer Hall - 110 Front Street
8:30 - 9:40 a.m. - Dr. Lee Haugen, director, UAF Northwest Campus (http://www.nwc.uaf.edu/)
9:50 - 10:50 a.m. - Jon Wedhe, superintendent, Nome Public Schools (http://www.nomeschools.com/)
11:00 a.m. - Noon - Todd Hindman, principal, teacher, Anvil City Science Academy (http://www.nomeschools.com/~acsa/)
Noon - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch Break
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. - Russel Poulin, deputy director, Research & Analysis, WCET, WICHE (http://wcet.wiche.edu/) "Addressing Remediation through Distance Education"
2:40 - 3:40 p.m. - Wanetta Ayers, director, Office of Economic Development, DCCED (http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/oed/home.htm) "Connect Alaska: Broadband Mapping & Planning"
3:50 - 4:50 p.m. - Sandra Wildfeuer, assistant professor, Mathematics; program manager, Bridging the Gap, Interior Aleutians Campus, UAF College of Rural & Community Development (http://www.uaf.edu/iac/) "Reexamine Praxis Cut Scores in Alaska in Terms of Economics of Supply & Demand"

Tuesday, October 5
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness (http://hecr.aksenate.org/)
Location: Nome, Pioneer Hall - 110 Front Street
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Doug Walrath, director, Northwestern Alaska Career & Technical Center (http://nacteconline.org/)
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. - Roundtable Discussion: improving the K-12 and postsecondary systems in Alaska
11:00 - 11:45 a.m. - Public Testimony
11:45 a.m. - Wrap up, unfinished task force business, closing comments.
Noon - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch Break
1:30 - 5:00 p.m. - Tour local school facilities & programs

Friday, October 8
Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force
Location: Anchorage LIO, Room 220
8:30 a.m. - Needs-Based Scholarship Component
3:00 p.m. - Public Testimony

Friday, October 15
Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force
Location: Anchorage LIO, Room 220
8:30 a.m. - Funding & Finance

Monday & Tuesday, November 8-9
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Sitka (Agenda, exact location, & time to be announced)

Monday & Tuesday, January 10-11
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Anchorage (Agenda, exact location, & time to be announced)

Friday & Saturday, March 4-5
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Juneau (Agenda, exact location, & time to be announced)

Upcoming Hearings

Friday, September 17

Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Anchorage LIO, Room 220
Agenda: Merit-based scholarship component

Monday & Tuesday, October 4-5
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Nome (agenda, exact location & time to be announced)

Friday, October 8
Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Anchorage LIO, Room 220
Agenda: Needs-based scholarship component

Monday & Tuesday, November 8-9
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Sitka (agenda, exact location & time to be announced)

Monday & Tuesday, January 10-11
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Anchorage (agenda, exact location & time to be announced)

Friday & Saturday, March 4-5
Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness
Juneau (agenda, exact location & time to be announced)

Upcoming Task Force Hearings

Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force:
8:30 - 11:30 a.m., Friday, August 27

Location: Anchorage Legislative Information Office, 2nd Floor Conference Room
Agenda: Opening Remarks and Introduction of Task Force Members; Historical Review of Alaska Scholarship: Taylor Plan, Governor’s Performance Scholarship, SB 224/HB 297, SB 221 – Alaska Merit Scholarship Program; Current Activities regarding Alaska Scholarship: Establishment of Regulations, Programmatic and Administrative Start-up, Expenditures and Financial Obligations to Date; Member Discussion; Closing Remarks & Adjournment

Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness:
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday & Thursday, Sept. 1 & 2
Location: UAF Regents' Conference Room (Rm. 109), Butrovich Building, 910 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks
Agenda: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_hearing.asp?session=26&Chamb=B&Date1=090110&Date2=090210&Comty=&Root=&Sel=1&Button=Display

You can follow hearings at any Legislative Information Office open during the interim. For a list of LIOs and whether they are open during in the interim go to: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php .  If you are not in a location with an open LIO, send me an email or call me at (907) 500-7069 and I will give you the phone number to call to join the teleconference. Staff at the Juneau Legislative Information Office said it is preferable that you go to an LIO, if possible, since there are a limited number of teleconference ports available.

Hearings Scheduled: Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness

Hearings of the Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness have been scheduled for Thursday & Friday, July 22-23, from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., both days. The meeting location is the Anchorage LIO, room 220.

You can follow the hearing by calling 463-5009 (in Juneau), or 877-763-5073 (outside of Juneau), or at any LIO that is open during the interim. For a list of LIOs and whether they are open during in the interim go to: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php

House Members appointed to Higher Education Task Forces

House members have been named to the Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force and the Advisory Task Force on Higher Education & Career Readiness (established by SB 221 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20221&session=26 ). No word yet on when the task forces will begin meeting.

Members of the task forces include:
The Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Funding Task Force (15 members):
Five senators: Senate President Stevens and Sens. Elllis, Hoffman, Meyer, & Thomas;
Five representatives: Reps. Seaton, P. Wilson.....

Current Status of Passed Legislation

Most education-related legislation that passed the legislature is still awaiting transmittal to the governor.  At the end of April, Legal Services had considerably over 100 bills it was still working on enrolling (checking for errors, ommissions, and correct form).

After Legal Services completes enrollment of legislation, it has to be signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, and then it is sent to the governor. Speaker Chenault is.....

Open Education - Free, Online, College Classes

Last week my mother called me.  She didn't have a current email address for someone, and hoped she could get it from me.  I said, "I don't know, just send him a message on Facebook.  He's one of your friends, isn't he?"  It hadn't even crossed her mind that Facebook is a way to contact people. 

Technology is changing the world so fast.  Those of us in middle age and older don't know half of what is possible with technology today, let alone what may be possible just five years down the road.  That goes for the education field as well.  I heard a lot of talk in legislative hearings this year.....

I will have something to keep me busy this interim.

HCS CSSB 221(FIN) passed the House by a vote of 36 yeas and 4 nays. Voting against the bill were Reps. Doogan, Neuman, Salmon, and Thomas. The Senate later concurred with the House changes to the bill by a vote of 16 yeas, 4 nays. Voting nay were Sens. Bunde, Coghill, Dyson, and Wagoner.

HCS CSSB 221(FIN) includes.....

Sine Die

The Twenty-Sixth Alaska State Legislature adjourned their second session early in the morning on Monday, April 19.   A new legislature will convene on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.  The Senate Bipartisan Working Group held a press availability at the end of session.  Both the House and the Senate ran past midnight on the 90th day, for the first time since the 90-day session limit was enacted.

Sen. President Gary Stevens said they have an analysis on the issue from legislative attorneys that says they can go past 90 days.  Legislative attorneys have told them that if anyone sued, the legislature would probably win.  He said.....

Recent Action

Friday:
HJR 24 - Federal Lunch Program/Military http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=HJR24  was permanently filed as Legislative Resolve 32.

SB 235 - Charter/Alternative School Funding http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=SB235  The Senate concurred with the House amendments to the bill and it is awaiting transmittal to the Governor.

Saturday:
SB 220 - Energy Efficiency/Alternative Energy http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=SB220  was moved from House Finance today and is on today's calendar

SB 221 - Legis. Task Force: Higher Ed/Careers http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20221&session=26  was moved from House Finance today and is on today's calendar. House Finance added a section creating an Alaska merit scholarship program. This is an item that the Governor was threatening to call a special session on. HCS CSSB 221(FIN) establishes the merit scholarship program.  The task force established by the bill will investigate possible funding mechanisms over the interim and make recommendations to the next legislature on how to fund the program. The section establishing the scholarship program basically follows the governor's criteria for the different levels of scholarship.

SB 230 - Budget: Capital, Supplemental, & Other Appropriations http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20230&session=26  is scheduled for today's House calendar, pending release from the House Finance Committee.