Association of Alaska School Boards

Legislative Bulletin

A weekly digest of activity by the Alaska Legislature and U.S. Congress for Alaska’s School Board Members. AASB Tel. 907-586-1083, Fax 907-586-2995. Executive Director, Carl Rose, crose@aasb.org; Editor, John Greely, Review past issues of the Bulletin on the AASB website at http://www.aasb.org. To unsubscribe send an email requesting the same to jgreely@aasb.org

This bulletin is distributed by email only. School districts should copy for board members not online.

March 2, 2007

--GOVERNOR PALIN INTRODUCES BUDGET AMENDMENTS

--QUESTIONS ARISE ABOUT PALIN’S BUDGET CUTS

--GOVERNOR SILENT ON BSA INCREASE

-- EED CUTS TOTAL $4.4 MILLION

--DETENTION, FOSTER CARE CONSIDERED FOR TRUANTS

--EDUCATION BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

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GOVERNOR PALIN INTRODUCES BUDGET AMENDMENTS

Governor Palin released the FY 2008 amended operating and capital budgets on Thursday, meeting her overall target of $3.9 billion in general funds. See full news release here:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=159

For a closer look at the budget details, visit the Office of Management and Budget website and follow the links here:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_OMB/budget/index.htm

QUESTIONS ARISE ABOUT PALIN’S BUDGET CUTS

State general fund spending will increase from this year’s budget to next year’s. But Gov. Sarah Palin says she’s holding down the potential growth by about $150 million. There’s some question about whether the governor’s plan will work. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6166140

GOVERNOR SILENT ON BSA INCREASE

Among the budget issues left unanswered by the governor’s new spending plan is how much the state will invest in K-12 education in the next fiscal year. Palin has proposed the state offset $207 million in higher retirement costs for school districts and spend $35 million to continue the FY 07 adjustment to the District Cost Factor and School Improvement Grants. But so far she has not proposed any increase to the larger foundation program through the Base Student Allocation. Her director of the Office of Management and Budget, Karen Rehfeld, told reporters on Thursday that the governor intends to discuss the issue with legislators. In the meantime, it appears that efforts to pass a basic K-12 education appropriation by mid-March have died. Palin had asked for action on an early-funding bill for schools by March 15, but legislative leaders have been reluctant to move so quickly.

EED CUTS $4.4 MILLION

Among the budget cuts offered by the Palin Administration for the Department of Education and Early Development are reductions in 20 areas, many from eliminating vacant positions or savings realized from lower enrollments. The largest reductions include $1 million proposed for the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy and $1 million for the Ready to Read, Ready to Learn program in Early Childhood. For a closer look at program cuts in each state department (EED amendments are on page 4 of this report), click here:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_OMB/budget/08amend/Op_Amendments_sprdsht.pdf

DETENTION, FOSTER CARE CONSIDERED FOR TRUANTS

Kids who habitually skip classes and miss days of school could face juvenile detention or be sent to foster care if their parents are found negligent, under a bill sponsored by state Sen. Con Bunde. Bunde said he crafted Senate Bill 31, which will be considered during the current legislative session, to help school districts whose superintendents for years have said truancy is a major problem. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8671379p-8565291c.html

EDUCATION BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

March 6 8:00 a.m. Senate Special Committee on Education

SB 31, relating to truancy