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 23, 2007

--CUTS STRIKE AT NATIVE EDUCATION

--DEMS AGREE ON MULTI-YEAR SECURE RURAL SCHOOL BILL

--FAIRBANKS OPTIMISTIC ON SCHOOL FUNDING

--COMMITTEE LOOKS AT RETIREMENT COSTS

--LEGISLATORS PLEDGE HELP FOR SCHOOL BOND PROJECTS

--EDUCATION BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

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CUTS STRIKE AT NATIVE EDUCATION

The U.S. Department of Education is zeroing out $100 million in grants to advance training for Alaska and Hawaii Native teachers, as well as fund physical education courses across the country. The move has alarmed Alaska’s congressional delegation, which vows to reverse the decision. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/rural/story/8729453p-8631566c.html

DEMS AGREE ON MULTI-YEAR SECURE RURAL SCHOOL BILL

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid joined Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon in announcing a multi-year proposal to restore funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, also known as the county payments law. The continuation of the program means about $9 million to Alaska school districts. See full news release here:

http://wyden.senate.gov/media/2007/03202007_countypayments.htm

FAIRBANKS OPTIMISTIC ON SCHOOL FUNDING

What a difference $430 makes – or more accurately, the possibility of $430. That proposed increase in the Base Student Allocation by the legislature was enough for the Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education to approve a $155.8 million operating budget. See full story here:

http://newsminer.com/2007/03/23/6096/

COMMITTEE LOOKS AT RETIREMENT COSTS

Alaska lawmakers are looking at how the state can help communities deal with rising retirement costs, but finding a fair way to do so may be challenging. While school districts pay the same rate, communities’ rates vary widely from about 12 to 185 percent. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/8725806p-8627908c.html

LEGISLATORS PLEDGE HELP FOR SCHOOL BOND PROJECTS

A bipartisan group of Anchorage legislators pledged their support to help taxpayers buy a new middle school and fix and maintain dozens of other schools. Voters will consider $85 million worth of school projects in the April 3 municipal election. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8719296p-8621355c.html

EDUCATION BILLS UP FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

Tuesday March 27 3:00 p.m. House HESS

HB 157 Charter school funding

Confirmation hearing Board of Education & Early Development

HB 181 Traffic Offenses: Fines/School zones

Wednesday March 28 7:00 a.m. House Ways & Means

HB 204 Public employee/Teachers/Judges employee benefits

HB 206 PERS contributions/unfunded liability

Wednesday March 28 8:00 a.m. Senate Special Committee on Education

SB 1 Base Student Allocation

SB 10 Truancy Officers

Wednesday March 28 1:30 p.m. House Finance Committee

HB 72 District Cost Factor

Thursday March 29 8:00 a.m. House State Affairs Committee

HB 179 Public Employee/Teacher retirement systems

Thursday March 29 1:30 p.m. House Finance Committee

HB 2 Vocational Education Account

HB 61 Tax credit for contributions to voc-ed