Association of Alaska School
Boards
Legislative Bulletin
A weekly digest of activity
by the Alaska Legislature and U.S. Congress for AlaskaÕs School Board Members.
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May 11, 2007
--KEY EDUCATION FUNDING
BILLS IN FLUX
--CAPITAL BUDGET SOAKS UP
STATE PROJECTS
--FAIRBANKS FAILS TO FARE WELL
WITH STATE BUDGET
--SENATE ENDORSES COMMUNITY
REVENUE SHARING BILL
--CIVICS EDUCATION CITIZENS
TASK FORCE NEARS FORMATION
******************************************************************************************
KEY EDUCATION FUNDING BILLS
IN FLUX
The major issues facing the Alaska Legislature – from
the gas pipeline to ethics reform to the budget – are inching towards a
final solution in the final days of the 2007 session. But with adjournment
looming on Wednesday, May 16th, House and Senate leaders have yet to
announce a political settlement dealing with key education funding issues. What
will the Base Student Allocation be next year? How about the District Cost
Factor? Any relief for school
districts on the question of providing services to intensive needs students?
Will the required local effort for school funding be changed?
Those critical parts of the stateÕs foundation funding
program for K-12 schools remained in flux late Friday as the Legislature headed
for a long weekend of work. To read what the major players in the education
funding debate are saying, click on this news story:
http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/budget/story/8873467p-8773913c.html
To read how a minority
member of the Senate reads the situation, click on this story:
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6497898
CAPITAL BUDGET SOAKS UP
STATE PROJECTS
The stateÕs capital budget for next year has grown from $107
million to $459 million in the past few months, with the state House still
waiting to get a chance to add a few projects. The capital budget is usually
one of the last bills to pass both chambers. Here is an overview of what is in
the bill:
http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/budget/story/8873467p-8773897c.html
Here is the latest version
of the capital budget, as it won approval of the Senate today:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0053B&session=25
FAIRBANKS FAILS TO FARE WELL
WITH STATE BUDGET
When it comes time to divvy up funds for capital projects, it
doesnÕt matter if youÕre a Democrat or Republican, a freshman legislator or a
veteran. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the stateÕs capital budget today,
and Fairbanks area legislators are not happy. To read the full story, click
here:
http://newsminer.com/2007/05/11/6950
SENATE ENDORSES COMMUNITY
REVENUE SHARING BILL
The Alaska Senate on Wednesday approved a new revenue sharing
program for Alaska communities and set aside $48 million to fund it. But
legislators are worried the promise of future payments may be difficult to keep
if oil production slips. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/8871130p-8771656c.html
Here is a news release from
the Senate Bipartisan Working Group about revenue sharing:
http://www.aksenate.org/index.php?doc_id=75
CIVICS EDUCATION CITIZENS
TASK FORCE NEARS FORMATION
The House voted unanimously to create a citizens advisory
task force on teaching civics in K-12 schools. The measure, HCR 6, would form a
group of citizens and legislators to look at ways schools can improve the
teaching of civics. The measure is now in the Senate Finance Committee. Here is
the text of the latest version of HCR 6:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HCR006C&session=25