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. 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.
May 12, 2006
--CONGRESSIONAL VOTE ON
EDUCATION BUDGET LOOMING
--VOCATIONAL EDUCATION A
TOPIC IN SPECIAL SESSION HEARING
--GASLINE SESSION STIRS
DEBATE
CONGRESSIONAL VOTE ON
EDUCATION BUDGET LOOMING
Three months after winning
approval in the U.S. Senate, an appropriation bill for federal educational
programs is nearing a vote in the House of Representatives. As it stands, the National School
Boards Association is recommending a ÒnoÓ vote on the budget resolution (H.R.
376) because it shorts education programs by an estimated $7 billion
nationwide. The $7 billion was
included in the Senate version of the budget in February after school leaders
contacted their representatives about the importance of funding Title I and
IDEA programs at or near their current levels. For more information on H.R. 376, click here:
http://www.capwiz.com/nsba/issues/alert/?alertid=8753001
The House may vote next week
on the budget resolution after delaying an expected vote yesterday.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION A
TOPIC IN SPECIAL SESSION
The jobs that would be
generated by the largest construction project in North American history should
go to residents of Alaska, but how do we prepare the next generation for
them? Commissioner of Labor and
Workforce Development Greg OÕClary tackled that question today (Friday) during
the third day of a special legislative session on the North Slope natural gas
contract.
OÕClary told legislators
that Alaska-hire statistics painted the picture of a ÒdisasterÓ for employment
of residents during the oil pipeline project in the 1970s. In response to a
question about the lack of vocational training in most public high schools in
Alaska, the commissioner said the state should consider ways to ÒincentivizeÓ
such classes. He noted one bill
introduced in the 2006 session that proposed creation of a vocational education
fund. For a closer look at HB 479,
click here:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0479A&session=24
HB 479 died when the
Legislature adjourned on Tuesday.
GASLINE SESSION STIRS
DEBATE
The special legislative
session called by Governor Murkowski to unveil a proposed gas pipeline contract
has produced a wealth of information from the administration and the three
major oil companies involved. Much
of it is accessible through the state website here:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/gasline/
The public has 45 days to
make its views known on the contract. For tips on getting informed about the
issue prior to a public hearing near your community, this news article offers
some suggestions:
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3308957,00.html
A summary of the first two
days of administration briefings on the contract can be gleaned from this news
article:
http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/7719658p-7630728c.html
For a sampling of how key
legislators are reacting to a new attorney generalÕs opinion on the contract,
click here:
http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=4785&z=1
And, for some perspective
from one historian about what might be at stake in the gas pipeline debate, try
this link:
http://www.adn.com/opinion/guest_columns/story/7719703p-7630765c.html
.