2020 Resolutions Committee Review – Submissions and Amendments

Attention all Board Presidents, Superintendents, and Executive Administrative Assistants:

The AASB Resolutions Committee will convene on Thursday, November 5, 2020 via ZOOM.  Ms. Katie Oliver, the AASB President-elect will preside.

Please click on this link to register and attend the resolutions committee meeting:  Resolutions Committee Meeting

The link to a Google Drive folder is posted here to allow your board and those that will meet as the Resolutions Committee to do their work:

2021 Resolutions Committee Documents

The Resolutions Committee will meet virtually via ZOOM at 8:30 AM.  Six subcommittees will work to review separate portions of the entire draft resolutions document during the morning.  In the afternoon, the committee will meet as a whole to consider subcommittee recommendations.  Weighted voting will be used to decide on proposed recommendations and amendments.

The Resolutions Committee is composed of any school board members who wish to attend on behalf of their district.  It is at this meeting that the bulk of the work is done to create a document that is recommended for the membership to consider approving on Sunday at the Delegate Assembly.  This is the best opportunity for each district to speak to resolutions that are of importance to your board.  We ask every school board chair to appoint or designate a member of their board to attend this crucially important committee.  Any school board member may attend this meeting.  Please let us know which subcommittee you would prefer to sit on in the morning.  Following are the subcommittees and the school board members that have been appointed to chair them.

  • Governance – Jenna Hamm, Denali
  • Funding #1 – Julia Phelan, Delta/Greely
  • Funding #2 – Alisha Hilde, Anchorage
  • Child Advocacy – Shannon Johnson-Nanalook, Lake & Penn.
  • Personnel – Judy Carstens, Kodiak
  • Education Programs – Barb Jewel, Cordova

The committee is scheduled to conclude its business by 4:00 pm. AASB staff will create a 3rd draft document, “The Resolutions Committee Report to the Membership” that will be posted on the AASB website and made available by Friday November 6th at 6 PM.

If you have any questions about the upcoming process, please contact Lon Garrison at AASB by email or by phone at 907-463-1666.

Important dates for your board to know about the upcoming resolutions process for fall 2020:

  • Member district review, amendments, new resolutions, and comments period – Due to AASB Tuesday, October 6, 2020, by midnight.
  • Compiled comments, amendments and new resolutions submissions available for membership review – Saturday, October 17th
  • Resolutions Committee Meeting (virtual meeting) Thursday, November 5, 2020
  • Delegate Assembly to adopt resolutions – Sunday, November 8, 2020

August 27, 2020 – Resolutions Process webinar presented by Lon Garrison. Video | Audio | Slides

August 13, 2020 – Resolutions Process webinar presented by Norm Wooten and Lon Garrison. Video | Audio

Given the pandemic and the AASB Board of Directors’ decision to hold a virtual annual conference and delegate assembly, we ask each school board to carefully review the resolutions packet and advance only those resolutions or amendments that they deem necessary.  This will be the first time we have attempted a delegate assembly that is not in-person, and the more we can keep it concise and straightforward, the more likely it will be successful.  Nonetheless, it is critically important that our resolutions adequately cover the issues facing school boards and public education, so please think carefully about the issues facing your district and possibly others across the state.

The following documents can be found at Resolutions Documents.

The AASB Board of Directors at its August 2020 meeting reviewed the current resolutions scheduled to sunset.  The AASB Board has recommended the renewal of all but one resolution that is scheduled to sunset.  Resolution 5.18 Urging Changes to the Mandated State Testing has been recommended to sunset as it was viewed as was too duplicative of 5.30. A list of all resolutions due to sunset is included in a separate document (Sunsetting Resolutions-BOD Recommendations.pdf).

The AASB Board of Directors voted to put forward one new resolution: New 5.31 Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools – AASB BOD.  The AASB Board has also forwarded a modest amendment to resolution 5.2 Curriculum Expansion via Distance Delivery.  Both of these items can be found within the full resolutions document and as separate documents.

The AASB Board also forwarded the following comments:

  • Resolution 2.48 Raising the Cap on Carry Over of Previous Year Funding could be revised to be more persuasive in advocating for the need to raise the fund balance maximum from 10% to 15%. Given the uncertain financial situation all districts face regarding the pandemic, economic downturn, CARES Act funding, and state and local fiscal conditions.
  • The AASB Board recommends that the membership review 4.8 Relating to Health Care Costs and Medical Insurance ensure the body of the resolution and the rationale are contemporary for our times.

Process for Boards

Boards may submit new resolutions, amendments to existing resolutions or comments concerning any resolution or belief statement.  All submissions should come from the Board as a whole.  Remember, only the title and resolution are voted on by the membership, not the rationale.  We do welcome comments about the rationale, especially if they become outdated or contain erroneous information.

To comment on or put forward suggested resolution changes, AASB requests your board schedule time to discuss the resolutions at a regular meeting and vote by official board action.  The deadlinespecified by AASB bylaws for the AASB office to receive your comments and proposals is Tuesday, October 6, 2020

We require all submissions of comments, new resolutions, or amended resolutions be submitted digitally via email by the date specified above.  A PDF fillable form is included for your use and to aid you in the proper convention when submitting new or amended resolutions and comments.  Each board should also send accompanying documentation such as a cover letter from the board president stating when the board took official action on the resolutions.

All resolutions received will be compiled, and a complete set of resolutions containing proposals from districts will be sent back to your board 20 days before the annual conference, which is Oct. 17, 2020. If you have any questions regarding the resolutions, please email Lon Garrison or Norm Wooten or call 463-1660.

If you are emailing your district’s proposed resolutions, comments, or amendments, please email them to the Resolutions Committee.

Two webinars are scheduled to review the Resolutions Process.  The first will be Thursday, August 13, at noon ASTA repeat of the first webinar will occur on Thursday, August 27th, at noon AST. 

Webinars will be hosted by Lon Garrison and Norm Wooten to review the process and answer any questions.

Thank you for your board’s continued commitment to providing every student with an excellent education, every day!  We look forward to receiving your comments, amendments, and resolutions. 

Sincerely,

Katie Oliver, Resolutions Committee Chair                  

Lon Garrison, Director of Membership Services