Alaska State Legislature

News From The Senate and House Majorities

Ken Freeman, (907) 465-3804
Wendy Lindskoog (907) 465-4582
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org

Education Reform Legislation Seeks Student/Teacher Standards

For Immediate Release: February 18, 1997 Contact: Ken Freeman (907) 465-3804 or Wendy Lindskoog (907) 465-4582

JUNEAU - Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage) and Senator Gary Wilken

(R-Fairbanks) in a press conference Tuesday highlighted legislation that will address part of the Republican-led Majority’s "Commitment to Alaska" to reform education.

"We are moving forward with our commitment to bring major reform to education in Alaska with a comprehensive package of legislation that will require standards for students; require standards for teachers; allow the growth of boarding schools in Alaska; and make changes to the state education foundation formula," said Representative Con Bunde, Chairman of the House Health, Education, and Social Services Committee which is sponsoring the four measures that will be introduced in the House today.

Senator Gary Wilken, Chairman of the Senate HESS Committee, said the committee will be working on the education reform package when it reaches the Senate.

"Our goal is to create a smaller, smarter government," said Wilken. "To follow through on this goal, we must find smarter ways to teach our future leaders."

"One of the concerns we frequently hear from parents and business leaders is we have students with high school diplomas who are not able to function in the working world," said Wilken.

"To help curtail this problem, the state will require students to pass a comprehensive exam before they are granted a high school diploma certified by the State of Alaska," said Bunde.

"Along the same lines, we want to have confidence that our future teachers are well qualified and that Alaska hire only the best," said Bunde. "Under my legislation, all new teachers, in order to be certified in the State of Alaska, will also have to be pass an exam to exhibit their basic competencies as well as their abilities in specialty areas," said Bunde.

Bunde and Wilken noted that another area in education in need of an overhaul is Alaska’s Foundation Formula. In addition to Bunde’s bill, Wilken said the Senate has two bills that seek to revise the state’s Foundation Formula.

"The Foundation Formula is in need of review and perhaps adjustment or even replacement," Wilken said. "It is our intention to facilitate that review in order to make the funding formula more simple and to divide the funding more equitably so that all Alaskan communities share, to the extent possible, the education of our children."

"An additional bill that will be introduced will allow the expansion of the boarding school program in the State of Alaska. A number of folks from the rural areas have reported extremely positive experiences at Mt. Edgecumbe, currently Alaska’s only boarding school," said Bunde.

"As schools in Alaska, in particular the rural areas, go through various transitions, I think it is important we allow districts to set up boarding schools that hopefully will emulate the success Mt. Edgecumbe has experienced," said Bunde.

"While Alaska is blessed by abundant natural resources and must wisely use and protect them for future generations, we must also put our energies toward advancing and protecting our precious human resources." Wilken said. "Our students are our future!"

Broadcast Note: An audio actuality is available by calling 1-800-478-6540.

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