Alaska State Legislature

News From The House Majority

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

Development of Boarding Schools Promoted by House Measure

For Immediate Release: March 27, 1997 Contact: Rep. Con Bunde (907) 465-4843

JUNEAU - Enabling the state to open additional boarding schools in Alaska is the intent of legislation passed by the House of Representatives Thursday. Currently, Mt. Edgecumbe located in Sitka is the only boarding school authorized by statute to operate in Alaska.

"This bill allows for the expansion of the boarding school program in the State of Alaska. A number of people from rural areas have reported extremely positive experiences at Mt. Edgecumbe, currently Alaska’s only boarding school," said Bunde.

HB 147 allows a charter school to be designed to serve nonresident students. The expenses of housing nonresident students who attend the charter school, including room, board, and other reasonable housing expenses, may be paid for with funds contributed by sources other than the state.

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

Representative Bunde said this bill falls into a package of legislation that will address part of the Republican-led Majority’s "Commitment to Alaska" to reform education.

HB 147 is part of a comprehensive package of education legislation introduced in February. The four measures include:

• HB 145: An act relating to certification of teachers (passed by the House)
  
• HB 146: An act relating to competency testing requirements for secondary students (pending in House)
  
• HB 147: An act relating to charter schools and to the establishment of state boarding schools (passed by the House)
  
• HB 148: An act relating to changes to the public school foundation program (pending in House)

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