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

Measure to Ensure Part-Time Students are Allowed in Alaska Schools Passes Legislature

For Immediate Release: May 8, 1997 Contact: Rep. Fred Dyson (907) 465-2199

JUNEAU - Legislation to prohibit discrimination in public schools against part-time students attending private, correspondence, or home schools, was passed by the Alaska State Senate Thursday.

"HB 158 prohibits public school districts from discriminating against part-time Alaska students," said Rep. Fred Dyson, prime sponsor of the bill. "This bill ensures that all qualified Alaska students are allowed to participate in public schools, including part-time students."

The Alaska State Constitution, Article VII, Section 1 (Public Education) states, "The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State...."

"As far as we know, every school district in the state accepts part-time students from the home, correspondence and private school communities except the Anchorage School District (ASD)," said Dyson.

"ASD reasons that providing an educational benefit to an individual child might accrue as a benefit, somehow, to some private school and thus raise constitutional concerns. The Legislative Legal staff, as well as the Attorney General's office, maintain that there is no constitutional issue," said Dyson.

On April 14th, the State Board of Education unanimously endorsed HB 158. They strongly encourage local private schools to use the public schools to provide educational service to all local qualified students.

"School districts such as Sitka, Mat-Su, and Fairbanks have found part-time students to be academic and social assets to their schools. In working cooperatively with private and home school students, public educators take critical steps toward providing an important resource to "all children of the State," said Dyson.

The Alaska Administrative Code makes provisions and establishes a funding mechanism for part-time students. These provisions are weighted in favor of the schools that accept part-time students. According to 4 AAC 09.040, "a student enrolled in one course in a semester equals 0.25 full-time equivalent" of the foundation formula. This graduated scale gives a school full credit for a student who attends four courses daily.

Dyson said when the Attorney General's office prepared the current state statutes for part-time students and the foundation formula reimbursement for part-time students, it was anticipated that every school would fulfill the constitutional mandate and not discriminate against part-time students.

"Most Alaska schools and school districts gladly encourage and accept part-time students. They realize that our public schools are an important resource and have found part-time students to be academic and social assets to their schools," said Dyson.

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