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Home My WebLink AboutRESOLUTION 2001-24CITY OF KENAI Suggested by: Council RESOLUTION NO. 2001-24 A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, SUPPORTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EDUCATION FUNDING TASK FORCE AND INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN ALASKA'S STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS. WHEREAS, to help fulfill the goals of the Quality Schools Initiative and to provide for school excellence in Alaska, Governor Knowles appointed an 11-member Education Funding Task Force to recommend a five-year funding plan; and, WHEREAS, the Task Force is composed of business, community, and education leaders who have taken a non-partisan approach to education funding and linked additional dollars to improved student performance and increased school district accountability; and, WHEREAS, the Task Force presented its report, dated February 1,2001, to the Governor and to the State Board of Education & Early Development, and copies have been delivered to each legislator; and, WHEREAS, the Task Force recommendations to school districts include, but are not limited to' · programs; need of help; · A $45 million investment in Alaska's schools next year and total of $100 million over five years; Direct intervention for students, such as tutoring and after-school Incentives for school excellence and targeted assistance for districts in Modest pay increases and other incentives to attract and retain top-notch teachers in Alaska; · New resources for textbooks and other instructional supplies. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, that it supports the recommendations of the Governor's Education Funding Task Force and urges the Legislature to approve these important increased investments in Alaska's students and schools. ATTEST. Carol L. Freas, City Clerk PASSED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, this 18th day of April, 2001. _ h , .ams Mayor I State o,f Alaska- Department of " '-- ______ Education and Early Development , Tony Knowles Governor P.O. Box 110001 Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001 NEWS RELEASE Shirley H011oway Commissioner 907-465-2800 FAX: 90?%465-2935 www. eecL $~ate. ek..us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 5, 2001 01-036 F~n__ding Task Force Recommends, Five;Year Plan for Schoql Excellence $42.4 MI~IO~ I. NVESTMENT IN YEAR ONE; $100. $ MILTON. 0 VER FIVg FE. dR$ An Education Funding Task Force appointed by Gov. Tony KnoWles has developed a five-year funding plan to advance the goals of the Alaska Quality Schools Initiative, Bob Weinstein,' task force chair, announced today. Weinstein is Mayor of the City of Ketchikan and a former school superintendent. if implemented, the plan would put in place $42.4 million in programs and services in year one of the plan, and one and a half percent increases ir] years two, three, four and five. Overall, the' task force recommends spending $100.3 million more jn 2006 than today. The year 2006 is year' five of the plan. "We encourage the governor and members of the State Board of Education and Early Development to give serious consideration to our recommendations and seal< the additional programs and funds outlined in this report," Weinstein said. "What we are recommending is very important to the success of our children and our schools in meeting higher academic. standards." "Alaska adopted the Quality Schools Initiative with the belief that all Children can reach higher standards," accorcling,to the report by the 11-member panel. "Furthermore, the Quality Schools Initiative offers the promise that no child will be left behind. This indeed is an enormous undertaking and is the first time the State of Alaska has made such a promise to all children." The task force recommendations will give momentum to the Qualibj Schools Initiative over the next half-decade, the report noted, This ~means every Child will read, write and do math at higher levels than ever before. It means schools and parents will no l°nger let children move through the grades without gaining essential skills along the way, It means' more children will have a bright future and will become good citizens. It means Alaska's policy.makers need to follow through and provide the support and necessary resources that teachers and schools need in order for Alaska to make good on its promise to youth." Most of the new funding is requested for the school foundation program, which would Increase per student spending by $414 by year five of the plan. An additional $7 million in year increasing to $8,6 million by year five is requested outside the foundation program to implement recommendations related to achieving the goals of the Quality Schools Initiative. -more- 9/t 'd GS~g'ON IAldO0'~ L O0~ '~ 'J /~ig i-I,Ig-U I I & ~ UI31~lll r ! uIII- The task force recommended the following new funding and programs through the foundation program: updating instru~tional materials, aligning curriculum to state standards, two percent annual increases in teacher salaries, maintaining facilities, keeping up with the costs of serving special needs students, end providing direct instructiona~ intervention for students not meeting standards. ,. , , Funds from outside the foundation program include incentives for exemplary schools; creating a. center to analyze data, perform reseamh and assist iow performing schools; providing additional assistance for Iow performing schools; and providing distance delivered core courses to small high schools. In addition, the task force recommended investigating placing all teachem in tier one of the Teacher Retirement System. The task force also recolTImended a student loan assumption plan to attract and keep new teachers. A loan assumption plan will cost $800,000 the first year, increasing annually as more teachers are attracted to Alaska. Knowles appointed the task force on December 8. The task force met six times to 'debate, research, study, and craft its report. .. The report stressed: "In conducting its work, the task force followed a four-point framework: Quality, Performance, Fairness, and Accountability.,. The goal was to increase student performance through a variety of new programs fled directly to holding schools accountable for increased student performance." The task force found that schools over the past decade have suffered a general loss of purchasing power, with the result that schools are not "able to maintain an appropriate level of education services," the report stated. 'As a result, it is likely that many students have not had the opportunity to meet higher state academic standards." The full task force report'.is available on the Department ef Education and Early Development's web page at www. eed.state.a.k, us. Look for it under an item entitled "In the'News." It will be presented to the state Board of Education and Early Development on Tuesday during an audioconference meeting. Besides Weinstein, members of the task force include' Vice-Chair Roger Chart, vice President and chief financial officer, VECO, Corp.; Carl Marrs, president and CEO, Cook Inlet Region lnc,; Janice Loude'n, president, Alaska Parent-Teacher Association; Jim Palmer, vice president,' BP Exploration; Rich Kronberg, president, NEA-Alaska; Carl Rose, executive director, Association of Alaska School Boards; Pat Abney, Anchorage assembly member.and Iongtime teacher; . Darrell Hargraves, executive director, Alaska Council of School Administrators; Roy Nageak, State Board of Education and Early Development; and Ernie Hall, State Board of Education and Early DeveloPment. -30- Mgm information: Bob Weinstein, 247-8103; Deputy Commissioner of Education Bruce Johnson, 465-2815, or Harry Gamble, Information Officer, 465-2851. 9/§ 'd §8Z9'ON IAIdOO'Z LO0~ '6 "ldV