Interim Superintendent Board Report

Here is a summary of Bills: Highlight of several bills that impact education:

*HB65 Base Student Allocation increase: This still continues to be a discussion to raise the BSA or provide a one time funding. Either would help us, however, a BSA would continue funding in the future. Senate Finance for SB 52 will hear public testimony Thursday at 1:00. Talking point template is here for public testimony. Please see the below photos on how to participate in this public hearing.

*HB21 School/University Employee Health Insurance: allows school employers, the University of Alaska, and municipalities to elect to participate in the State of Alaska healthcare plan.

*HB41 Mental Health Budget includes: is the FY24 mental health budget. It includes:

• $547,800 for student and school achievement

• $219,100 for the Governor’s Council on Disabilities & Special Education

*HB71 requires school districts to make their financial records available online to the

public at no cost. Separate information for each school must be provided. Basically more work for Lucienne.

We are really trying to find ways to add staff. So many are balancing multiple plates, making it difficult to do the job well.

*Federal Grants posting; hoping this will be a position that will eventually fund itself.

*Intervention and special education teachers

Solutions:

*PreK Grant

*Literacy Grant; different from our current literacy grant which has one more year.

*Looking at Food Service and ways that we could save money with that.

*Looking at Closing out Grants and what we can purchase with the remainder of the funds: Tech equipment from Thrive and Select, Playground equipment from PreK. We are also using portions from grants to pay for admin salary.

This is on our board calendar agenda items for April. We will address this in the May board meeting.

There have been some slight changes in our organizational structure. Please ask if there are any questions with reference to the attached organizational chart.

Here is a folder with thank you notes from students for you to peruse.