Doug Hayman

Principal

Message from our Principal

Good morning Connections Families,

Two big things for today. First, “Congratulations” to all of our newly graduated seniors. It was good to hear about the plans you have for your future and it was good to see the proud families.

Secondly, the question was answered officially, “Yes” we will have homeschool allotments next year. Below you will find a direct line copy of HB 400 that was passed late Wednesday night. Some key take aways are:

• pg 2 line 9 (the second line 9)- programs may provide an annual student allotment…)
• pg 2 line 12- the board (State Board of Education) shall adopt regulations to implement this section consistent with … the Constitution of the State of Alaska.
• pg 2 line 14 – the department (Alaska Department of Education and Early Development DEED) shall monitor the use of allotments…
• pg 2 lines 19-20 – this law ends July 1 of 2025 and takes effect July 1, 2024

A simplified summary is: We will have student allotments for the 24-25 school year, the State Board will write the regulations and DEED will monitor the use.

I have reached out to the State Board of Education to request to be allowed to provide input on the regulations.

We will continue to keep you posted to the development of this issue. In the meantime, please feel free to register/reregister for Connections Homeschool as we prepare for next year.

00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 400(FIN)       

01 “An Act relating to correspondence study programs; relating to allotments for                                          

02 correspondence study programs; and providing for an effective date.”                                       

03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                 

04    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                         

05 to read:                               

06 INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLANS; STUDENT ALLOTMENTS. (a)                                           

07 Notwithstanding AS 14.03.300 or 14.03.310, the department or a district that provides a                         

08 homeschool or correspondence study program shall annually provide an individual learning                               

09 plan for each student enrolled in the program developed in collaboration with the student, the                         

10 parent or guardian of the student, a certificated teacher assigned to the student, and other                           

11 individuals involved in the student’s learning plan.                                         

12       (b)  The board shall adopt regulations establishing standards for individual learning                            

13 plans. The regulations must require that an individual learning plan                                         

14            (1)  provide a course of study appropriate to the student’s grade level and                                 

01 consistent with state and district standards;            02            (2)  incorporate an ongoing assessment plan that includes statewide                                

03 assessments required for public schools under AS 14.03.123(f);                           

04            (3)  include provisions for modifying an individual learning plan if the student                            

05 is below proficient on a standardized assessment in a core subject;                                   

06            (4)  provide for quarterly monitoring of a student’s work and progress by the                               

07 certificated teacher assigned to the student.       

08       (c)  The department or a district that provides a homeschool or correspondence study                             

09 program may provide an annual student allotment to a parent or guardian of a student enrolled                          

10 in the homeschool or correspondence study program. A parent or guardian may use the                                    

11 allotment only for implementation of the student’s individual learning plan.                                         

12       (d)  The board shall adopt regulations to implement this section consistent with art.                            

13 VII, sec. 1, of the Constitution of the State of Alaska.                                    

14       (e)  The department shall monitor the use of allotments distributed under this section.                          

15       (f)  In this section,         

16            (1)  “board” means the state Board of Education and Early Development;                          

17            (2)  “department” means the Department of Education and Early Development;                          

18            (3)  “district” has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990.                               

19    * Sec. 2. Section 1 of this Act is repealed July 1, 2025.                                      

20    * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2024.                                      

Douglas W. Hayman

Principal

Please call 907-714-8880 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Doug Hayman