The Alaska Senate Education Committee moved Gov. Sean Parnell’s omnibus education bill Friday after rejecting amendments offered by the committee’s lone Democrat.
Sen. Berta Gardner, a Democrat from Anchorage, offered two amendments to Senate Bill 139 in attempt to prevent the forcing of a charter school upon a local school district by the state school board. Her third amendment attempted to raise the per-pupil allocation rate by $404 in the first year and tie it the inflation rate for the following years.
All three amendments failed by a four to one vote along party lines.
Gardner raised objections over the bill saying it does not improve the quality of pre-school programs nor support affective, highly effective teachers.
The bill moves to the Senate Finance Committee.
