"An Act relating to funding for school districts operating statewide residential educational programs; and providing for an effective date. "

HB 16 puts into statute DOE's current practice. This legislation expands existing programs for students who don't have access to grades 9 through 12 qualify for a stipend in boarding schools by changing the entrance requirements.

Students get a choice of going to a school that has something different to offer than may be available in their hometown. This legislation by statute reimburses some boarding schools costs incurred by the district operating the program.

The legislation limits the program to schools already operating boarding schools on January 1, 2004 and sunsets in 2010 (five years). Three schools would qualify for the reimbursement: Nenana, Galena, and Bethel.

A per-pupil stipend will help pay for the students' monthly residential care, which includes meals and supervision twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. In addition a one round-trip between the student's community of residence and the school during the school year will be reimbursed if the district expends money for the trip.

The hold harmless section of this bill allows a student's district of residence to count a student for the ADM count even though the student is attending a secondary boarding school.

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