AS Title 14, Chapter 50: Federal Aid for Education

Chapter 50. Federal Aid for Education. Sec. 14.50.010. Acceptance of federal funds. The legislature assents to federal aid under former 20 U.S.C. 401 — 602 on behalf of the state. The commissioner of education and early development may do all things necessary to cooperate with the United States government to participate under former 20 U.S.C. 401 — 602 and under any Act supplementing the provisions of former 20 U.S.C. 401 — 602, subject to prior concurrence of the governor. Sec. 14.50.020. Definition of public schools for purposes of Statehood Act. Public schools, for the purpose of Public Law 85-508, 72 Stat. 339, 85th Congress, Second Session (Alaska Statehood Act), includes public elementary schools, public high schools, the University of Alaska, and other public educational institutions which may be established. Nothing in this section includes schools for Alaska aborigines under the control of the federal government and which are administered and supervised through the Department of the Interior or the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Sec. 14.50.030. Declaration of intent. If the United States Congress enacts legislation making federal money available to the states for teachers' salaries, school construction, and other educational purposes, it is the desire of the legislature that the governor or the state Board of Education and Early Development as the federal law may require have sufficient flexibility in the use of money appropriated to the Department of Education and Early Development to meet all reasonable federal requirements for obtaining the full amount of federal money that may be obtained by the state under such a federal aid program. Sec. 14.50.040. Expenditure of state and federal funds for teachers' salaries. If the United States Congress enacts legislation, when the state legislature is not in session, making money available to the states for teachers' salaries, the governor or the board as the federal law may require may accept and use part or all of the federal money made available to the state to increase teachers' salaries according to a minimum salary schedule to be arrived at by the board. The governor or the board as federal law may require may use money appropriated by the legislature for teachers' salaries for matching purposes and may expend federal money so obtained for increased teachers' salaries in addition to state money already appropriated for that purpose. Any modified state minimum salary schedule arrived at as a result of receiving federal money may be put into effect by executive order signed by the governor or by order of the board, whichever appears to be the most nearly proper under federal law. This minimum salary schedule shall remain valid under the order until it is altered or approved in full by the legislature. Sec. 14.50.050. Expenditure of state and federal money for school construction. If the United States Congress enacts into law legislation making money available to the state for school construction while the legislature is not in session, the governor or the board as the federal law may require may accept and use the federal money and apply it to the cost of constructing and improving school buildings and facilities to the extent that construction and improvement is authorized by the legislature when federal money becomes available. If a condition to receiving federal money for school construction is that the state increase its expenditures for that purpose over expenditures authorized by the legislature at the time federal money becomes available, the governor or the board as the federal law may require may use money appropriated by the legislature for school construction for matching purposes and may make further federal money available for school construction in addition to state money already appropriated for that purpose. To the extent practicable expenditure of state and federal money shall be limited to projects already programmed by the department and authorized by the legislature at the time federal money becomes available. Sec. 14.50.060. Apportionment of federal aid granted without limitations as to use. If federal money is made available to the state without limitation or restriction as to the educational purposes for which it may be spent or if the federal money is made available to the state for alternative educational purposes, including payment of teachers' salaries, the governor or the board as the federal law may require may use a percentage of the money, not to exceed 50 percent, for increasing teachers' salaries in conformity with a minimum state salary schedule to be adopted by the board. The governor or the board as the federal law may require may use the remainder of the money to supplement existing educational programs. Sec. 14.50.070. Use of line item appropriations for matching purposes. The governor or the board as the federal law may require may direct the use of any state money appropriated in any line item for the department to match federal money which will be made available to the state for substantially the same purpose or program as the money appropriated by the line item at whatever matching ratio is established for the federal money. Sec. 14.50.080. Consent to reasonable conditions. The governor or the board as the federal law may require may accept all reasonable conditions which may be required by the federal government as a condition to receiving federal money for education purposes. Sec. 14.50.100. Definition. The term “teacher” for the purposes of AS 14.50.030 — 14.50.100 includes teachers, school superintendents, and other public school employees covered by the state minimum salary schedule who would be qualified to receive federal money through the state.