KNBA Morning Newscast for Tuesday July 21, 2015
Alaska Tribes Included in New Education Bill
By Liz Ruskin, APRN
An education bill that passed the U.S. Senate last week includes several provisions that boost the role of Alaska Native tribes. The bill, called “Every Child Achieves” re-writes the law known as “No Child Left Behind,” a key piece of the domestic legacy of President George W. Bush. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who sits on the Senate Health and Education Committee, says she added a provision requiring states and school districts to consult with tribes and Native parents as they develop education plans.
“I think it’s time that our tribes and our Native organizations throughout the country will be part of designing the plans and shaping the programs used to improve schools that serve our Native students,” said Murkowski.
The bill establishes a competitive grant program to support Native language immersion schools. The legislation doesn’t authorize a specific amount of money for the grants.
Murkowski also used the bill to revise the Alaska Native Educational Equity Program. The long-standing grant program last year gave some $30 million to Alaska school districts, the University of Alaska, tribal groups and non-profits. Murkowski says if the bill becomes law, future grants will go directly to tribes and Native organizations that have expertise running education programs, or to tribes that partner with school districts.
“This will not only honor our constitutional relationship to Alaska Natives but ensure that they can take on more responsibility for helping their children succeed,” said Murkowski.
The bill passed the Senate by a wide margin. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan praised it for easing the mandates of No Child Left Behind and reducing the amount of testing that eats up classroom time. But Duncan also says the bill doesn’t do enough for low-performing schools.
Save Our Salmon Initiative Struck Down
By Dave Bendinger, Associated Press
Alaska's highest court has ruled that an initiative seeking to restrict large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay region "seriously impedes" a regulatory process set out in state law and is unenforceable.
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed a lower-court ruling Friday in litigation over the initiative passed by Lake and Peninsula Borough voters in 2011.
The initiative was aimed at the Pebble mine project and potential development of the massive gold and copper prospect near the headwaters of a world-premier salmon fishery.
The Supreme Court found the initiative impedes implementation of state law giving Alaska's Department of Natural Resources charge of matters affecting exploration, development and mining of state mineral resources.
The Pebble deposit is on state land. The state and group behind the Pebble project had sued over the initiative.
Calista Vote
By Ellen Lockyer, Alaska Public Media
A recent vote by shareholders of Western Alaska's Calista Corporation will expand the corporation's shareholder rolls. The vote triples the number of Calista shareholder from 13 thousand to 43 thousand. However, the vote puts increased pressure on the Bethel area corporation to grow financially, as well, so as not to dilute future dividend payments.
Calista's decision to increase shareholders has spotlighted efforts by other Alaska Native corporations to do the same. Bering Straits Native Corporation plans to do a survey later this year to help determine which way its shareholders want to go. But other Alaska Native corporations, such as Cook Inlet Regional and Bristol Bay Native Corporation, have gotten negative feedback from shareholder surveys.