WHEREAS, on December 8, 2000 the Governor created an Education Funding Task Force to develop a five year plan to achieve the goals of the Quality Schools Initiative, and

WHEREAS, the discussions and recommendations of the task force focused on increased student learning and performance and increased school accountability, and

WHEREAS, the task force examined extensive data which concluded there has been a major loss of purchasing power which has resulted in schools not being able to maintain an appropriate level of educational services, and

WHEREAS, an appropriate level of funding is needed to align curriculum and assessments with thc new standards, update instructional materials, provide staff development to improve instruction, appropriate intervention for struggling students, and provide competitive salaries to attract and retain quality teachers, and

WHEREAS, as a result of this eroded purchasing power schools are struggling to maintain appropriate educational services and programs needed to provide a quality education for student, and

WHEREAS, this has resulted in many students not having the opportunity to meet the higher state academic standards,

WHEREAS, the Education Funding Task Force has offered a five-year funding plan that follows a four-point framework: Quality, Performance, Fairness, and Accountability to be achieved through a variety of new programs tied to school accountability,

THEREFORE IT IS RESOLVED that the Alaska Association of Secondary Schools supports the five recommendations of the Education Funding Task Force and the conclusion in their report that Alaska's schools need considerable financial support above current levels to achieve the promise of the Quality Schools Initiative established by the Alaska Legislature.