SB 42: "An Act relating to early education programs provided by school districts; relating to course credit for students; relating to annual reports regarding school district performance and school district employees; relating to school age eligibility; relating to funding for early education programs; establishing early education programs and a voluntary parent program; relating to the duties and powers of the Department of Education and Early Development; relating to school operating fund reserves; relating to certification of teachers; relating to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission; relating to a virtual education consortium; establishing a reading intervention program for public school students enrolled in grades kindergarten through three; establishing a reading program in the Department of Education and Early Development; establishing a teacher retention working group; and providing for an effective date."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 42 01 "An Act relating to early education programs provided by school districts; relating to 02 course credit for students; relating to annual reports regarding school district 03 performance and school district employees; relating to school age eligibility; relating to 04 funding for early education programs; establishing early education programs and a 05 voluntary parent program; relating to the duties and powers of the Department of 06 Education and Early Development; relating to school operating fund reserves; relating 07 to certification of teachers; relating to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission; 08 relating to a virtual education consortium; establishing a reading intervention program 09 for public school students enrolled in grades kindergarten through three; establishing a 10 reading program in the Department of Education and Early Development; establishing 11 a teacher retention working group; and providing for an effective date." 12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
01 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 02 to read: 03 SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Alaska Reading and Virtual Education 04 Act. 05 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 06 read: 07 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that each school district 08 consider adopting a policy to limit student-to-teaching-staff ratios for grades kindergarten 09 through three. 10 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 11 read: 12 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 13 (1) virtual education allows students to access courses that are not otherwise 14 available in their local schools or school districts, including courses that are relevant to the 15 interests and career paths of students; 16 (2) virtual education provides students with access to teachers who are experts 17 in their fields, allowing for better instruction and better academic results; 18 (3) overall state spending on education does not correlate with improved 19 academic results; however, spending on quality classroom instruction does correlate with 20 improved academic results; 21 (4) access to quality classroom instruction, whether through virtual education 22 or traditional delivery modes, is important for the success of every student in the state; 23 (5) despite the benefits of virtual education, virtual education has limitations 24 and cannot replace high-quality teachers and teaching aides in the classroom who inspire 25 high-quality student learning. 26 * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.060(e) is amended to read: 27 (e) In addition to the grades enumerated in (a) of this section, an elementary 28 school consists of an early education [A PRE-ELEMENTARY] program approved 29 or supervised by the department under AS 14.07.020(a)(8), including a program 30 operated by a head start agency [THE DEPARTMENT] as a head start program 31 under 42 U.S.C. 9831 - 9852c [AS 14.38.010, OR LOCATED IN A PUBLIC
01 SCHOOL FOR FEDERAL FUNDING PURPOSES. EXCEPT FOR A CHILD WITH 02 A DISABILITY WHO IS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION OR RELATED 03 SERVICES UNDER AS 14.30.180 - 14.30.350, PRE-ELEMENTARY STUDENTS 04 MAY NOT BE COUNTED IN A SCHOOL'S AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP 05 UNDER AS 14.17]. 06 * Sec. 5. AS 14.03.072(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) Each school district shall annually provide to parents and guardians of 08 students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three in a public school in the state 09 current information on the importance of early reading [LITERACY], including 10 (1) intervention strategies and reading intervention services 11 provided under AS 14.30.765; 12 (2) home reading [LITERACY] plans; 13 (3) grade retention standards and policies for the elementary school 14 attended; 15 (4) strategies and resources to help children learn to read. 16 * Sec. 6. AS 14.03.073(a) is amended to read: 17 (a) A school district shall provide the opportunity for students enrolled in 18 grades nine through 12 in the district to challenge one or more courses provided by the 19 district by demonstrating mastery in mathematics, language arts, science, social 20 studies, and world languages at the level of the course challenged. A school district 21 shall give full credit for a course to a student who successfully challenges that course 22 as provided under (b) of this section. 23 * Sec. 7. AS 14.03.073(b) is amended to read: 24 (b) A school district shall establish, within a reasonable time, an assessment 25 tool and a standard for demonstrating mastery in courses provided for students in 26 grades nine through 12 by the district under (a) of this section. This section does not 27 require a school district to establish an assessment tool for every course in 28 mathematics, language arts, science, social studies, and world languages that is offered 29 to students in grades nine through 12 by the district. 30 * Sec. 8. AS 14.03.073 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 31 (e) In addition to providing the opportunity for a student to challenge a course
01 under (a) - (c) of this section, a school district shall allow a student enrolled in grades 02 nine through 12 to receive course credit in career and technical education, physical 03 education, music, or art if the student participates in an activity, including a cultural 04 activity, outside of school hours that the school district determines meets the 05 educational or physical activity requirements of the course. A school district may 06 adopt standards for awarding course credit for an activity under this subsection. 07 * Sec. 9. AS 14.03.078(a) is amended to read: 08 (a) The department shall provide to the legislature and school districts by 09 February 15 of each year by electronic means an annual report regarding the progress 10 of each school and school district toward high academic performance by all students. 11 The report required under this section must include 12 (1) information described under AS 14.03.120 [AS 14.03.120(d)]; 13 (2) progress of the department 14 (A) toward implementing the school accountability provisions 15 of AS 14.03.123; and 16 (B) in assisting high schools to become accredited; 17 (3) a description of the resources provided to each school and school 18 district for coordinated school improvement activities and staff training in each school 19 and school district; 20 (4) each school district's and each school's progress in aligning 21 curriculum with state education performance standards; 22 (5) a description of the efforts by the department to assist a public 23 school or district that receives a low performance designation under AS 14.03.123; 24 (6) a description of intervention efforts by each school district and 25 school for students who are not meeting state performance standards; [AND] 26 (7) the number and percentage of turnover in certificated personnel and 27 superintendents; 28 (8) a summary of the categories of certificated administrative 29 employees employed by each school district that includes the ratio of 30 (A) the number of certificated administrative employees in 31 each category employed by each school district compared to the number
01 of students enrolled in the school district on October 1 of the previous 02 year; 03 (B) the total number of certificated administrative 04 employees employed by each school district compared to the total number 05 of teachers employed by the school district on October 1 of the previous 06 year; and 07 (C) the total number of teachers employed by each school 08 district compared to the total number of students enrolled in the school 09 district on October 1 of the previous year; 10 (9) the progress made to implement the reading intervention 11 programs established under AS 14.30.760 - 14.30.775, including data on how 12 school districts are using in-service days for professional development in reading 13 instruction; and 14 (10) the effectiveness and participation rates of the parents as 15 teachers program established under AS 14.03.420, including measures of 16 efficiency and effectiveness that demonstrate the effects of the program on school 17 readiness. 18 * Sec. 10. AS 14.03.078 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 19 (c) Each school district shall make available to the public the portion of the 20 report under (a)(8) of this section that pertains to the school district by posting the 21 information in a prominent location on the school district's or local community's 22 Internet website or by another easily accessible method. 23 (d) In this section, "administrative employee" means an employee who does 24 not provide direct classroom instruction for students as a regular part of the 25 employee's job. 26 * Sec. 11. AS 14.03.080(d) is amended to read: 27 (d) A child who is five years of age on or before June 1 preceding 28 [SEPTEMBER 1 FOLLOWING] the beginning of the school year, and who is under 29 school age, may enter a public school kindergarten. A school district may waive the 30 requirements of this subsection for a child who achieves a passing score on an 31 assessment approved by the department.
01 * Sec. 12. AS 14.03.080 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 02 (g) A child who is at least four, but not more than five, years of age on or 03 before June 1 preceding the beginning of the school year and who has not attended a 04 public school kindergarten may enter a public school early education program. 05 * Sec. 13. AS 14.03.120 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 06 (h) To the extent allowable under state and federal privacy laws, each district 07 shall annually report to the department information from the previous school year 08 regarding 09 (1) the number of students and teaching staff assigned to each 10 classroom in grades kindergarten through three; 11 (2) the number and percentage of students 12 (A) in grades kindergarten through three who demonstrated 13 improvement on expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening or 14 assessment tool; 15 (B) in grades kindergarten through three who performed below 16 expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening or assessment tool, by 17 grade; 18 (C) retained in grades kindergarten through three; 19 (D) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills 20 for grade progression based on the statewide screening or assessment tool; 21 (E) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills 22 for grade progression based on an alternative standardized reading screening or 23 assessment; 24 (F) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills 25 for grade progression based on a student reading portfolio; 26 (G) in grade three who progressed to grade four based on a 27 good cause exemption under AS 14.30.765(g); 28 (3) the performance on the statewide screening or assessment tool of 29 students in a grade above grade three who were retained in grade three under 30 AS 14.30.765(e) or who progressed to grade four based on a good cause exemption 31 under AS 14.30.765(g).
01 * Sec. 14. AS 14.03 is amended by adding new sections to read: 02 Article 4. Early Education. 03 Sec. 14.03.410. Early education programs; grants. (a) The department shall 04 provide training and assist districts in the development of early education programs, 05 and shall approve early education programs that meet the standards adopted by the 06 board under AS 14.07.165(a)(5). If the department determines that the district's early 07 education program complies with the standards, the department shall approve the early 08 education program. If the department determines that the district's early education 09 program does not comply with the standards, the department shall provide assistance 10 to the district to improve the early education program to meet the standards. 11 (b) The department may award a grant to an eligible district to provide 12 funding for a three-year period for the development of a district-wide early education 13 program. At the end of the three-year grant period, the department shall assess the 14 district's early education program and determine whether the program complies with 15 the standards adopted under AS 14.07.165(a)(5). 16 (c) The department shall rank the performance of all districts in the state in 17 accordance with the accountability system and performance designations required 18 under AS 14.03.123. The department shall divide all districts into six groups based on 19 performance ranking. Each group of districts is eligible for a three-year grant in the 20 following fiscal years: 21 (1) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021, the lowest performing 10 22 percent of districts; 23 (2) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, the second lowest 24 performing 15 percent of districts; 25 (3) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, the third lowest 26 performing 15 percent of districts; 27 (4) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, the third highest 28 performing 20 percent of districts; 29 (5) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, the second highest 30 performing 20 percent of districts; 31 (6) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, the highest performing
01 20 percent of districts. 02 (d) In each fiscal year, the department may award a three-year grant to a 03 district that applies in a format prescribed by the department and that is in a group of 04 districts that 05 (1) is eligible for a grant during that fiscal year under (c) of this 06 section; or 07 (2) was eligible for a grant in a previous fiscal year under (c) of this 08 section, but did not receive a grant under this section in a previous fiscal year. 09 (e) If the department does not approve a district's early education program at 10 the end of the three-year grant period, the department may provide a one-year 11 remediation grant to allow the district one additional fiscal year to meet the early 12 education program standards adopted by the board under AS 14.07.165(a)(5). If the 13 district is unable to meet the early education program standards at the end of the fiscal 14 year, the department may, in the discretion of the commissioner, provide an additional 15 remediation grant to allow the district not more than one additional fiscal year to meet 16 the standards. Nothing in this section prohibits a district from using its own funds to 17 continue the remediation process. 18 (f) A student in an early education program may not be counted in the district 19 ADM under AS 14.17.500 or 14.17.905 until after the department determines that the 20 early education program complies with the standards adopted by the board under 21 AS 14.07.165(a)(5) and approves the program. The department may not approve an 22 early education program developed with a grant awarded under (b) of this section until 23 the end of the three-year grant period under (b) of this section or the additional 24 remediation period under (e) of this section. The department may approve a district's 25 early education program that does not receive a grant under this section at any time if 26 the early education program complies with the standards adopted by the board under 27 AS 14.07.165(a)(5). 28 (g) A grant under this section is subject to appropriation, but may not supplant 29 other early education funding available to districts. 30 (h) In this section, 31 (1) "ADM" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990;
01 (2) "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990; 02 (3) "early education program" means a program for children who are 03 four and five years of age and who have not attended a public school kindergarten if 04 the program's primary function is educational. 05 Sec. 14.03.420. Parents as teachers program. (a) The department shall devise 06 and implement a statewide parents as teachers program for the benefit of children who 07 are under five years of age. The program must provide a system of early childhood 08 education that 09 (1) is evidence-based; 10 (2) involves parents; 11 (3) is consistent with available research and best practices for high 12 quality early childhood education; 13 (4) incorporates guidelines adopted by the department for early 14 learning that 15 (A) enhances school readiness; 16 (B) increases parent understanding of child development and 17 developmental milestones; 18 (C) reduces the incidence of child abuse and neglect; 19 (D) increases identification of health problems and 20 developmental delays through regular screenings; 21 (E) improves child health indicators, including immunization 22 rates; 23 (F) increases parental involvement; and 24 (5) provides for effective and efficient coordination with or expansion 25 of pre-elementary education programs operating in the state, to the extent permitted by 26 law. 27 (b) A school district shall, to the extent space is needed and available, provide 28 for the use of a room in a school at no charge to support the program established under 29 this section. 30 (c) The department shall develop and enter into local partnerships to 31 implement the program established under this section.
01 * Sec. 15. AS 14.07.020(a) is amended to read: 02 (a) The department shall 03 (1) exercise general supervision over the public schools of the state 04 except the University of Alaska; 05 (2) study the conditions and needs of the public schools of the state, 06 adopt or recommend plans, administer and evaluate grants to improve school 07 performance awarded under AS 14.03.125, and adopt regulations for the improvement 08 of the public schools; the department may consult with the University of Alaska to 09 develop secondary education requirements to improve student achievement in college 10 preparatory courses; 11 (3) provide advisory and consultative services to all public school 12 governing bodies and personnel; 13 (4) prescribe by regulation a minimum course of study for the public 14 schools; the regulations must provide that, if a course in American Sign Language is 15 given, the course shall be given credit as a course in a foreign language; 16 (5) establish, in coordination with the Department of Health and Social 17 Services, a program for the continuing education of children who are held in detention 18 facilities in the state during the period of detention; 19 (6) accredit those public schools that meet accreditation standards 20 prescribed by regulation by the department; these regulations shall be adopted by the 21 department and presented to the legislature during the first 10 days of any regular 22 session, and become effective 45 days after presentation or at the end of the session, 23 whichever is earlier, unless disapproved by a resolution concurred in by a majority of 24 the members of each house; 25 (7) prescribe by regulation, after consultation with the state fire 26 marshal and the state sanitarian, standards that will ensure healthful and safe 27 conditions in the public and private schools of the state, including a requirement of 28 physical examinations and immunizations in pre-elementary schools; the standards for 29 private schools may not be more stringent than those for public schools; 30 (8) exercise general supervision over early education programs 31 [PRE-ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS] that receive direct state or federal funding,
01 including early education programs provided by a school district for students 02 four and five years of age, and approve early education programs provided by a 03 school district that meet the standards adopted by the board under 04 AS 14.07.165(a)(5); 05 (9) exercise general supervision over elementary and secondary 06 correspondence study programs offered by municipal school districts or regional 07 educational attendance areas; the department may also offer and make available to any 08 Alaskan through a centralized office a correspondence study program; 09 (10) accredit private schools that request accreditation and that meet 10 accreditation standards prescribed by regulation by the department; nothing in this 11 paragraph authorizes the department to require religious or other private schools to be 12 licensed; 13 (11) review plans for construction of new public elementary and 14 secondary schools and for additions to and major rehabilitation of existing public 15 elementary and secondary schools and, in accordance with regulations adopted by the 16 department, determine and approve the extent of eligibility for state aid of a school 17 construction or major maintenance project; for the purposes of this paragraph, "plans" 18 include educational specifications, schematic designs, projected energy consumption 19 and costs, and final contract documents; 20 (12) provide educational opportunities in the areas of vocational 21 education and training, and basic education to individuals over 16 years of age who 22 are no longer attending school; the department may consult with businesses and labor 23 unions to develop a program to prepare students for apprenticeships or internships that 24 will lead to employment opportunities; 25 (13) administer the grants awarded under AS 14.11; 26 (14) establish, in coordination with the Department of Public Safety, a 27 school bus driver training course; 28 (15) require the reporting of information relating to school disciplinary 29 and safety programs under AS 14.33.120 and of incidents of disruptive or violent 30 behavior; 31 (16) establish by regulation criteria, based on low student performance,
01 under which the department may intervene in a school district to improve instructional 02 practices, as described in AS 14.07.030(a)(14) or (15); the regulations must include 03 (A) a notice provision that alerts the district to the deficiencies 04 and the instructional practice changes proposed by the department; 05 (B) an end date for departmental intervention, as described in 06 AS 14.07.030(a)(14)(A) and (B) and (15), after the district demonstrates three 07 consecutive years of improvement consisting of not less than two percent 08 increases in student proficiency on standards-based assessments in language 09 arts and mathematics, as provided in AS 14.03.123(f)(1)(A); and 10 (C) a process for districts to petition the department for 11 continuing or discontinuing the department's intervention; 12 (17) notify the legislative committees having jurisdiction over 13 education before intervening in a school district under AS 14.07.030(a)(14) or 14 redirecting public school funding under AS 14.07.030(a)(15); 15 (18) establish a reading program to provide direct support for and 16 intervention in the reading intervention programs of participating schools as 17 described in AS 14.30.765 and 14.30.770. 18 * Sec. 16. AS 14.07.020(c) is amended to read: 19 (c) In this section, "early education program" ["PRE-ELEMENTARY 20 SCHOOL"] means a program [SCHOOL] for children ages three through five years if 21 the program's [SCHOOL'S] primary function is educational. 22 * Sec. 17. AS 14.07.050 is amended to read: 23 Sec. 14.07.050. Selection of textbooks. Textbooks for use in the public 24 schools of the state, including a district offered statewide correspondence study 25 program, shall be selected by district boards for district schools. Nothing in this 26 section precludes 27 (1) a correspondence study student, or the parent or guardian of a 28 correspondence study student, from privately obtaining or using textbooks or 29 curriculum material not provided by the school district; 30 (2) the department from selecting and purchasing supplementary 31 reading textbooks and materials for school districts in connection with reading
01 intervention services provided under AS 14.30.765 and 14.30.770. 02 * Sec. 18. AS 14.07.165(a) is amended to read: 03 (a) The board shall adopt 04 (1) statewide goals and require each governing body to adopt written 05 goals that are consistent with local needs; 06 (2) regulations regarding the application for and award of grants under 07 AS 14.03.125; 08 (3) regulations implementing provisions of AS 14.11.014(b); 09 (4) regulations requiring approval by the board before a charter school, 10 state boarding school, or a public school may provide domiciliary services; 11 (5) regulations establishing standards for an early education 12 program provided by a school district for children who are four and five years of 13 age; the regulations must include 14 (A) standards for a 15 (i) half-day program consisting of not less than two 16 and one-half hours; 17 (ii) full-day program consisting of six hours; and 18 (iii) locally designed, evidence-based program that is 19 less than half a day that meets early education program standards; 20 (B) a requirement that a teacher in charge of a program 21 hold a valid teacher certificate issued under AS 14.20 and 22 (i) have satisfactorily completed a minimum of six 23 credit hours in early childhood education or complete the 24 minimum credit hours within one year of the date the teacher's 25 employment with the early education program begins; or 26 (ii) have two or more years of experience teaching 27 kindergarten or another early education program and have 28 completed additional coursework related to reading instruction, as 29 required by the department; 30 (C) developmentally appropriate objectives for children 31 four and five years of age rather than academic standards appropriate for
01 older children; the objectives must allow school districts to adapt the 02 content of an early education program to be culturally appropriate to 03 local communities; and 04 (D) accommodations for the needs of all early education 05 children and their families regardless of socioeconomic circumstances 06 [REPEALED]. 07 * Sec. 19. AS 14.17.500 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 08 (d) Except as provided in AS 14.17.905(d), a student in an early education 09 program provided by a school district and approved by the department under 10 AS 14.07.020(a)(8) is counted as one-half of a full-time equivalent student. 11 * Sec. 20. AS 14.17.505(a) is amended to read: 12 (a) A district may not accumulate in a fiscal year an unreserved portion of its 13 year-end fund balance in its school operating fund, as defined by department 14 regulations, that is greater than 25 [10] percent of its expenditures for that fiscal year, 15 except that, during the first three fiscal years after a cooperative arrangement 16 grant is awarded under AS 14.14.115, a district may accumulate an additional 17 unreserved portion that is equal to the amount of savings resulting from the 18 grant. 19 * Sec. 21. AS 14.17.905(a) is amended to read: 20 (a) For purposes of this chapter, the determination of the number of schools in 21 a district is subject to the following: 22 (1) a community with an ADM of at least 10, but not more than 100, 23 shall be counted as one school; 24 (2) a community with an ADM of at least 101, but not more than 425, 25 shall be counted as 26 (A) one elementary school, which includes those students in 27 grades kindergarten through six, and, except as provided in (d) of this 28 section, in an early education program provided by a school district and 29 approved by the department under AS 14.07.020(a)(8); and 30 (B) one secondary school, which includes students in grades 31 seven through 12;
01 (3) in a community with an ADM of greater than 425, each facility that 02 is administered as a separate school shall be counted as one school, except that each 03 alternative school with an ADM of less than 175 shall be counted as a part of the 04 school in the district with the highest ADM. 05 * Sec. 22. AS 14.17.905 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 06 (d) A school district may not include in the average daily membership of a 07 school students who are four and five years of age if the students are enrolled in an 08 early education program that receives state or federal funding other than funding under 09 this chapter. 10 * Sec. 23. AS 14.20.010 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 11 (b) A public school shall display in a prominent location the name of each 12 teacher who teaches at that school who has achieved national board certification. 13 (c) It is the goal of the legislature that by the year 2026 at least four percent of 14 public school teachers in the state will have achieved national board certification. 15 (d) In this section, "national board certification" means certification by the 16 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. 17 * Sec. 24. AS 14.20.015(c) is amended to read: 18 (c) The preliminary teacher certificate issued under this section must contain 19 the same endorsements as those on the current valid teacher certificate issued by the 20 other state. However, a teacher holding a preliminary teacher certificate issued 21 under this section must complete three credits or the equivalent of coursework, 22 training, or testing requirements in evidence-based reading instruction approved 23 by the board to be eligible for an endorsement in elementary education issued by 24 the department. A teacher may apply coursework, training, or testing 25 requirements completed under this subsection toward continuing education 26 requirements established by the board in regulation. 27 * Sec. 25. AS 14.20.020(i) is amended to read: 28 (i) Beginning on July 1, 1998, a person is not eligible for an initial regular 29 teacher certificate unless the person has taken and successfully completed a 30 competency examination or examinations designated, at the time the person took the 31 test, by the board. The board shall review nationally recognized examinations that are
01 designed to test the competency of new teachers and shall designate those 02 examinations that it finds adequately test the skills and abilities of new teachers. For 03 each examination designated under this subsection, the board shall establish the 04 minimum acceptable level of performance. If the board designates a Praxis test as a 05 competency examination under this subsection, the board shall periodically 06 adjust the minimum acceptable level of performance established for the Praxis 07 test so that the level is equal to or higher than the most stringent minimum 08 acceptable level of performance for teacher certification established by another 09 state. A regulation adopted under this subsection to increase the minimum 10 acceptable level of performance on a competency examination may not take effect 11 earlier than one year after the board adopts the regulation. 12 * Sec. 26. AS 14.20.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 13 (l) A teacher certificated under this section must complete three credits or the 14 equivalent of coursework, training, or testing requirements in evidence-based reading 15 instruction approved by the board in regulation to be eligible for an endorsement in 16 elementary education issued by the department. A teacher may apply coursework, 17 training, or testing requirements completed under this subsection toward continuing 18 education requirements established by the board in regulation. 19 * Sec. 27. AS 14.20.380 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 20 (b) The department shall provide administrative support services to the 21 commission. 22 * Sec. 28. AS 14.20.460 is amended to read: 23 Sec. 14.20.460. Duties of commission. The commission shall 24 (1) establish procedures [,] and adopt regulations to implement the 25 purposes of AS 14.20.370 - 14.20.510; 26 (2) conduct investigations and hearings on alleged violations of ethical 27 or professional teaching performance, contractual obligations, and professional 28 teaching misconduct; 29 (3) review the regulations of the department as they relate to teacher 30 certification and recommend necessary changes; 31 (4) review the decisions of the department regarding the issuance or
01 denial of certificates and, in the [ITS] discretion of the commission, recommend 02 reversal of decisions; 03 (5) reduce the commission's administrative costs by using 04 administrative support services provided by the department. 05 * Sec. 29. AS 14.30 is amended by adding new sections to read: 06 Article 15. Reading Intervention Programs. 07 Sec. 14.30.760. Statewide assessment. (a) To implement the district reading 08 intervention services established under AS 14.30.765, the department shall 09 (1) adopt a statewide screening or assessment tool to administer to 10 students in grades kindergarten through three to identify students with reading 11 deficiencies, including students with characteristics of dyslexia; the screening or 12 assessment tool must evaluate 13 (A) phonemic awareness, letter naming fluency, letter sound 14 fluency, and letter word sound fluency of students in kindergarten; 15 (B) letter word sound fluency and oral reading fluency of 16 students in grade one; 17 (C) vocabulary and oral reading fluency of students in grades 18 two and three; 19 (2) support teachers of grades kindergarten through three by 20 (A) administering the statewide screening or assessment tool 21 three times each school year, once in the fall, once in the winter, and once in 22 the spring, to all students in grades kindergarten through three, with the 23 exception of students who demonstrate sufficient reading skills on the first 24 screening or assessment of the school year; 25 (B) providing methods to monitor student progress; 26 (C) providing targeted instruction based on student needs as 27 determined by the results of the screening or assessment tool; and 28 (D) providing additional assistance as determined by the 29 department; 30 (3) provide training to school district staff related to using the results 31 of the statewide screening or assessment tool and understanding evidence-based
01 reading interventions, including explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic 02 awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; 03 (4) establish a process that allows the commissioner to waive, upon 04 request, use of the statewide screening or assessment tool required under this 05 subsection by a school district if the school district has adopted an evidence-based 06 reading screening or assessment tool and the screening or assessment tool is approved 07 by the department; 08 (5) review and approve alternative standardized reading screenings or 09 assessments for use by school districts. 10 (b) In adopting a statewide screening or assessment tool under (a)(1) of this 11 section, the department shall consider the following factors: 12 (1) the amount of time needed to administer the screening or 13 assessment, with the intention of minimizing effects on instructional time; 14 (2) the time frame for reporting screening or assessment results to 15 teachers, administrators, and parents or guardians; 16 (3) the integration of the screening or assessment with student 17 instruction and department support; and 18 (4) recommendations from a task force, working group, or committee 19 created by law and charged with studying issues related to reading proficiency and 20 reading deficiencies. 21 Sec. 14.30.765. District reading intervention services. (a) Each school 22 district shall offer intensive reading intervention services to students in grades 23 kindergarten through three who exhibit a reading deficiency to assist students in 24 achieving reading proficiency at or above grade level by the end of grade three. The 25 district shall provide the intensive reading intervention services in addition to the core 26 reading instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. 27 The intensive reading intervention services must 28 (1) be provided by a district reading teacher to all students in grades 29 kindergarten through three who are determined to have a reading deficiency based on 30 the statewide screening or assessment tool adopted under AS 14.30.760(a)(1); 31 (2) provide explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness,
01 phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as necessary; 02 (3) use evidence-based reading intervention methods that have shown 03 proven results in accelerating student reading achievement within a single school year; 04 (4) include instruction with detailed explanations, extensive 05 opportunities for guided practice, and opportunities for error correction and feedback; 06 (5) incorporate daily targeted small group reading instruction based on 07 student needs, either in person or online; 08 (6) monitor the reading progress of each student's reading skills 09 throughout the school year and adjust instruction according to student needs; 10 (7) be implemented during regular school hours through any available 11 method, including in person or through online delivery by teachers or specialty 12 reading coaches; 13 (8) be implemented outside of regular school hours, as directed in the 14 student's individual reading improvement plan under (b) of this section, for a student 15 who scores at the lowest achievement level on the statewide screening or assessment 16 tool; and 17 (9) be reviewed based on a department-approved response to 18 intervention or multi-tiered system support models, addressing additional support and 19 services needed to remedy identified needs. 20 (b) In addition to the reading intervention services provided under (a) of this 21 section, a school district shall provide an individual reading improvement plan for 22 each student in grades kindergarten through three who is determined to have a reading 23 deficiency based on the statewide screening or assessment tool. An individual reading 24 improvement plan developed under this section must 25 (1) be implemented not later than 30 days after identification of the 26 reading deficiency; 27 (2) be created by the student's reading teacher in consultation with the 28 school principal, the student's parents or guardians, and other pertinent district staff; 29 (3) describe the evidence-based reading intervention services the 30 student will receive to achieve and demonstrate sufficient reading skills; 31 (4) provide reading intervention services outside of regular school
01 hours for a student who scores at the lowest achievement level on the statewide 02 screening or assessment tool consistent with (a)(8) of this section; and 03 (5) include a process for monitoring progress and adjusting the plan 04 based on student needs. 05 (c) If at any time during the school year a student in grades kindergarten 06 through three demonstrates a reading deficiency, the district or school shall notify the 07 student's parents or guardians in writing or during a conference. The district or school 08 shall provide the student's parents or guardians with updates on the student's progress 09 every two weeks after the initial notification. The initial notification must 10 (1) be provided to the student's parents or guardians not later than 15 11 days after identification of the reading deficiency; 12 (2) state that the district identified the student as having a reading 13 deficiency and that a reading improvement plan will be developed under (b) of this 14 section; 15 (3) describe current services that the district is providing to the student; 16 (4) describe the proposed evidence-based reading intervention and 17 supplemental instructional services and supports that the district will provide to the 18 student to improve the identified area of reading deficiency; 19 (5) explain that the district or school will inform the parents or 20 guardians in writing of the student's progress toward grade level reading at least every 21 two weeks; 22 (6) identify strategies for the parents or guardians to use at home to 23 help the student succeed in reading; 24 (7) explain that if the student has a reading deficiency at the end of the 25 school year, unless the student receives an exemption under (g) of this section or has 26 previously been retained in kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three, the 27 student may be prevented from progressing to the next grade level under (d) of this 28 section; and 29 (8) explain that a student in grade three should demonstrate sufficient 30 reading skills to progress to grade four under (e) of this section, unless the student 31 receives an exemption under (g) of this section or has previously been retained in
01 kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three. 02 (d) If, not later than 45 days before the end of the school year, a teacher 03 determines that a student in grades kindergarten through three has a reading 04 deficiency, the student's teacher and other pertinent district staff shall provide written 05 notification to and meet with the student's parents or guardians to determine whether 06 the student will be able to maintain adequate academic progress at the next grade level 07 and discuss delayed grade level progression as an intervention strategy. School staff 08 shall work with the parents or guardians to schedule a date, time, and place for the 09 meeting and, if no parent or guardian attends the meeting, the teacher and school staff 10 shall determine grade level progression. 11 (e) A student in grade three should demonstrate sufficient reading skills to 12 progress to grade four. A student demonstrates sufficient reading skills for progression 13 by 14 (1) scoring at a proficient or higher achievement level on the statewide 15 screening or assessment tool or on the statewide summative assessment; 16 (2) achieving an acceptable score on an alternative standardized 17 reading screening or assessment as determined and approved by the department; or 18 (3) demonstrating mastery of reading standards through a student 19 reading portfolio based on criteria established by the department. 20 (f) The department shall develop a program to provide incentives to districts, 21 schools, school staff, and students for increases in the percentage of students in grade 22 three who demonstrate sufficient reading skills under (e) of this section. 23 (g) A school board may exempt a student from delayed grade level 24 progression for good cause. A good cause exemption is limited to 25 (1) a student with a disability whose individualized education plan 26 under AS 14.30.278 exempts the student from participation in the statewide screening 27 or assessment tool; 28 (2) a student with a disability who participates in the statewide 29 screening or assessment tool and has an individualized education plan under 30 AS 14.30.278 or a plan under 29 U.S.C. 794 that reflects that the student has received 31 intensive reading intervention services for two years or more but still demonstrates a
01 reading deficiency; 02 (3) a student who has received intensive reading intervention services 03 for two or more years but still demonstrates a reading deficiency; or 04 (4) a student whose primary language is other than English and who 05 has had less than two years of instruction in an English language learning program. 06 (h) A student's parents or guardians may request that the student receive a 07 good cause exemption under (g) of this section by submitting documentation to the 08 principal of the school in which the student is enrolled showing that an exemption is 09 appropriate. If the principal determines that the student meets one of the exemptions 10 under (g) of this section, the principal shall recommend to the school board in writing 11 that the school board grant the student a good cause exemption. The school board shall 12 accept or reject the principal's recommendation in writing and provide notice of its 13 decision to the student's parents or guardians and the principal. 14 (i) If a student in grade three does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills for 15 progression to grade four under (e) of this section, the district or school in which the 16 student is enrolled shall provide written notification to the student's parents or 17 guardians not later than 45 days before the end of the school year. The written 18 notification must 19 (1) state that the student did not demonstrate sufficient reading skills to 20 progress to grade four; 21 (2) explain the implementation of intervention or progression 22 strategies; 23 (3) describe the current services being provided to the student; and 24 (4) if the student's parents or guardians requested a good cause 25 exemption under (g) of this section and the school board rejected the request, include a 26 statement that the request for a good cause exemption was rejected and a copy of the 27 written notification the school board provided to the parents or guardians under (h) of 28 this section. 29 (j) For a student who does not progress to the next grade level under (d) or (e) 30 of this section, or who progresses to the next grade level with a good cause exemption 31 under (g) of this section, the district in which the student is enrolled shall
01 (1) review the student's individual reading improvement plan; 02 (2) provide intensive reading intervention services to improve the 03 student's identified area of reading deficiency using effective instructional strategies to 04 accelerate student progress; 05 (3) provide additional services and support to improve the student's 06 identified area of reading deficiency, including 07 (A) a transitional instructional setting that is designed to 08 produce learning gains; 09 (B) supplemental tutoring offered by a person with specialized 10 reading training; 11 (C) an increase in time dedicated to the reading instruction 12 methods described in (a)(3) - (5) of this section, including more extensive 13 opportunities for guided practice and error correction and feedback; 14 (4) develop a plan for reading at home outlined in an agreement with 15 the parents or guardians, including parent participation in training workshops and 16 regular parent-guided home reading activities. 17 (k) A district or school may not retain a student under this section who was 18 previously retained in kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three. 19 (l) In this section, 20 (1) "evidence-based reading intervention" means an intervention based 21 on reliable, trustworthy, and valid evidence that has a demonstrated record of success 22 in adequately increasing a student's reading competency in the areas of phonemic 23 awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, oral language skills, 24 and reading comprehension; 25 (2) "reading teacher" means a teacher who has demonstrated an 26 effectiveness at instructing students to read at or above grade level through student 27 reading performance data and teacher performance evaluations and who meets the 28 requirements established by the state Board of Education and Early Development in 29 regulation. 30 Sec. 14.30.770. Department reading program. (a) The department shall 31 establish a reading program to provide direct support for and intervention in intensive
01 reading intervention services in the lowest performing 10 percent of schools as 02 determined under AS 14.03.123, selecting not more than 10 participating schools at a 03 time. State funding provided to participating schools for implementation of the reading 04 program is in addition to the amount of funding provided under AS 14.17. In 05 conducting the program, the department shall 06 (1) use the accountability system established in AS 14.03.123 to 07 identify low performing schools; 08 (2) establish an application process for school districts to apply to 09 participate in the program; 10 (3) select low performing schools from the schools that apply to 11 participate in the program; 12 (4) employ and assign a reading specialist for each school selected to 13 direct the implementation of the intensive reading intervention services established 14 under AS 14.30.765 by 15 (A) modeling effective instructional strategies for teachers by 16 working regularly with students as a class, in small groups, or individually; 17 (B) coaching and mentoring teachers and staff in reading 18 instruction with an emphasis on prioritizing time in a manner that has the 19 greatest positive effects on student achievement; 20 (C) training teachers in data analysis and using data to 21 differentiate instruction; 22 (D) leading and supporting reading leadership teams; and 23 (E) reporting on school and student performance to the 24 department; 25 (5) establish a reporting process for each reading specialist and support 26 reading specialist to submit updates to the department on implementation of the 27 program; 28 (6) work with reading specialists to create specific improvement goals 29 for each school selected, including measures of interim progress; 30 (7) select and purchase additional reading material for each school 31 selected to supplement the intensive reading intervention services;
01 (8) pay travel and associated costs for a reading specialist or support 02 reading specialist to attend relevant training sessions identified by or hosted by the 03 department; 04 (9) periodically review staff development programs for their 05 effectiveness in developing reading skills and, after consultation with school districts 06 and experts, recommend to the board for approval staff development programs that 07 (A) have been proven to assess and accelerate student progress 08 toward reaching reading competency; 09 (B) provide explicit and systematic skill development in the 10 areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and 11 comprehension; 12 (C) are evidence-based and reliable; 13 (D) provide initial and ongoing analysis of student progress 14 toward reaching reading competency; and 15 (E) include texts on core academic content to assist students in 16 maintaining or meeting grade-appropriate proficiency in academic subjects in 17 addition to reading; 18 (10) annually convene, either in person or electronically, a panel made 19 up of teachers of grades kindergarten through three, school administrators, and parents 20 of students in grades kindergarten through three to review and provide commentary on 21 the effectiveness of the reading intervention programs established under AS 14.30.760 22 - 14.30.775. 23 (b) The department may employ and assign a support reading specialist for 24 each school selected to participate in the program, as necessary, to support the reading 25 specialist assigned under (a)(4) of this section or serve as a reading specialist for a 26 school's early education program. 27 (c) A school selected to participate in the reading program established under 28 this section shall 29 (1) ensure that a reading specialist assigned to the school is not 30 required to perform functions that divert from the duties the department has assigned 31 to the reading specialist;
01 (2) coordinate with the reading specialist or specialists to redesign the 02 school's daily schedule to dedicate time to reading program activities, including 03 intensive reading intervention services identified in a written agreement between the 04 school and the department; 05 (3) present on the reading program established under this section and 06 the intensive reading intervention services established under AS 14.30.765 at a public 07 meeting; the presentation must include 08 (A) the data the department used to identify the school as 09 eligible for the reading program; 10 (B) a detailed overview of the reading program and intensive 11 reading intervention services; 12 (C) a timeline for implementing the intensive reading 13 intervention services and meeting reading improvement goals; and 14 (D) the implications of the program for students, families, and 15 educators; 16 (4) provide notice of the public meeting required under (3) of this 17 subsection to the parents or guardians of each student at least seven days before the 18 date of the meeting; 19 (5) present an annual update on the school's implementation of the 20 reading program and intensive reading intervention services at a public meeting with 21 notice provided to the parents or guardians of each student at least seven days before 22 the date of the meeting; 23 (6) create partnerships between the school, the families of students, 24 and the community that focus on promoting reading and increasing the amount of time 25 that students spend reading. 26 (d) The department shall publish on the department's Internet website and 27 make available to the public 28 (1) a completed application from each school selected to participate in 29 the reading program; 30 (2) the reading program and intensive reading intervention services 31 implemented by each school selected to participate; and
01 (3) a data analysis conducted by an independent contractor of the 02 success of the reading program and intensive reading intervention services. 03 (e) The department may employ a person as a reading specialist or support 04 reading specialist under this section if the person 05 (1) holds a valid teacher certificate issued under AS 14.20; 06 (2) has completed an approved graduate program for the preparation of 07 reading specialists at an approved institution of higher education and 08 (A) has completed a supervised practicum or internship as a 09 reading specialist; or 10 (B) has at least three years of full-time, demonstrated 11 classroom teaching experience where reading instruction was a primary 12 responsibility; 13 (3) is knowledgeable about and demonstrates competency in reading 14 instruction, including 15 (A) an understanding of the five components of reading 16 instruction identified by the National Reading Panel; 17 (B) knowledge of and experience in implementing effective 18 reading instruction strategies and intervention methods; 19 (C) experience in designing and implementing a school-wide 20 response to intervention program or multi-tiered system support model; 21 (D) an understanding of and experience in reading screenings 22 or assessments and data analyses that inform instruction; 23 (E) knowledge of dyslexia and other learning disorders that 24 affect reading achievement; 25 (F) knowledge of and an ability to effectively articulate the 26 methods, issues, and resources involved in support of student instruction to a 27 wide variety of audiences, including staff, parents, and students whose primary 28 language is other than English; and 29 (4) meets other reading instruction coursework requirements 30 established by the department in regulation. 31 Sec. 14.30.775. Definition. In AS 14.30.760 - 14.30.775, "district" has the
01 meaning given in AS 14.17.990. 02 * Sec. 30. AS 14.30.765(c), enacted by sec. 29 of this Act, is amended to read: 03 (c) If at any time during the school year a student in grades kindergarten 04 through three demonstrates a reading deficiency, the district or school shall notify the 05 student's parents or guardians in writing or during a conference. The district or school 06 shall provide the student's parents or guardians with updates on the student's progress 07 every two weeks after the initial notification. The initial notification must 08 (1) be provided to the student's parents or guardians not later than 15 09 days after identification of the reading deficiency; 10 (2) state that the district identified the student as having a reading 11 deficiency and that a reading improvement plan will be developed under (b) of this 12 section; 13 (3) describe current services that the district is providing to the student; 14 (4) describe the proposed evidence-based reading intervention and 15 supplemental instructional services and supports that the district will provide to the 16 student to improve the identified area of reading deficiency; 17 (5) explain that the district or school will inform the parents or 18 guardians in writing of the student's progress toward grade level reading at least every 19 two weeks; 20 (6) identify strategies for the parents or guardians to use at home to 21 help the student succeed in reading; 22 (7) explain that if the student has a reading deficiency at the end of the 23 school year, unless the student receives an exemption under (g) of this section or has 24 previously been retained in kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three, the 25 student may be prevented from progressing to the next grade level under (d) of this 26 section; and 27 (8) explain that a student in grade three must [SHOULD] demonstrate 28 sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four under (e) of this section, unless the 29 student receives an exemption under (g) of this section or has previously been retained 30 in kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three. 31 * Sec. 31. AS 14.30.765(e), enacted by sec. 29 of this Act, is amended to read:
01 (e) A student in grade three must [SHOULD] demonstrate sufficient reading 02 skills to progress to grade four. A student demonstrates sufficient reading skills for 03 progression by 04 (1) scoring at a proficient or higher achievement level on the statewide 05 screening or assessment tool or on the statewide summative assessment; 06 (2) achieving an acceptable score on an alternative standardized 07 reading screening or assessment as determined and approved by the department; or 08 (3) demonstrating mastery of reading standards through a student 09 reading portfolio based on criteria established by the department. 10 * Sec. 32. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 11 Article 16. Virtual Education. 12 Sec. 14.30.800. Virtual education consortium. (a) The department shall, in 13 cooperation with school districts, establish a virtual education consortium for the 14 purpose of making virtual education and professional development resources available 15 to students and teachers in the state. The consortium shall create and maintain a 16 database of virtual education courses for students in grades six through 12, training in 17 virtual instruction for teachers of students in grades six through 12, and professional 18 development courses for teachers of students in any grade. A school district or a third- 19 party vendor may provide a course for students or teachers that is included in the 20 database. A virtual education course for students may be included in the database only 21 if the course is approved by the department under (b) of this section. 22 (b) The department shall review the curriculum of a virtual education course 23 for students before including the course in the database. The department may approve 24 the course if the course is appropriate for students in grades six through 12 and aligned 25 with state standards established by the department. The database must be accessible to 26 all school districts and include the following information for each course: 27 (1) the title, the subject, and a description of the course; 28 (2) the name of the school district or third-party vendor that provides 29 the course; 30 (3) a description of the method of instruction for the course, including 31 whether the instruction is synchronous, asynchronous, or blended; and
01 (4) samples of the curriculum and instruction provided in the course, 02 including an introductory video by the instructor and, for a synchronous course, a 03 video of the instructor teaching. 04 (c) The consortium shall provide training for teachers of students in grades six 05 through 12 on virtual instruction methods and the differences between virtual 06 instruction and instruction offered in a classroom. A teacher may not provide 07 instruction through a course for students that is in the database unless 08 (1) the teacher has completed the training provided by the consortium; 09 or 10 (2) the consortium determines that the teacher's previous experience 11 has prepared the teacher to provide virtual instruction and the teacher demonstrates the 12 skills necessary to provide virtual instruction. 13 (d) In addition to providing training for teachers under (c) of this section, the 14 consortium shall offer through the database professional development courses for 15 teachers of students in any grade and shall include in the database professional 16 development courses provided by third-party vendors. A school district with adequate 17 broadband Internet access to participate in virtual professional development courses 18 shall require that teachers in the school district complete professional development 19 training through the consortium. The consortium may require, as a condition of 20 participation, that school districts participating in virtual professional development 21 courses for teachers adopt the same in-service days. 22 (e) A school district that provides a course included in the database may 23 charge a fee to the school district in which a student who takes the course is enrolled. 24 The fee may approximate the estimated cost to the school district of providing the 25 course but may not exceed the amount calculated by multiplying the base student 26 allocation by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of classes the student 27 takes during the school year that are provided by that school district and the 28 denominator of which is the total number of classes the student takes during the school 29 year that are provided by any school district. 30 (f) A school district that participates in the consortium shall pay a fee to the 31 consortium. The department shall establish the fee in regulations, based on a
01 recommendation made by the consortium, and may adjust the fee annually as 02 necessary. The fees must approximately equal the consortium's administrative costs 03 related to reviewing and approving courses and maintaining the database. 04 (g) The consortium may require, as a condition of participation, that school 05 districts that provide courses or have students participating in courses included in the 06 database under (b) of this section adopt the same school term and class schedule for all 07 or part of a school day. The school term must meet the requirements of AS 14.03.030. 08 (h) In this section, 09 (1) "asynchronous" means instruction that does not require the 10 simultaneous participation of a student and instructor; 11 (2) "base student allocation" means the amount set out in 12 AS 14.17.470; 13 (3) "blended" means instruction that uses a combination of 14 asynchronous and synchronous delivery; 15 (4) "synchronous" means instruction that requires the simultaneous 16 participation of a student and instructor; synchronous instruction is delivered in real 17 time through videoconferencing or other live means; 18 (5) "virtual education" or "virtual instruction" means instruction 19 delivered through telecommunications or another digital or electronic method. 20 * Sec. 33. AS 47.17.290(12) is amended to read: 21 (12) "organization" means a group or entity that provides care and 22 supervision for compensation to a child not related to the caregiver, and includes a 23 child care facility, pre-elementary school, early education program, head start 24 center, child foster home, residential child care facility, recreation program, children's 25 camp, and children's club; 26 * Sec. 34. AS 14.30.765(f) is repealed July 1, 2025. 27 * Sec. 35. AS 14.20.010(c) is repealed July 1, 2027. 28 * Sec. 36. AS 14.03.410 is repealed July 1, 2032. 29 * Sec. 37. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30 read: 31 TEACHER RETENTION WORKING GROUP. (a) A teacher retention working
01 group is established to review issues and make findings related to challenges with teacher 02 retention at public schools in the state and make recommendations for improvement in teacher 03 retention. Members of the working group serve without compensation. 04 (b) The teacher retention working group consists of the following members: 05 (1) the commissioner of education and early development or the 06 commissioner's designee; 07 (2) two superintendents who are members of the Alaska Council of School 08 Administrators, one from an urban area and one from a rural area; 09 (3) two teachers who are members of the National Education Association - 10 Alaska, one from an urban area and one from a rural area; 11 (4) two members of the Association of Alaska School Boards, one from an 12 urban area and one from a rural area; 13 (5) the chairs of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education; 14 and 15 (6) two members of the state Board of Education and Early Development, one 16 from an urban area and one from a rural area. 17 (c) The teacher retention working group shall select a chair from among its 18 membership. 19 (d) The teacher retention working group shall meet periodically and prepare a report 20 of its findings and recommendations. The working group shall submit the report to the 21 governor and to the senate secretary and chief clerk of the house of representatives for 22 distribution to all legislators on or before January 15, 2022, and shall notify the legislature 23 that the report is available. The working group expires January 16, 2022. 24 * Sec. 38. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 25 read: 26 VIRTUAL EDUCATION AVAILABILITY DEADLINE. The Department of 27 Education and Early Development shall make available virtual education courses and 28 professional development resources under sec. 32 of this Act on or before July 1, 2021. 29 * Sec. 39. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30 read: 31 APPLICABILITY. Section 26 of this Act applies to endorsements in elementary
01 education issued on or after the effective date of sec. 26 of this Act. An endorsement in 02 elementary education issued before the effective date of sec. 26 of this Act may not be 03 renewed on or after the effective date of sec. 26 of this Act unless the teacher has completed 04 three credits or the equivalent of coursework, training, or testing requirements under sec. 26 05 of this Act. 06 * Sec. 40. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 07 read: 08 TRANSITION. To determine the lowest performing 10 percent of districts for 09 purposes of grant eligibility under sec. 14 of this Act, in fiscal year 2022, the Department of 10 Education and Early Development shall use school accountability rankings from the 2019 - 11 2020 school year. 12 * Sec. 41. Sections 20, 25, 27, 28, 32, and 38 of this Act take effect immediately under 13 AS 01.10.070(c). 14 * Sec. 42. Sections 30 and 31 of this Act take effect July 1, 2025. 15 * Sec. 43. Except as provided in secs. 41 and 42 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 16 2021.