Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
01/21/2022 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB53 | |
| HB19 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 19-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
9:15:43 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND announced the consideration of CS FOR HOUSE BILL
NO. 19(EDC) "An Act relating to instruction in a language other
than English; and establishing limited language immersion
teacher certificates." He acknowledged that Sondra Meredith from
the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) was
available online to answer questions.
9:16:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced HB 19 by speaking to the
sponsor statement that read as follows:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Language immersion education is an increasingly
popular educational model that also produces
impressive academic outcomes. In an immersion program,
some of the academic subject matter is delivered in a
language other than English. HB 19 provides needed
flexibility to school districts operating language
immersion programs.
HB 19 gives the State Board of Education and Early
Development the tools necessary to tackle one of the
biggest challenges facing Alaska's immersion programs:
finding fully certified teachers also fluent in an
Alaska Native or foreign language. Under HB 19, the
state board could provide school districts case-by-
case flexibility to hire language immersion teachers
they know are qualified to lead a classroom but who
for reasons such as limited English proficiency,
advanced age, or familial responsibilities are
unable at the time to get a full teacher
certification. To do so, the state board would have to
create a new certificate along the lines of the
existing "Type M" or "Type I" limited certificates.
Alaska already has a variety of successful and popular
immersion programs, including Wasilla's Fronteras
Spanish Immersion Program, Anchorage's Rilke Schule
German School of Arts and Sciences, and Anchorage
School District's highly regarded World Languages and
Immersion Program.
Immersion is also central to Alaska Native language
revitalization efforts. In Israel, New Zealand, and
Hawaii, immersion education was at the core of
indigenous language revival. At Ayaprun Elitnaurvik in
Bethel, instruction is done in Yup'ik, and interest in
Alaska Native language immersion education is growing
elsewhere in the state.
HB 19 will help Alaska's language immersion programs
continue to provide high-quality dual-language
education.
9:18:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated that the process for a
school's immersion program to obtain a language instructor
entails a vote of approval by the school board before requesting
a limited language immersion teacher certificate from the State
Board of Education and Early Development. Language immersion
programs are increasing in popularity in the Anchorage area and
produce students fluent in world languages with impressive
academic performance by seventh grade. Past testimony from
Jennifer Schmidt-Hutchins, a school administrator for Fronteras
Spanish Immersion Charter School in the Mat-Su Borough School
District, expounded on the difficulties of operating an
immersion language program in Alaska. HB 19 was crafted to
provide a solution to practitioners' problems.
9:20:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated the sectional analysis for
HB 19 includes the following:
Section 1 has a title change that gives the department the
elective authority to issue a limited language immersion teacher
certificate.
Subsection(b) sets the criteria for an applicant to be
certified. An applicant must meet the minimum requisite
instructional skills and subject matter expertise to assure the
public that the person is competent as a teacher.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS noted that the State Board of
Education and Early Development was given the regulation-making
authority to govern and administer the certificates. It is
important to provide the agency with that discretion from a
legislative perspective instead of writing it into statute.
Subsection(c) provides that the department may issue a limited
language immersion teacher certificate but that a district's
school board must be an accenting party to the certificate.
Local support from the school board and superintendent is a
vital aspect of the process as it establishes accountability.
Subsection(d) gives authorization for promulgating regulations
to the State Board of Education and Early Development.
Subsection(e) establishes the initial validity of the immersion
teacher certificate as one year with a renewal process that will
be regulated and administered by the agency.
9:24:32 AM
SENATOR BEGICH referred to subsection(b), page 1, lines 13-15,
and asked how competence and teaching skills are demonstrated by
applicants.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS deferred the question to DEED but
commented that it is helpful to hear situations that immersion
language programs encounter. He recalled a situation where
Fronteras Charter School was unable to hire a Columbian
certified teacher for its immersion program.
9:27:37 AM
SENATOR BEGICH asked if one-year limited immersion certified
teachers are required to be mandatory reporters. He also asked
if they would be required to join a school district's
professional organization.
SENATOR STEVENS asked what a limited certificate means. He
stated it takes many years to become an accredited teacher and
wants to be certain that a limited certificate is not a back
door to certification.
SENATOR HUGHES asked if there is data to show how well immersion
students perform compared to non-immersion students when
instructed in their non-native language She also asked for the
typical age range for immersion learning.
9:30:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated he would defer to Mr. Locke
for data on immersion student performance. The age range of
students in immersion programs begins in the lower grades with a
gradual diminution into middle school.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS responded that the certificate is
limited to one year and the terms of the certificate are set by
the Board of Education and Early Development. However, there are
some statute limitations. He deferred the topic of mandatory
reporting to Ms. Meredith. He stated he would investigate
whether limited certificate teachers would be required to join a
district's professional organization. He said that immersion
language programs must be pragmatic and are hiring long-term
substitutes to deliver world languages. HB 19 will change the
status quo and assist in getting certified teachers in the
classroom.
9:35:29 AM
BRANDON LOCKE, Director of World Languages and Immersion
Programs, Anchorage School District, Anchorage, Alaska, stated
his credentials and said immersion language programs have
existed since the 1960s. Anchorage has had immersion programs
since the late 1980s, starting with Japanese and being the first
state in the county to offer Russian. The National Security
Agency at Elmendorf Air Force recently sought out three Russian
immersion high school students to work with Russian linguists in
a work-study program. This has led to a new partnership between
the agency and school district.
9:37:14 AM
MR. LOCKE stated Anchorage has 8,000 students enrolled in
language study classes. Twenty-six hundred are immersion
language students enrolled in one of eight programs. The
immersion languages offered are: Japanese, German, French,
Spanish (2), Yupik, Chinese, and Russian. He stated that HB 19
would be a saving grace for emergency situations, and
superintendent Deena Bishop and the Anchorage School Board
endorse it because there is a teacher shortage in Alaska and
across the county.
9:39:05 AM
MR. LOCKE said that most available immersion teacher positions
are at the elementary school level. These positions are being
staffed with long-term substitutes who may not have education
degrees. He opined that better education results occur using a
50/50 model of instruction where language arts, reading,
writing, and math are taught by the classroom teacher and social
studies, science, and world language are taught by the immersion
teacher. Science and social studies are rich in vocabulary and
topics students discuss daily, making them ideal for immersion
learning.
MR. LOCKE stated that he was asked to provide data on immersion
teachers' performance in teaching other subjects several years
ago. He compared state science assessment scores of immersion
students and non-immersion students from the Anchorage School
District and found that scores of immersion students were
considerably higher. He noted that students were taught science
in a world language but were tested in English. He concluded
that dedicated time to teaching science will improve science
scores and that students make connections when taught in an
immersion language.
9:41:54 AM
MR. LOCKE mentioned that immersion teachers are assisted by
partner teachers upon their arrival, are vetted, and are often
hired after working in another state. It is difficult for Alaska
schools to find teachers who are eligible to work in the United
States because the federal government requires a state-issued
teaching certificate before a candidate can apply for a visa. He
explained that asking a foreign teacher to complete a Praxis
test not available in their country makes obtaining
certification extremely difficult and is an example of how HB 19
will be of assistance. The one-year certificate would allow for
training and evaluation. Immersion teachers would be mandated
reporters and eligible for participation in teacher
organizations. He mentioned that another hardship for immersion
teachers is needing to enroll in teaching programs taught in
English while they work. The programs require courses and
student teaching that do not benefit an immersion teacher.
9:46:00 AM
SONDRA MEREDITH, Teacher Certification Administrator, Department
of Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska,
stated Alaska Native Language or Culture, Military Science, and
Vocational/Technical are three limited teaching certificates
that DEED offers. She foresees immersion certificates having
similar qualifications and regulations as other limited
certificates, such as letters of recommendation, experience,
district evaluations, and portfolios.
9:48:18 AM
SENATOR BEGICH asked if immersion certification would make the
teacher a mandatory reporter.
MS. MEREDITH replied yes, language immersion teachers would be
mandatory reporters and would be required to complete the
training.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated he appreciated the
assistance from Mr. Locke and Ms. Meredith and that he is
available to provide any additional information that would be
helpful.
9:49:16 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND held HB 19 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Letters of Support HB 19.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 19 |
| Sectional Analysis HB 19.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 19 |
| HB 19 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM SFIN 4/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 19 |
| HB 53 Talking Points.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 53 |
| HB53 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 53 |
| HB53 Summary of Changes.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 53 |
| HB53 DOD Letter of Support 2.22.21.pdf |
SEDC 1/21/2022 9:00:00 AM |
HB 53 |