Legislature(2021 - 2022)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/02/2022 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB19 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 159 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 19-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
1:32:03 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO 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."
1:32:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, Sponsor of HB 19, began by describing the earlier
iterations of the bill. He continued the introduction speaking
to the Sponsor Statement. It 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.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that HB 19 allows school
boards to apply for a limited teacher certificate for one year
for a fluent speaker of a target language. If the school board
and district agree to seek a limited teacher certificate on
behalf of a fluent speaker, DEED and the State Board of
Education would review the request according to the regulations
DEED promulgated and approve or deny the request. If approved,
the teacher would receive a one-year certificate to teach in the
immersion language program.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated that the goal with this
type of certificate is to create a flexible mechanism and
stepping stone for individuals who are fluent in a target
language and are qualified to teach but do not hold a teaching
certificate in the U.S. The bill has broad support from
stakeholders.
1:37:18 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO said she would like to hear from Dr. Deena Bishop
who the committee invited to testify.
1:37:49 PM
DR. DEENA BISHOP, Superintendent, Anchorage School District,
Anchorage, Alaska, testified in strong support of HB 19. She
paraphrased the following prepared testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
I am writing as superintendent of the Anchorage School
District (ASD) to express support for House Bill 19
pertaining to limited teacher certificates for
language immersion programs.
ASD has a longstanding history with dual language
immersion programs. Our first program was Japanese,
beginning in 1989. Since then, we have added two
Spanish programs and we are home to the nation's very
first Russian immersion program. We also have a K-8
German immersion charter school with a continuation
strand at Service High School.
The aforementioned programs all serve K-12 students.
Five years ago, we launched a Mandarin Chinese
immersion program (currently K-4), with plans to
expand each year until it is also a K-12 program. In
2018, we launched a Yup'ik immersion program using a
federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education's
Office of Indian Education. This is the first
indigenous language immersion program in an urban
setting in our nation. Finally, we opened a French
immersion program in 2019 with plans to expand
annually.
I provide this background to illustrate my district's
commitment to language programs, all of which have
stemmed from community interest and grassroots efforts
over the years. In addition to our immersion programs,
ASD offers language classes at its middle and high
schools. We offer Level I through Advanced Placement
in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and
Spanish, as well as Level I-IV in American Sign
Language. Approximately 8,000 ASD students are
enrolled in second language coursework, with roughly
2,500 students in our dual language immersion
programs.
With multiple language programs in place, our ability
to hire fully qualified teachers with the high level
of language proficiency needed to teach in an
immersion program is an ongoing challenge. Very rarely
do we have a pool of candidates-teachers with native
or near-native language proficiency who are eligible
to be certificated under existing regulations from
which to draw, and we find ourselves constantly
recruiting to fill these "hard to fill" vacancies.
ASD has taken advantage of DEED's "program enrollment"
option, which requires candidates to enroll in a
teacher education program while they are teaching
full-time. This has not been easy on our teachers who
are doing so. We also recognize that DEED has recently
developed a Type W limited certificate. However, it
still requires a teacher preparation program.
I am not suggesting that we support applicants who
have not completed a teacher education program;
however, sometimes it is impossible to find
certificated candidates who have the language
proficiency needed for the position and who have also
completed a teacher preparation program. It is worth
noting that these candidates are highly educated
individuals, many of whom hold advanced degrees from
their home countries, including engineers, doctors,
lawyers, and accountants. We have also found that some
of our candidates have teaching degrees and/or
teaching experience in their home country, but since
their teacher education programs do not necessarily
align with a traditional teacher education program in
the US, they struggle with obtaining a teacher
certificate through DEED.
ASD is supportive of the flexibility that HB 19 offers
with respect to sharing with the State Board of
Education our experience and challenges with operating
immersion programs. We support HB 19 and the creation
of a one-year limited certificate for "instruction in
a language other than English." ASD welcomes the
opportunity to provide input on the certificate as the
State Board develops the regulations. ASD foresees
using limited certificates in rare circumstances.
HB 19 provides the flexibility needed to ensure that
ASD has native or near-native speakers of our given
immersion languages in the classroom. This option will
be helpful as we continue to provide the highest
quality language immersion education possible,
ensuring that hired individuals have the content
knowledge and subject area expertise required to teach
in their assigned area.
Thank you for allowing me to comment in support of HB
19. Please let me know if you have questions.
1:42:39 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE joined the committee.
1:43:26 PM
DEWEY Kk'o
eyo HOFFMAN, Deputy Director, Tribal Services and
Client Services, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), Fairbanks,
Alaska, testified in support of HB 19. He stated that TCC is an
Alaska Native tribal health and social services consortium
established by the Interior Alaska tribes and tribal
communities. Its purpose is to provide a unified voice in
advancing sovereign tribal governments to promote physical and
mental wellness, education, socio-economic development and the
culture of the Interior Alaska Native people. He noted that he
also was offering testimony on behalf of the Alaska Regional
Coalition (ARC), which is a coalition of four Alaska regional
Native nonprofits and one regional tribe. ARC includes Central
Council Tlingit and Haida, Maniilaq, Chugachmiut, Kawerak, and
Tanana Chiefs Conference. Together this is about 100 communities
and 55,000 people. He related that he also represents his family
as an enrolled member of the Native village of Ruby, Alaska.
MR. HOFFMAN reported that he has been an advocate of this
legislation for many years. In particular, he sees the need for
skilled language teachers in Alaska Native communities. The bill
requires unique consideration of the circumstances and history
that led to the current teacher shortage. Oftentimes, community-
based language learners and grass-roots organizers are in the
position to have to simultaneously learn and teach their
heritage language. Sometimes they even teach neighboring
languages. He shared that in addition to his own, he is involved
with Inupiat, Gwitchin and several other indigenous languages.
MR. HOFFMAN stated that Native students and families want to
take advantage of opportunities and find ways to partner with
school districts to include culturally responsive and language-
specific curriculum. He highlighted that this can be a Catch-22
situation when certification programs for Native languages are
not readily available. In fact, he was not aware of such an
endorsement for his Native language. He also noted that while
community members with strong ties to their heritage language
are encouraged to participate, there are some languages that are
in a state of reclamation that include non-indigenous and non-
Alaskan educators.
1:47:14 PM
MR. HOFFMAN shared that his daughter attends the Gwitchin
language school, Tanan Ch'at'oh, which is a small grass-roots
learning community where children under age 5 are exposed daily
to Gwitchin language. This is not his own language but he
promotes and wants to see such opportunities grow in Fairbanks
and elsewhere. He emphasized that young people in Alaska deserve
to connect to the invaluable repository of knowledge that is
embedded in heritage languages. Efforts to revitalize these
languages must be understood according to locally defined needs,
goals, and resources, both human and material. He urged all
stakeholders to work together to strengthen Alaska's indigenous
languages.
1:48:40 PM
BRANDON LOCKE, Director, World Language and Immersion Programs,
Anchorage School District, Anchorage, Alaska, stated agreement
with Dr. Bishop's testimony. He said it is a challenging time
with teacher shortages and the lack of a solid pool of
candidates from which to draw. ASD has about 2,500 students in
the language immersion programs and just nine teachers who are
sponsored through the federal government on H-1B [specialty
occupation] visas. He agreed with Dr. Bishop that ASD would use
the limited teacher's certificate as a last resort for
impossible to fill positions. He noted that when the district
sponsors someone, the individual must have a visa in hand and
they cannot do that from outside the U.S. if they have not
completed an Alaska teacher certification program and/or if they
need to take a Praxis test. Not having access to those is
detrimental in obtaining an Alaska teaching certificate.
MR. LOCKE said he sees the greatest need for the limited
teacher's certificate at the elementary level. The immersion
teacher is paired with an experienced educator and they share
the same group of students. An English teacher teaches English
language arts and math for half of the instructional day and the
other half is taught by the immersion teacher who is integrating
French language arts, for example, with science and social
studies.
He assured the committee that ASD middle and high school
language immersion teachers are not teaching classes such as
physics or biology in the target language. Rather, they
primarily teach the target language at an advanced level to meet
the needs of the immersion students. He said the results have
been phenomenal.
1:53:01 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO noted that the language on page 1, lines 9-10
clarifies that "the instruction is provided only to students who
are enrolled in a language immersion program." She posed the
example of students from Sand Lake Elementary School moving to
the Japanese Program at Dimond High School. She asked if his
understanding was that once those students leave (SLES) they
would not be considered to be in a language immersion program so
this bill would not apply to those teachers.
MR. LOCKE clarified that the current K-12 programs have strands
at the middle and high school. The growing programs such as
Chinese, Yupik, and French are not at that point because grades
are still being added at the elementary level. Students who go
through the Japanese Program at Sand Lake will matriculate to a
continuation program at Mears Middle School, and then on to
Dimond High School. The students will still be instructed in
Japanese by Japanese immersion teachers, but at the middle and
high school levels there is more flexibility because the
immersion teachers also teach the target language classes to
non-immersion students as an elective. He noted that Mears is
the only middle school in Anchorage that has the ability to do
this because it has the teachers on staff for the Japanese
Immersion Program.
1:55:07 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO asked if an individual who receives a limited
certificate would be able to teach those students because her
reading is that they would not be able to do so.
MR. LOCKE suggested the sponsor respond to the question. He
related that in Anchorage, the language immersion teachers at
the middle and high school level do provide language instruction
to non-immersion students provided it fits into their teaching
schedule and there is a need.
CHAIR COSTELLO said she would follow up on the question
following the invited testimony.
1:56:44 PM
ANNE FULLER, Alaska Native Sisterhood Glacier Valley Camp 70,
Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 19. She stated that
the organization is focused on improving public education and
increasing civic engagement. HB 19 supports culturally relevant
education and illumination of the world view through language.
She described HB 19 as carefully written and appropriate. She
requested support for speakers of indigenous languages and
pointed out that all children benefit from place-based
culturally responsive, intellectually challenging education. She
concluded that HB 19 will help school districts and DEED provide
this type of education.
1:58:42 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO read the language on page 1, lines 9-10 and asked
the sponsor whether those middle school and high school students
are still enrolled in a language immersion program if they only
take higher level [language] classes. She observed that if the
answer is "yes" then the bill would not allow for a limited
teacher certificate in high school.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS offered his understanding that
somebody who is teaching Dostoevsky to fluent Russian speakers
in an ASD language immersion program would be eligible for a
limited certificate as provided under HB 19. The limited
certificate is not intended to apply for districts seeking to
hire a Spanish I or French II teacher. He recalled from hearings
in previous committees that the origin of the language she
referenced was to differentiate between traditional K-12
programs and immersion language programs.
CHAIR COSTELLO stated that the students in the Russian Immersion
Program at Turnagain Elementary School eventually matriculate to
West High School. She asked Dr. Bishop if those students were
still considered to be in the Russian Immersion Program.
2:02:00 PM
DR. BISHOP explained that students in the immersion program in
elementary school move on to middle school and continue to
receive high level language instruction. They are also taught
math by middle school teachers who are not considered immersion
teachers. The students continue to take a high level Russian
class in high school. She said the quality experience these
students have results in true bi-literacy. For example, the
National Security Agency of Alaska recruits students from the
program in their junior year for internships in the highly
secure NSA facility on Elmendorf Air Force Base. Year before
last, two 17-year-old female students prepared a report that
found its way to the President's desk. They were in the Russian
Immersion Program but also were taking courses from highly
qualified non-immersion teachers. She said she has followed HB
19 for six years and the language Senator Costello referenced is
in the bill because somebody was worried that teachers with
limited certificates would teach all subject matter. In fact, HB
19 fills a need and gap for what students are expected to learn.
The many safeguards in the bill make it sensible and high
quality: certification is one piece, high quality instruction is
another piece, school boards have to give approval, and the
certificates are year-to-year.
CHAIR COSTELLO noted that the Board of Education has to approve
an individual who is seeking certification. She asked how often
the board meets.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS deferred the question to Sondra
Meredith.
2:05:03 PM
SONDRA MEREDITH, Teacher Certification Administrator, Innovation
and Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early
Development, Juneau, Alaska, answered that the board holds four
regular meetings a year and also meets periodically. She
explained that the board would establish regulations directing
the department and commissioner to address certification on a
case-by-case basis.
2:05:53 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO related that she introduced a similar bill in a
previous legislature after she learned about a young Russian
woman who was not allowed in the classroom to share her love for
her language and culture. Not being able to use this young woman
in the classroom seemed to be a lost opportunity.
She said her initial concern with the language she referenced
was that applicants would need to wait for the board to meet to
approve their application. However, it sounds as though the
board will promulgate the regulations and the department will
review and approve the applications.
MS. MEREDITH agreed that was correct.
SENATOR MICCICHE agreed that not being able to use the young
Russian woman and others who have similar talents to share is a
lost opportunity, particularly in light of the teacher shortages
in the state.
CHAIR COSTELLO said her initial concern was that the bill would
not allow high schools to take advantage of the limited language
certificate. However, Mr. Locke said that high schools would not
have the need to use this certificate because they already have
certified teachers in the advanced language classes. The bill
would primarily be used to benefit language immersion programs
in elementary schools.
SENATOR REVAK said he appreciates the legislation but given the
testimony and discussion, he questions the necessity of the
language on page 1, lines 9-10.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS asked the committee to consider
that he has tried to strike a balance between stakeholder and
legislator perspectives to achieve maximum consensus to get the
limited certificate established. He suggested that the existing
language might achieve that outcome.
SENATOR REVAK said he appreciates the response and he hopes the
intent of the legislation is achieved, should it pass.
2:11:41 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON described HB 19 as the right thing to do.
2:12:19 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO directed attention to the language on page 2,
line 23. She asked how a person with a limited certificate will
1) "demonstrate skills in the classroom;" 2) how the board or
department will assess whether or not the person is effective in
student assessment; and 3) how the process will determine that
the person is fluent.
2:12:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied that the determinations
ultimately will be at the discretion of the educational
professionals. Citing the Frontier Charter School as an example,
he explained that if the district is applying on a person's
behalf for a limited certificate there might be a resume to
point to; they could do practice lessons with the superintendent
sitting in to assess the person's pedagogic ability and
confidence; and a variety of qualitative reviews could be done.
The idea of putting this in statute is to make it clear that
people who have some language ability won't be pulled in off the
street and given a limited certificate. He said he trusts that
processes will be developed at the state and district level to
accurately assess that a person has something to offer students
in different language immersion programs. He emphasized that
these programs have been very successful and have a lot of
support. School boards only apply if they think the individual
will further this successful program.
CHAIR COSTELLO noted the language that says the individual must
be providing instruction to language immersion students, but it
may be in any subject as long as the language is not English.
She asked if there were concerns about somebody teaching math,
for example, when they may not be qualified.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied that the nature of
immersion language programs is that all subjects are taught in
the target language. For example, elementary students in the
Japanese Immersion Program in Anchorage spend a portion of the
day learning certain subjects in the Japanese language and a
portion of the day learning subjects that are taught in English.
He deferred further response to Mr. Locke.
CHAIR COSTELLO asked Mr. Locke to comment on the idea that an
individual with a limited language certificate may be teaching
any subject.
2:17:08 PM
MR. LOCKE said he could only speak to the curriculum at ASD, but
he had observed the programs at Frontier and Bethel that follow
the same model, which is partial immersion. He explained that in
that model each elementary grade is split into two groups. One
group spends the morning with an English speaking teacher who
instructs English language arts and math in English. The other
group spends the morning with a Japanese speaking teacher, for
example, who instructs Japanese language arts while integrating
the science and social studies curriculum. Those two curricular
areas are used in immersion because people talk about things
related to science and social studies on a daily basis. Math is
not instructed in the target language because math vocabulary is
different than everyday vocabulary. [In the afternoon, the
groups switch teachers.]
MR. LOCKE said he had a clarification about the high school
program if there were no questions.
CHAIR COSTELLO pointed out that, despite testimony to the
contrary, the bill would allow an individual with a limited
language certificate to teach math in a language other than
English.
She asked him to comment on the high school students.
MR. LOCKE explained that the at the middle and high school
levels the immersion programs are called a language immersion
continuation strand. Students have a six or seven period school
day and two classes are taught in the target language. For
example, Japanese immersion students from Sand Lake Elementary,
move to Mears Middle School where two of the seven periods in
the day are blocked and the students are taught advanced
Japanese language and social studies in Japanese. The other five
periods of the day are taught in English by non-Japanese
immersion teachers. Those students are considered to be in the
Japanese immersion program. In high school the immersion
students spend one period a day in advanced language. The
classes for each grade are theme-based.
MR. LOCKE continued to explain that from time to time teachers
are asked to fill in and teach a class outside their area of
expertise. For example, when he was teaching high school French,
he was asked to fill in and teach Spanish I because he had taken
two Spanish classes in college. Mr. Locke acknowledged that he
is not qualified to teach Spanish and said that, if at all
possible, it would be preferable in that circumstance for the
school to utilize an advanced native speaker who is teaching in
the immersion program. He added that the majority of their
teaching would be the advanced immersion classes.
2:23:02 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE summarized the need and intent of the bill and
expressed hope that it leads many of the people who receive a
limited certificate to become educators. He mentioned the 1,200
teacher shortage in Alaska and noted that schools are relying on
uncertified substitutes. He also noted that the language the
committee discussed could provide flexibility going forward for
immersion teachers to help with electives.
CHAIR COSTELLO said she believes HB 19 was referred to this
particular committee because of the teacher shortage and the
challenges school districts face in trying to fill positions.
She asked Dr. Bishop to comment on these points.
2:25:34 PM
DR. BISHOP said Senator Micciche's comments were right on
target; districts are relying on substitutes when there is a
teacher shortage. She added that it's interesting to look at
studies about certification from a university versus a badging
program or an alternative type of certification. There isn't
evidence that certification from a university is better than the
others simply because of the variation in how colleges prepare
teachers. They don't show up as any better or worse than an
alternative pathway. However, she said nobody will get this
limited certificate unless the job is unfilled and the local
school board gives approval. Districts have to apply and it has
been done through the type N certificate. She highlighted that
the district now has some courses in high school that are taught
by engineers who do not have a teaching certificate, but they
bring great value and expertise to the table. She acknowledged
that the district is accountable for the outcomes.
2:27:25 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO opened public testimony on HB 19.
2:27:43 PM
REID MAGDANZ, representing self, Kotzebue, Alaska, stated that
he was raised in Kotzebue and Nome; he worked on prior versions
of the bill as a legislative staffer; and he was speaking from
his experience working with many others to advance language
revitalization. He has been working for about ten years as a
member of the Inupiat language learning collective. For the past
three winters he has worked to support Inupiat language teachers
in the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. He asked the
committee to consider two points. First, language immersion is
central to Native language revitalization. For a language to
return to daily use, it must be passed from adults to children.
Second, teachers are the crucial missing element to achieving
language immersion education in Alaska. The lack of teachers is
the primary barrier for any school district that wants to start
a language immersion program. He cited examples in both Kotzebue
and Nome. Further, 40 years of experience has shown that the
current structure of the teacher certification system is not
providing the teachers needed for the Native language immersion
programs that communities statewide are looking for.
MR. MAGDANZ concluded his testimony by recounting the language
revitalization version of the chicken and egg problem. Without
language immersion programs you can't achieve language
revitalization and without teachers you can't have immersion
programs. Without immersion programs that teach young children
their Native languages, he asked who is available to be
teachers. HB 19 helps solve this problem he said by giving
school districts across the state a means to use the language
and teaching talent that already exists in their communities.
2:30:32 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO discerned that there was no one else who wished
to comment and closed public testimony on HB 19.
She stated she would hold HB 19 in committee for future
consideration.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 19 Letters of Support Received as of 2.2.22.pdf |
SL&C 2/2/2022 1:30:00 PM |
HB 19 |