Legislature(2011 - 2012)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/03/2012 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB310 | |
| HB330 | |
| HB296 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 276 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 310 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 296 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 330 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 330
"An Act establishing a Joint Legislative Task Force on
Education Standards; requiring the Department of Labor
and Workforce Development to provide information and
resources to the task force; establishing state
education standards; amending the authority of the
Department of Education and Early Development to adopt
education standards; and providing for an effective
date."
3:18:08 PM
Vice-chair Fairclough MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for HB 330, Work Draft 27-LS1100\O (Mischel,
4/3/12).
Co-Chair Stoltze OBJECTED for discussion.
ERIN HARRINGTON, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE ALAN AUSTERMAN,
explained the changes in the CS:
-Title & Section 1:
Deletes Legislative Findings Section.
-New Section 1:
Minor modifications to language.
Revised the analysis of public education funding to
make the work product more concise.
Report of findings and any proposed legislation to the
Governor, Department of Education & Early Development
and the legislature by September 30, 2013.
Task Force Membership consists of six members of the
Legislature and five members as follows:
1. President of the Association of Alaska School
Boards
2. President of the Alaska Council of School
Administrators
3. A public school superintendent
4. A University of Alaska representative
5. A representative of a major career destination
of high school graduates in the state.
The Governor shall appoint a representative.
6. The task force meets at the call of a co-
chair. The Senate President and House Speaker
shall jointly appoint the co-chairs of the task
force.
The Department of Education & Early Development will
provide data and information necessary for the Task
Force to carry out its work.
Co-Chair Stoltze WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, Work Draft 27-LS1100\O was ADOPTED.
3:22:35 PM
AT EASE
3:23:04 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Stoltze MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1.
Vice-chair Fairclough OBJECTED for discussion. She
explained that in order to represent the sponsor's intent
Amendment 1 deleted the word "five" and inserted the word
"four" on page 3, line 3. The oversight of the
superintendent of a public school was deleted on page 3,
line 6. She WITHDREW her objection.
There being NO further OBJECTION, Amendment 1 was ADOPTED.
REPRESENTATIVE ALAN DICK, SPONSOR, discussed the bill an
asked for a meaningful conversation related to several
educational issues. He directed attention to the standards
of the educational system. He had experience with Alaska
core and Alaska state standards that were essentially the
same with some minor exceptions. He was concerned that the
adoption of the proposed standards would lead the state
down a path with an indeterminate fiscal note. He discussed
that most curriculum cycles were 6 years. The Department of
Education and Early Development and the Board of Education
would, by default, be required to adopt the core standards
if no action was taken.
3:36:52 PM
Representative Dick read from the proposed standards. He
asked whether the standards spoke to the need. He thought
every standard in school should have a real life
application. He believed rigor should be redirected; so
students should be encouraged towards careers. He believed
there should be a meaningful conversation before "we follow
the lemmings over the cliff."
Representative Dick felt that if a child was not college
bound, the standards were unnecessary. He wondered if the
system should be designed for all students to be on a fast
track to college, or should it be designed to let everyone
be exposed to the "crumbs that fall off the table."
Representative Dick would like to see the standards field
tested. He wondered whether a massive infrastructure would
be built on a faulty foundation.
3:42:48 PM
Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony.
Vice-chair Fairclough believed there was a valid point that
may not be reflected in the fiscal note. She discussed the
system that was requesting additional support, and pointed
out that there would be an additional expense. She thought
the fiscal note fell short, and felt that there would be
costs in curriculum and text books. She believed the
Department of Education and Early Development should be
required to make a cost estimate.
Co-Chair Stoltze believed that the fiscal notes were
appropriate because they were waiting on information from
the task force.
HB 330 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
3:47:36 PM
AT EASE
3:49:20 PM
RECONVENED