03/26/2012 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Teacher of the Year | |
| SB199 | |
| SB170 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | SB 199 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 170 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 26, 2012
8:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Dick, Chair
Representative Lance Pruitt, Vice Chair
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Scott Kawasaki
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Eric Feige
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: TEACHER OF THE YEAR
- HEARD
SENATE BILL NO. 199
"An Act relating to the vocational and technical instruction
funding factor for public school funding."
- MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 170
"An Act requiring vocational education counseling in public
schools."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 199
SHORT TITLE: VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FUNDING FACTOR
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER
02/17/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/17/12 (S) EDC, L&C
02/22/12 (S) EDC RPT 4DP 1NR
02/22/12 (S) DP: MEYER, THOMAS, FRENCH, DAVIS
02/22/12 (S) NR: STEVENS
02/22/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/22/12 (S) Moved SB 199 Out of Committee
02/22/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/01/12 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/01/12 (S) Moved SB 199 Out of Committee
03/01/12 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
03/02/12 (S) L&C RPT 5DP
03/02/12 (S) DP: EGAN, GIESSEL, DAVIS, PASKVAN,
MENARD
03/05/12 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
03/05/12 (S) VERSION: SB 199
03/05/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/05/12 (H) EDC, FIN
03/26/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
BILL: SB 170
SHORT TITLE: VOCATIONAL ED. COUNSELING IN SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) THOMAS
01/20/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/20/12 (S) EDC, FIN
02/10/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/10/12 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
02/13/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/13/12 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
02/22/12 (S) EDC RPT 4DP 1NR
02/22/12 (S) DP: MEYER, THOMAS, FRENCH, DAVIS
02/22/12 (S) NR: STEVENS
02/22/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/22/12 (S) Moved SB 170 Out of Committee
02/22/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/27/12 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
02/27/12 (S) Heard & Held
02/27/12 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
02/28/12 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
02/28/12 (S) Moved SB 170 Out of Committee
02/28/12 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
02/29/12 (S) FIN RPT 6DP 1NR
02/29/12 (S) DP: HOFFMAN, STEDMAN, THOMAS, EGAN,
MCGUIRE, ELLIS
02/29/12 (S) NR: OLSON
03/05/12 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
03/05/12 (S) VERSION: SB 170
03/05/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/05/12 (H) EDC, FIN
03/26/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
CARA HEITZ, Teacher
Cordova Jr/Sr High School
Cordova, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a presentation of educational
approaches, as the 2012 Alaska Teacher of the Year.
SENATOR JOE THOMAS
Alaska State legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SB 199 on behalf of Senator Kevin
Meyer, sponsor.
CAROL COMEAU, Superintendent
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 199.
PEGGY COWAN, Superintendent
North Slope Borough School District
Barrow, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on SB 199.
BRUCE JOHNSON, Executive Director
Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA)
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 199.
SUZANNE ARMSTRONG, President
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Alaska Chapter (ABC
- Alaska Chapter)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 199.
RICK RIOS, Acting Director
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Anchorage School District (ASD)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 199 and SB 170.
MIKE ANDREWS
Alaska Works Partnership
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 199 and SB 170.
JOHN MACKINNON, Executive Director
Associated General Contractors (AGC)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 199 and SB 170.
DIANE MAPLES
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of herself in support
of SB 199.
SENATOR JOE THOMAS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SB 170, as sponsor.
MURRAY RICHMAN, Staff
Senator Joe Thomas
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered information during the hearing on
SB 170 on behalf of Senator Thomas, sponsor.
PEGGY COWAN, Superintendent
North Slope Borough School District
Barrow, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 170.
BRUCE JOHNSON, Executive Director
Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on SB 170.
BARBARA HUFFTUCKNESS, Director
Governmental and Legislative Affairs
Teamsters Local 959
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 170.
SUZANNE ARMSTRONG, President
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - Alaska Chapter (ABC
- Alaska Chapter)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 170.
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director
Teaching and Learning Support
Department of Education & Early Development
City & State
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on SB
170.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:19 AM
CHAIR ALAN DICK called the House Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Representatives Dick, P. Wilson,
Seaton, Kawasaki were present at the call to order.
Representatives Cissna and Pruitt arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
^Presentation: Teacher of the Year
Presentation: Teacher of the Year
8:03:42 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the first order of business would be a
presentation from the 2012 Alaska Teacher of the Year, Cara
Heitz.
8:04:38 AM
CARA HEITZ, Teacher, Cordova Jr/Sr High School, gave a
PowerPoint presentation entitled, "The Transformation From
Static To Dynamic Education." She provided synonyms and images
to compare and contrast the word "static" with the word
"dynamic," as it relates to education. She said over the past
11 years, at the core of her philosophy has been "a
constructivist style of teaching, in which learning occurs as
students are actively involved in the process of meaning and
knowledge instruction, building on prior experiences rather than
passively receiving information." She said this fosters
critical thinking and creates motivated and independent
learners. Ms. Heitz relayed that she tries to provide hands-on
learning environments that encourage students' natural curiosity
about the world.
8:07:57 AM
MS. HEITZ said she also fosters learning from the natural
environment. She opined that the best learning occurs when
students can relate to the subject matter and grasp the
importance of what they are learning. She imparted that she
hopes to instill the value of the natural environment in her
students, and she said it will take community effort to ensure
that resources are sustained for the future.
MS. HEITZ mentioned the "one-to-one" initiative in 2006, which
provided students with their own digital tools. She said she
transformed her classroom to use on-line tools, and her job
shifted from that of full-time lecturer to coach and
facilitator. Students have access to a wealth of visual
resources individually or in teams, and they create "smartbuild"
videos demonstrating what they have learned, which they then
post on their teams' "wiki" pages. Ms. Heitz relayed that
students find "current, interesting, and relevant science news
articles" and create on-line posts to share what they have
learned. She said her marine biology students worked on a year-
long project to monitor the growth of organisms in the harbor
and the water and weather changes that may impact this growth.
The students utilize their laptop computers to publish their
data on-line each month. Ms. Heitz noted that her students are
working with two other science classrooms - one from Valdez and
one from Maine - through the use of "Google Docs" and "Skype."
MS. HEITZ stated that she has a strong relationship with the
Copper River Watershed Project. She said three years ago her
seventh-grade class adopted a local pond to monitor throughout
the year, and the pond was nominated and accepted into the
[Anadromous Waters Catalog], which helps identify and offers
protection to spawning salmon habitats. Since then, each of her
seventh-grade classes has further developed the monitoring and
illustrated the importance of the habitat in final projects done
by various means, including art projects, radio broadcasts,
newspaper articles, and videos.
8:11:53 AM
MS. HEITZ said digital transformation has allowed her to utilize
technology that supports her ability to teach and empowers her
students to develop skills that will qualify them for jobs in
the future that may not yet exist. She talked about imminent
educational reform across the U.S. and students' need for up-to-
date learning resources, creativity in knowledge acquisition and
demonstration, a higher level of thinking skills, and
development of global perspective. She opined that the way to
achieve this is through one-to-one access to technology, which
entails functional and true broadband connectivity, current
hardware and software, the time for teachers to learn to use
technology and incorporate it into their own curricular goals,
and access to continued technical support. She said educators,
policy makers, and parents cannot guide students in their
learning without being learners themselves. She stated, "Reform
begins with transformation." She suggested transformation begin
at the state and district levels with a vision of "using
technology as a positive means to develop globally competitive
graduates from our schools and continuing support for
educational technology."
8:15:47 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said the legislature has been working to
transform the educational system, and said it appears from the
presentation that the change is a cultural change for teachers
and the administration related to how instruction will take
place. He asked how receptive the teachers and administrators
are to change from a static to a dynamic mode, and what the
legislature can do to facilitate that change.
8:17:29 AM
MS. HEITZ answered that a change to culture is difficult for
anyone; however, the need for change and the positive effect of
change "is a start." She said [academic] standards and
technology must be melded together in order for students to
succeed. She recommended the legislature look at the complete
picture; support must reach to the administrators so that
teachers can work on the positive cultural change in their
schools. In response to a follow-up question, Ms. Heitz stated
that once the vision is adopted and the support is in place from
the legislature, reform can take place. She clarified that she
is talking about support for the system, not just financial
support.
8:20:58 AM
CHAIR DICK pointed out that the legislature does not enter the
realm of pedigogy; therefore, it is important to repeatedly ask
how the legislature can help without meddling in what teachers
are doing.
8:21:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON commended the speaker for her
achievements and asked that given financial constraints, what
the two most important areas are that need to be focused on and
funded.
MS. HEITZ indicated that teacher training in technology and
having that technology in hand is key. She pointed out that
iPads and iTouch devices are affordable when money is saved on
the purchase of textbooks.
8:24:04 AM
MS. HEITZ, in response to Representative Cissna, said access to
the remote areas of the state requires creativity. She opined
that bringing parents and elders into remote schools to see how
the students benefit from technology is important, because
cultural change will not happen if students do not have "the
whole picture," which includes their families. She said
distance delivery options via video conferencing and other
possibilities provide a window to the world. She said it is
still possible to have hands-on and cultural learning while
using technology to enhance it.
8:28:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he anticipates that classroom
management will remain key, but may be perceived differently.
He asked about the techniques and expectations that may be
altered in this type of change.
MS. HEITZ indicated that any teaching style requires groundwork
to be laid. She said teacher training could present a variety
of ways to create and manage teaching environments that allow
for dynamic interactions.
CHAIR DICK suggested that combining the expertise of the last
five recipients of "Teacher of the Year" may result in the best
model possible.
SB 199-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FUNDING FACTOR
[Contains discussion of SB 170 and SB 84]
8:31:15 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the next order of business would be
SENATE BILL NO. 199 "An Act relating to the vocational and
technical instruction funding factor for public school funding."
8:31:48 AM
SENATOR JOE THOMAS, Alaska State Legislature, presented SB 199
on behalf of Senator Kevin Meyer, sponsor. He explained that
Senator Meyer could not be present, and he indicated that he had
been chosen to present SB 199, because the proposed legislation
is based on [SB 84], a bill Senator Thomas introduced last year.
SENATOR THOMAS paraphrased some of the information from the
sponsor's statement [included in the committee packet]. He said
research shows that vocational-technical programs have
consistently increased graduation rates nationwide and in
Alaska's schools. He said the ideal high school curriculum
needs to incorporate both academic rigor and cutting-edge career
preparation. Senator Thomas reviewed that SB 84, which passed
unanimously out of the House and the Senate, established a
separate funding system for vocational education. He relayed
that when SB 84 was introduced, "the committee" thought it best
to limit the money to high schools in order to get the best
return on the investment. However, since then school districts
have requested the legislature change that provision to allow
the allotted money to be used for students in jr. high school.
as well. Senator Meyer has introduced SB 199 to that end.
Senator Thomas reported that the implementation of SB 84 has
been a resounding success in schools across the state, and he
urged the committee to support SB 199. He noted that he and
Senator Meyer's aide were available to answer questions.
8:33:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON inquired why the committee packet does not
contain feedback from the school districts, and asked if anyone
from the school districts was available to testify.
8:34:04 AM
SENATOR THOMAS said he did not know who was available to
testify, but reiterated that it was in response to the request
of the school districts that SB 199 was introduced.
8:34:44 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI observed that the fiscal note has no
further funding requested. He asked Senator Thomas if he thinks
the ability to use money for jr. high schools will result in a
lack of money in high schools.
8:35:18 AM
SENATOR THOMAS related that the school districts have said they
think there will be sufficient money to spread between jr. high
schools and high schools.
8:36:32 AM
CAROL COMEAU, Superintendent, Anchorage School District,
Testified in support of SB 199, and said the district stands
strongly behind the effort to be able to move the funding.
8:37:41 AM
PEGGY COWAN, Superintendent, North Slope Borough School
District, stated that the [North Slope Borough] School Board has
not taken an official stance on SB 199. However, she said early
childhood education and an early start to career and technical
education is important; therefore, it makes sense to allow
funding for vocational education in middle school.
8:38:48 AM
BRUCE JOHNSON, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators (ACSA), stated that the council has seven
position statements, one of which pertains to career and
technical education. He said he can endorse the concept of SB
199 to "move this money down to the middle school level." He
said the proposed change is important for many districts, and he
expressed hope that the legislature will support it.
8:40:19 AM
SUZANNE ARMSTRONG, President, Associated Builders and
Contractors, Inc. - Alaska Chapter (ABC - Alaska Chapter),
stated support for SB 199 and SB 170. She said the association
has identified key issues in the construction industry, two of
which are the high demand for skilled workers and attrition.
She said ABC - Alaska Chapter members see SB 199 and SB 170 as
possible means by which to start engaging Alaska youth about the
opportunities that exist in the construction industry, as well
as in other technical and vocational career paths. She said ABC
- Alaska Chapter's registered apprentice program was started in
2001, and since then over 200 apprentices have completed the
program. The association participates in job fairs in an effort
to educate young Alaskans about the opportunities in the
industry. She said ABC - Alaska Chapter sees SB 170 and SB 199
as complements to the efforts already undertaken by the industry
to recruit and train a qualified workforce.
8:43:00 AM
RICK RIOS, Acting Director, Career & Technical Education (CTE),
Anchorage School District (ASD), stated support of SB 199 and SB
170. He said he has 44 years of experience as a vocational
teacher and administrator, a business owner, and a community
leader, and he supports all legislative actions that help
prepare people for "life-long career contributions to their
respective communities." Mr. Rios opined that without a career
choice, people wander from job to job - low paying jobs that
require limited skills and [offer] no security, whereas those
who concentrate on a single career area are greater contributors
to employer and community, have increased desire for more
education and training, and earn higher wages. He said young
people need this information, and proffered that the proposed
legislation would provide it. He said education without
relevant career information and without career and technical
training is driving students to drop out of school even before
they reach high school.
8:44:19 AM
MR. RIOS said the 2010 Alaska Career & Technical Education Plan
begins with a call for every student to have a "personal
learning and career plan" (PLCP), as does the new 2012 Anchorage
School District CTE plan soon available for public comment. He
put forth that some people think children in middle school are
too young to know what they want to be. He said that may be
true for many, but it is because of ignorance, not because they
don't care. He explained that students have been denied career
information and, thus, do not know about work and careers. He
said the Anchorage School District has found that students
thrive in their education when given career information. He
relayed that enrollment in the district's Construction Trades
Academy and Health Career Academy has increased by five times,
due largely to the partnerships with industry leaders who get
involved. He said, "It started with you, the Alaska
Legislature." He urged the committee to pass both [SB 199 and
SB 170] and, whenever possible, to provide funding to "ensure
that every citizen of Alaska gets career information and
guidance - starting in middle school."
8:46:02 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked Mr. Rios for his response to the
idea that career planning is beneficial even if the student
changes his/her career path.
MR. RIOS answered that the paradigm has changed significantly
since the mid-'70s, when people were trained in a skill for a
particular job. Now, he emphasized, career pathways are broad,
which allows for flexibility and a multitude of changes within a
specific job.
8:48:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI asked if the Anchorage School District
provides any [career-related] direction in the K-6 classrooms.
MR. RIOS answered that most of his attention has been in the
secondary schools. He said younger children have yet to see the
broad scope of jobs within each field. He stated, "That's why
we need to start - at the middle school for sure, and even more
so at the elementary level - ... showing that careers in these
specific areas are big and broad and available to all students."
8:50:36 AM
MIKE ANDREWS, Alaska Works Partnership, stated support for SB
199 and SB 170, and said that emphasis for career path guidance
is important and connects eventually with postsecondary
coaching. Helping to get more of this attention into the middle
school will prove important, he concluded.
8:52:51 AM
JOHN MACKINNON, Executive Director, Associated General
Contractors (AGC), stated support for SB 199 and SB 170. He
relayed that AGC is a construction trade association
representing 650 business members throughout the state, and is
one of the founding partners and current overseers of the Alaska
Construction Academy. He indicated that employment in the
trades is now considered a profession with stature on par with
most other professions. He opined that vocational counseling
should be part of education and counseling in all public
schools, and he reiterated his support for SB 199 and SB 170.
8:54:13 AM
DIANE MAPLES testified on behalf of herself in support of SB
199. She commended the legislature for its support of SB 84
last year. She opined that early guidance and support help
students to make solid decisions and discover opportunities that
will help them as they enter the workforce.
8:56:10 AM
CHAIR DICK, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony.
8:56:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT moved to report SB 199 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, SB 199 was reported out of the
House Education Standing Committee.
8:56:41 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:57 a.m. to 8:59 a.m.
SB 170-VOCATIONAL ED. COUNSELING IN SCHOOLS
[Contains discussion of SB 199 and SB 84]
8:59:21 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be
SENATE BILL NO. 170, "An Act requiring vocational education
counseling in public schools."
8:59:51 AM
SENATOR JOE THOMAS, Alaska State Legislature, presented SB 170
as sponsor. He noted that many people had given testimony on
both SB 170 and SB 199 simultaneously during the hearing on SB
199, since the two bills are closely aligned. He paraphrased
the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet] and
offered further details pertaining to it.
SENATOR THOMAS stated that one of the major functions of public
education is to prepare the workforce of the future. He said
most schools are doing a good job of that by offering a wide
variety of programs to help children investigate what kinds of
jobs they want to do when they graduate. He opined that it is
crucial to make important use of the money re-established for
vocational education in SB 84, [which passed both bodies last
year], and ensure that students receive the benefit of maximum
vocational funding.
SENATOR THOMAS said SB 170 would ensure that young people have
the knowledge necessary to make career choices, by offering
career counseling in the seventh, ninth, and eleventh grades.
It would provide guidance and resources to districts that are
not already offering a comprehensive vocational counseling
program. He said often students do not have accurate knowledge
or information about careers; they may have a career in mind,
but are often unaware of what it takes to be affective in that
career. He said the sooner students know what a career entails,
the better off their vocational success will be. Senator Thomas
explained that seventh grade is when students begin to make
critical choices; ninth grade is when they start high school and
may need help in choosing what courses are necessary toward
achieving a career; and eleventh grade is when students are
thinking about graduation and completing course work for the
occupation they have decided to pursue. He said "we" don't want
students to miss out on taking the courses necessary for their
success in life.
SENATOR THOMAS said the Department of Education & Early
Development has indicated in its fiscal note that it already has
the resources needed to "carry this out." He opined that it is
vital that [the state] give its children the tools necessary to
prepare for the future and become productive members of the
workforce. He urged the committee to support SB 170.
9:03:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI noted that under SB 170, districts
unable to afford vocational education and counseling shall
request that the department provide the necessary resources. He
asked the bill sponsor how that correlates with the zero fiscal
note.
SENATOR THOMAS answered that the schools have programs in place
which can easily be expanded at no additional cost. He deferred
to his staff for further comment.
MURRAY RICHMAN, Staff, Senator Joe Thomas, Alaska State
Legislature, echoed the statements of Senator Thomas, sponsor,
and said the legislation will allow for the expansion.
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI ventured that an on-line system may not
replace a one-on-one guidance counselor.
9:05:10 AM
SENATOR THOMAS indicated that the concept would be to have
someone available at the school who would use the on-line
program as a tool in discussing programs with students; the
student would not necessarily have to understand a program
without instruction.
MR. RICHMAN said the program is a comprehensive one.
9:06:02 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON referred to the last paragraph of the
fiscal note, which read as follows:
In order to ensure this free resource meets the intent
of this bill, a review of this available resource by
counselors/teachers/advisors would be recommended.
This review could include recommendations for specific
staff training and identify how students are given
sufficient time and guidance to learn its content.
This review falls under the scope of allowable
expenses under the current federal Career and
Technical Education funding.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if there would be funding from
the federal government that could be garnered and passed on to
the department to ensure that the teachers would be adequately
trained.
9:07:12 AM
SENATOR THOMAS deferred to his staff and to the department.
9:07:20 AM
MR. RICHMAN said the department has indicated that all resources
are in place to support the passage of this legislation.
9:07:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked to hear from the department.
9:08:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT offered his understanding that SB 199
addressed secondary education, which encompasses grades six
through twelve. He noted that SB 170 specifies that counseling
would be started in seventh grade. He asked about "readiness"
in sixth grade and waiting to begin counseling until seventh
grade.
9:08:43 AM
SENATOR THOMAS responded that both bills intend to affect
seventh through twelfth grade. In response to a follow-up
question, he offered his understanding that the bill would not
preclude the funds being used for sixth graders who are in
middle school.
9:10:07 AM
MR. RICHMAN said there is a provision in the bill that if a
school is already offering a comprehensive vocational education
program, "this does not supersede that." He added, "If a school
would be offering that in sixth grade, in a middle school, I
think that would be in the spirit of the bill, in compliance
with the statute."
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT commented that if [sixth graders] are
"part of the group," then the opportunities should be available
to them, as well.
MR. RICHMAN explained that current statute defines secondary
school as being seventh through twelfth grade.
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT suggested that might be something to
consider.
9:11:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON indicated concern for the years being
addressed in the bill, and asked to have specification, and
testimony, to address the years being stipulated. He asked if
districts might be restricted depending on the years that are
being set in statute.
9:12:33 AM
MR. RICHMAN said the bill establishes minimum standards for
vocational education, without creating any undue burden on the
department or districts. He explained the dynamics of the
grades and how these years were identified as the crucial years.
He said additional attention could be brought to bear, but there
may be a cost involved.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON recalled KeyTrain and WorkKeys being
introduced at different grades, and asked to have testifiers
specifically address the years being proposed in the bill and
how they coordinate with what exists.
9:15:45 AM
PEGGY COWAN, Superintendent, North Slope Borough School
District, stated support for SB 170, which she characterized as
"a reminder to include regular career counseling in a
comprehensive counseling program." She said the district has
individual learning plans for all students, and career goals are
a part of those at the secondary level. She reported that seven
of the district's schools have full-time counselors, primarily
funded through National Petroleum Reserve-backed grants. Two of
the district's schools have part-time counselors, and two have
none. She expressed appreciation for the provision in the
proposed bill that would provide technical assistance from the
Department of Education & Early Development to those schools
without school counselors.
MS. COWAN, regarding the previous questions related to secondary
school, said in her district the middle school students are
sometimes grouped with high school students, sometimes grouped
with elementary students, and are sometimes on their own,
depending on how many students are in each grade.
9:18:03 AM
MS. COWAN, in response to Representative Pruitt, said individual
learning plans begin early, and counseling is offered depending
on the cohort that a student is in. For example, she ventured
that if an eighth-grade student is at a school with grades nine
through twelve, then he/she would "get the ninth-grade
counseling at that time."
MS. COWAN, in response to Representative Kawasaki, reiterated
that there are individual learning plans with career goals,
which are administered by teachers in schools without
counselors. She said students in schools without counselors do
not get the same benefit as those in schools with counselors.
She spoke of budget cuts, and said the district is fortunate
that it will be able to pay for three school counselors next
year with National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (NPR-A) funds,
since the budget cannot support them. At this juncture, she
said, counselors will not be added to schools that do not
already have them.
9:23:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if WorkKeys could be interpreted to
provide the eleventh-grade students with the requirement for
career and vocational counseling.
MS. COWAN answered no. She said she does not think career
counseling is comprised of only giving a test and providing the
test scores, but views it as a broader program, including
individual learning plans and the interactions that the district
currently has with vocational partnerships.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked Ms. Cowan what she interprets the
bill would require her district to do.
MS. COWAN said the specifics will need to be developed, but the
bill requirements will provide a responsibility to be
incorporated into district policy.
9:28:46 AM
BRUCE JOHNSON, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators (ACSA), said SB 170 is an attempt at providing
the important counseling component in vocational education. He
agreed that not having a staff counselor can be difficult, but
the system will not afford much beyond an itinerant counselor
supported by someone on site. He expressed appreciation to the
department for being willing to step up to assist districts that
may not have any program currently. He said career education
has existed in the state for 40 years in some form. The
proposed legislation acknowledges that some districts have
programs that can be expanded upon, but does not mandate others
to comply with a program that would be burdensome. He said that
the legislation is a step in the direction that districts are
already going. He stated, "I don't think there is a significant
burden here, and if you are going to have a comprehensive CTE
program, which we advocate for in our joint position statements,
this has to be part of it. We're willing to roll up our sleeves
and work with the department to make this happen."
9:32:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said it appears that an individual career
plan is the intent, and vocational education counseling
beginning in seventh grade may be appropriate. He questioned
how the districts might interpret the requirements and whether
specificity is necessary.
MR. JOHNSON stated his belief that the proposed bill, as
currently written, would provide for a variety of
interpretations. He said superintendents meet with the
Department of Education & Early Development in July to get the
department's interpretation on any legislation that may affect
the school districts and to determine the minimum steps to be
taken. He indicated that under SB 170, the minimum pertains to
the requirement for counseling for grades seven, nine, and
eleven. He said every student needs to have an individual
learning plan, as well, but a high school teacher dealing with
180 children a day faces challenges in getting that job done
with everything else that must be done. He opined that to "keep
it broad and focus our energy on career development" is
"appropriate for today."
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he supports the bill, but wants to
ensure flexibility toward the goal of having individual career
plans. He expressed his hope that Mr. Johnson would come back
next year and tell the legislature what he has "decided is the
interpretation of vocational education and training counseling."
9:38:00 AM
BARBARA HUFFTUCKNESS, Director, Governmental and Legislative
Affairs, Teamsters Local 959, stated support for SB 170 and SB
199, and said Teamsters Local 959 supports this type of
legislation, as it is a benefit when students arrive with skills
already learned.
9:40:57 AM
SUZANNE ARMSTRONG, President, Associated Builders and
Contractors, Inc. - Alaska Chapter (ABC - Alaska Chapter),
stated support for SB 170, and referred to her earlier testimony
on SB 199, which pertained also to SB 170.
9:41:44 AM
CYNDY CURRAN, Director, Teaching and Learning Support,
Department of Education & Early Development, referred to the
committee question regarding federal funding. She said federal
funding does not supplant state funding, but can be used to
support the effort.
9:45:49 AM
MS. CURRAN in response to Representative Wilson, said the
department has moved to using technical assistance, including
using webinars and doing archiving. She said webinars can be
sent out via digital video disc (DVD).
9:47:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI reviewed the requirements under Sections
1 and 2 of the bill, and brought attention to the zero fiscal
note. He said he would like to see [SB 170 and SB 199] pass
together as a package, but said it would be appropriate to
attach funding to the bill.
9:48:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON expressed concern for the process and how
an effective implementation might be brought forth to every
district. He observed that a variety of methods appears to
exist, but integration of a set plan is not a requirement. He
said it would be important to receive a report from the
department, in the next year, to describe how many and which
districts are implementing individual career plans to accomplish
this goal. He stated his presumption that "there will be a
meeting with the department to go over what those expectations
are for satisfying this vocational education and training
counseling."
9:50:10 AM
CHAIR DICK noted that questions remain to be answered.
CHAIR DICK closed public testimony.
CHAIR DICK announced that SB 170 was held over.
9:51:11 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:51 a.m.
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