05/05/2021 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB32 | |
| HB164 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 164 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 32 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
May 5, 2021
8:04 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair
Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky
Representative Mike Prax
Representative Mike Cronk
Representative Ronald Gillham
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Grier Hopkins
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Tom Begich
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 32(FIN)
"An Act establishing the Alaska middle college program for
public school students; relating to the powers of the University
of Alaska; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB 32(FIN) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 164
"An Act relating to early education programs provided by school
districts; relating to school age eligibility; relating to early
education programs; establishing a parents as teachers program;
relating to the duties of the Department of Education and Early
Development; relating to certification of teachers; 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; relating to a virtual education consortium; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 32
SHORT TITLE: COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEVENS
01/25/21 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/21
01/25/21 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/25/21 (S) EDC, FIN
03/08/21 (S) EDC AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
03/08/21 (S) Heard & Held
03/08/21 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/17/21 (S) EDC AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
03/17/21 (S) Moved SB 32 Out of Committee
03/17/21 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/19/21 (S) EDC RPT 5DP
03/19/21 (S) DP: HOLLAND, HUGHES, STEVENS, MICCICHE,
BEGICH
03/22/21 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/22/21 (S) Heard & Held
03/22/21 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
03/29/21 (S) FIN RPT CS 4DP NEW TITLE
03/29/21 (S) DP: STEDMAN, BISHOP, WILSON,
WIELECHOWSKI
03/29/21 (S) FIN AT 9:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
03/29/21 (S) Moved CSSB 32(FIN) Out of Committee
03/29/21 (S) MINUTE(FIN)
04/07/21 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/07/21 (S) VERSION: CSSB 32(FIN)
04/09/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/09/21 (H) EDC, STA
04/19/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/19/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/19/21 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
05/05/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
BILL: HB 164
SHORT TITLE: EARLY ED PROGRAMS; READING; VIRTUAL ED
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) TUCK
04/07/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/07/21 (H) EDC, FIN
04/21/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/21/21 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
04/23/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/23/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/23/21 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/26/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/26/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/26/21 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/30/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/30/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/30/21 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
05/03/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
05/03/21 (H) Heard & Held
05/03/21 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
05/05/21 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
TIM LAMKIN, Staff
Senator Gary Stevens
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SB 32 on behalf of Senator
Stevens, prime sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS TUCK
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 164.
KAREN MELIN, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information and answered questions
during the hearing on HB 164.
MIKE MASON, Staff
Representative Chris Tuck
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information on HB 164 on behalf of
Representative Tuck, prime sponsor.
LKI TOBIN, Staff
Senator Tom Begich
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information during the
presentation on HB 164 on behalf of the Senate Education
Standing Committee, prime sponsor of companion bill SB 111.
SENATOR TOM BEGICH
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information during the hearing on
HB 164 on behalf of the Senate Education Standing Committee,
prime sponsor of companion bill SB 111.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:04:08 AM
CO-CHAIR ANDI STORY called the House Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. Representatives
Gillham, Zulkosky, Drummond, and Story were present at the call
to order. Representatives Prax and Cronk arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
SB 32-COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
8:05:19 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the first order of business would
be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 32(FIN), "An Act establishing the
Alaska middle college program for public school students;
relating to the powers of the University of Alaska; and
providing for an effective date."
8:06:02 AM
TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State
Legislature, presented CSSB 32(FIN) on behalf of Senator
Stevens, prime sponsor. He shared that SB 32 would set up the
framework to improve middle college programs.
8:06:53 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY said the House Education Standing Committee first
heard the proposed legislation on April 19, 2021, and has
received two fiscal notes and no amendments.
8:07:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND moved to report SB 32, Version 32-
LS0307\I, out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSSB
32(FIN) was reported out of the House Education Standing
Committee.
8:08:17 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:08 a.m. to 8:11 a.m.
HB 164-EARLY ED PROGRAMS; READING; VIRTUAL ED
8:11:16 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 164, "An Act relating to early education
programs provided by school districts; relating to school age
eligibility; relating to early education programs; establishing
a parents as teachers program; relating to the duties of the
Department of Education and Early Development; relating to
certification of teachers; 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; relating to a
virtual education consortium; and providing for an effective
date."
[Before the committee, adopted as a working document during the
4/23/21 House Education Standing Committee meeting, was the
proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 164, Version 32-
LS0731\I, Klein, 4/20/21, ("Version I").]
8:13:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS TUCK, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, provided information on HB 164. He shared that he
first discovered the Parents As Teachers program in 2009, which
focuses on ages 0-5 and is an evidence-based program that
recognizes parents as the most important teachers in a child's
life. He explained that the program educates parents on how to
take advantage of their child's rapid brain development in their
early childhood years, which is when children learn more, and at
a faster pace, than any other time in their lives. The program
also assists parent educators, in a home setting, in identifying
any developmental problems for early intervention. In the late
1990s and early 2000s, he said, the Parents As Teachers program
had a very strong operation through utilization of federal
grants; funds became less available after the Obama
Administration, he said, but the program still existed until the
2019 government shutdown, when many services were cut.
8:18:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK explained that within the Parents As
Teachers program there exists the Heroes At Home program for
military families. He said the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
focuses funding for the Parents As Teachers program on bases and
communities with higher rates of deployment, as the program also
serves as a de facto support group for the families of deployed
military personnel; children with social and interpersonal
connections tend to have better success in education, he said.
He then discussed Section 14 of HB 164, which would establish a
statewide Parents As Teacher program, following national
guidelines. He characterized the program as a valuable tool
that tribal or religious communities could use, due to its focus
on educating parents and its flexibility is customization.
8:24:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND noted that both the Department of Health
& Social Services (DHSS) and the Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED) have jurisdiction of the Parents As
Teachers program. She asked whether there was remote delivery
of the program during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if so, how it
worked.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK said that while Parents As Teachers is an
early learning program, there are components of the program that
aim to discover health problems early on, since health is
intertwined in brain development. He emphasized that the best
investment in ensuring high-quality and cost-effective public
education is investing in early education. He said retired
generals have written about the importance of early education as
it relates to national security, as the United States is not
investing in early education in such a way that would enable
high school graduates to enter the military.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND asked how the Parents As Teachers
program was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
8:28:45 AM
KAREN MELIN, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development, said she would inquire about the delivery of
Parents As Teachers.
8:28:46 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked Representative Drummond to state the
specific question Ms. Melin should research.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND said, "I'm interested to know how ...
Parents As Teachers has been delivered during the pandemic, and
what has been the impact on the program in terms of success or
not."
8:30:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said he's interested in the history of the
program, and in information regarding the cost per parent over
the life of the program.
8:32:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK recommended calculating cost per family
instead of per parent, as sometimes it's a grandparent or other
relation, or a daycare teacher who participates in the program.
He said the grants are administered through the State of Alaska,
which is the only manner in which the state is involved;
communities may take advantage of the funding, or not, as their
needs dictate. He pointed out that Section 7 of HB 164 would
require DEED to include information about the Parents As
Teachers program in annual reports to the legislature. He then
read a statement from a DoD website, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
... children who have participated in Parents as
Teachers programs are significantly more advanced in
language, social development, problem solving and
other cognitive abilities and score higher on
kindergarten readiness tests compared to children not
in the programs.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK discussed the differences between Hoonah,
which had 70 percent participation in the Parents As Teachers
program, and Angoon, which did not participate. He said both
communities were identical in geography, industry, and
population density, and the assessment scores were of "night and
day" difference.
8:35:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND commented that there were some curious
statistics regarding the number of participant families in
different communities.
8:35:57 AM
MIKE MASON, Staff, Representative Chris Tuck, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Tuck, prime sponsor of
HB 164, added that the proposed legislation would allow DEED the
flexibility to enter into local partnerships to implement the
Parents As Teachers program.
8:36:18 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY discussed importance of having a relationship
with the teacher, which is the top in-school factor for child
success, while the relationship with the parent is the main
factor outside of school. She expressed that parental support
is a necessary part of the program, and that she can see why the
military has embraced the program.
8:37:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX discussed the informal support his parents
received from the church and community when he was a child, and
he asked whether there exists a way to measure such support.
MS. MELIN asked Representative Prax whether he was talking about
already existing community support for families and children.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX replied that was correct. He then asked
whether DEED has the number of students entering kindergarten or
first grade who are deemed "prepared" for school.
CO-CHAIR STORY commented that the kindergarten readiness profile
might be of use in this discussion.
MS. MELIN said she would send the Alaska Development Profile
(ADP) data.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked for data at the district level.
MS. MELIN agreed.
CO-CHAIR STORY discussed Juneau's Parents As Teachers program,
which also acts as a child abuse and neglect prevention program.
She said parental participation is voluntary, and agencies may
refer parents in need of extra support to the program.
8:42:42 AM
LKI TOBIN, Staff, Senator Tom Begich, Alaska State Legislature,
on behalf of the Senate Education Standing Committee, prime
sponsor of SB 111, companion legislation to HB 164, directed
attention to the DEED Early Childhood Programs 2021 Early
Learning Coordination report [included in the committee packet].
She said the report includes information on Head Start, Parents
As Teachers, and Best Beginnings, as well as the Alaska
Developmental Profile information with reports that discuss
school readiness resulting from early education programs.
8:44:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK observed that everyone seems to recognize
the importance of parental involvement, and he emphasized that
Parents As Teachers has existed for over 40 years and in over 50
different countries.
Date: May 4, 2021 To: Members of the House Education Committee
From: L?ki Gale Tobin, Office of Senator Tom Begich RE: Notes
for the early education components of CS HB 164
8:46:19 AM
MS. TOBIN drew attention to a memorandum [dated May 4, 2021,
included in the committee packet, written to the House Education
Standing Committee from L?ki Tobin], titled "Notes for the early
education components of CS HB 164." She described it as the
beginning of the clarifying changes needed to ensure the early
education program is both effective and established in statute.
She read the memorandum, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
(Page 2, Line 4) Section 2. Amends AS 14.03.040, Day
in session to clarify that a day in session for grades
4 through 12 is at least 5 hours, while a day in
session for grades 1 3 is at least 4 hours. This
section is not repealed.
Section 3. Amends AS 14.03.060 to permit the
Department of Early Education and Development (DEED)
the ability to approve and supervise a district early
education program.
Section 4. Repeals DEED's ability to approve an early
education program on June 30, 2034. This is part of
the overall sunset clauses included in this
legislation as DEED will no longer be able to approve
a pre-K program for inclusion in a school district's
ADM counts.
(Page 3, line 23) Sections 7 - 9. Amend AS 14.03.078
directing DEED to report on early education grant
programs, Parent as Teachers, and DEED supported
Reading Intervention programs in their annual report
to the Alaska State Legislature. Section 9 directs
school districts to display administrative employee
statistics in a prominent place and on their website
and provides a definition of administrative employee.
8:48:34 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked the reason for the repeal date of June 30,
2034.
MS. TOBIN replied that the repeal date is to ensure the program
efficacy. She referred to page 39, line 21, which proposes a
comprehensive report to the Thirty-Eighth Alaska State
Legislature to discuss the program's success, as well as any
other relevant metrics, and evaluate whether the sunset repeals
should continue.
8:49:47 AM
SENATOR TOM BEGICH, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of the
Senate Education Standing Committee, prime sponsor of companion
bill SB 111, elaborated on the repeal clause. He said if a
termination date was set in statute, it may create a barrier to
school districts being interested in participating in the
program, as there would be a date by which either taxes would
have to cover continuation of the program, or the program would
end. He said the robust reporting process would ensure regular
updates on efficacy, but the alternative would be to simply
establish sunset dates on all elements of the proposed
legislation.
8:52:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked for further discussion on the
reporting elements of the proposed legislation, as well as the
sunset dates.
SENATOR BEGICH stated that, if the program is working at the 10-
year mark, there would be no reason to have a sunset clause;
that's the reason for the robust reporting requirement. He said
it would be very important to report during the two years, when
programs start being implemented, and that results in early
learning evaluations could be observed by the third year. He
said the reports with the most import would take place when
students are in third and eighth grades. He said it's a
voluntary choice to adapt an early education program, and any
program needs to demonstrate results if the district hopes to
engage parents. He said he would encourage future legislatures
to end the program if it wasn't effective.
8:56:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX mentioned the audit of the Alaska Regional
Development Organizations (ARDORs), and he said the auditor's
comment was that the reporting requirements weren't specific
enough to give meaningful information. He wondered whether the
specific reporting requirements in HB 164 should be included in
statute.
SENATOR BEGICH replied that the metrics are included in the
proposed legislation, and that the state has assessed the
differences in children who take part in early education versus
those who don't for several years. He said that over the past
decade, roughly $2 million in grants have been provided for
early education, with yearly progress assessments. In the four
districts that have been measured - Lower Kuskokwim, Anchorage,
Mat-Su, and Nome School Districts - several types of early
education programs have been utilized. Gains have been retained
not just by third grade, he said, but by eighth grade, with the
most common factors being strong early education programs and
strong reading programs with the same components as those which
are proposed in HB 164. He said that with 10 years' worth of
evidence, it's time to bring those concepts to the rest of the
state, which is what the proposed legislation is attempting.
8:59:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX expressed that he understood the need to
identify the schools and districts in which the program will
take place, as well as the need to identify the extent to which
the program works.
SENATOR BEGICH expressed his agreement, and said assessment of
the extent to which the program works is the reason for the
strong reporting section of the proposed legislation, which goes
beyond the reporting already mandated by DEED. He then read
from the text of the proposed legislation, page 34, lines 18-22,
which read as follows:
(10) annually convene, either in person or
electronically, a panel made up of teachers of grades
kindergarten through three, school administrators, and
parents of students in grades kindergarten through
three to review and provide commentary on the
effectiveness of the reading intervention programs
established under AS 14.30.760-14.30.775.
SENATOR BEGICH stressed that the provision is in addition to
what is already in law. He said Senator Shelly Hughes added a
number of provisions for public access of assessment information
collected by school districts.
9:01:54 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that there are opportunities for
amendments.
9:02:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND pointed out the report from the Kodiak
Island Borough School District, which said their pre-K grant
program showed "tremendous" improvement in kindergarten
readiness compared to statewide figures. She expressed
frustration that the grant program only spends a couple of years
in one district before moving to another, because there is no
ability to study long-term results in one district.
9:03:27 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said the four school districts focused on when
writing HB 164/SB111 were the districts with the longest
consistency with the grant program, thus showing the most
evidence. He identified Sections 7, 13, 21, and 43 of the
proposed legislation as the sections containing the reporting
proposals, explaining that the different sections require
reporting by school districts to DEED, with Section 43 as the
comprehensive reporting proposal. He said, "What we haven't
done with education policy for years is have accountability.
This bill provides accountability."
CO-CHAIR STORY commented that reporting would allow the state to
identify gaps in education.
9:05:43 AM
MS. TOBIN resumed her presentation of the early education
components, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
(Page 6, line 22) Sections 10-12. Amend AS 14.03.080
to allow children who are at least four to attend
publicly provided early education programs. The
current statute directs school districts to set
minimum standards for school entry. Instead of
establishing a minimum age, changes to Section 10
acknowledge not all students may be ready for early
education programs at age 4.
The changes made in Section 10 will replace current
statute AS 14.03.080 subsection (d), which permits a
child who is at least five years of age as of Sept 1st
to attend public kindergarten. AS 14.03.080 subsection
(d) is repealed in Section 39 of this legislation, and
on June 30, 2034, Section 10 is repealed and replaced
with Section 11 and Section 12, which reinstates the
current date of school start.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND asked Ms. Tobin why the current school
start date would need to be reinstated.
MS. TOBIN clarified that AS 14.03.080(d) would be repealed by HB
164/SB 111, which means there would be no start date for a
student who isn't applying to an early education program.
Section 10 would establish AS 14.030.080(c), which would permit
a school district to evaluate a potential student for an early
education program if the student is at least four years old. As
the provisions are repealed on June 30, 2034, she said, the
current statute would be reinstated; repealing AS 14.03.080(d),
she said, means that new subsection, AS 14.03.080(g), would
establish that a student at least five years old as of September
1 would be permitted to attend kindergarten.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND asked whether this assumes the program
is repealed in 2034. She then expressed the supposition that
these sections are discussing future possibilities in the case
of the program being repealed after 10 years of "robust"
reporting.
9:09:26 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked for the rationale regarding the age
requirements.
MS. TOBIN replied that the Senate Education Standing Committee
recognized that not all four-year-olds may be ready for an early
education program, so AS 14.03.080 was amended to permit
districts to extend their already-approved discretion around
standards for mental, physical, and emotional capacity to
students who are at least four years old when entering early
education programs is being considered. Mandatory school start
date is age seven, she said, so prior to that age, school
districts have flexibility in determining whether a student is
ready to start an early education program.
9:10:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRONK asked why the flexibility needs to be in
statute.
MS. TOBIN explained that the proposed legislation would extend
the flexibility to a child at least four years old, which was
not previously clarified in statute.
9:12:02 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked how many requirements outlined in
Section 13 are already in alignment between school districts and
DEED.
MS. TOBIN deferred to Ms. Melin.
MS. MELIN offered to research Representative Zulkosky's
question.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY commended that it would be helpful to
compare processes already in place with those that would be
added by the proposed legislation.
MS. MELIN agreed.
9:13:33 AM
MS. TOBIN resumed her presentation of the early education
components, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
(Page 8, line 17) Section 14. Adds a new section under
AS 14.03, Article 4. Early Education Programs.
(Page 8) Section 14. Directs DEED to provide training
and assistance to school districts that do not have or
need to improve their high-quality, locally designed,
culturally responsive early education program.
Districts must meet program standards to receive DEED
approval of their early education program.
(Page 8 through page 9) DEED is directed to also
provide financial aid to school districts through
three-year early education grants, with additional
support years possible if a district cannot get
approval for their program after three years.
Based on performance rankings established under AS
14.03.123, DEED will prioritize grants to school
districts that have an insufficient number of children
enrolled in other types of high-quality, locally
designed, culturally responsive early education
programs.
Unless the legislature chooses to appropriate a
different amount, grants awarded to school districts
may not exceed $3,000,000 each fiscal year.
Districts that already have a high-quality, locally
designed, culturally responsive early education
program that meets the requirements established under
AS 14.07.165 may have their early education program
approved by DEED, which will allow their early
education students to be included in their Average
Daily Membership (ADM) counts.
Please note ADM counts determine foundation formula
funding.
Approved early education programs may be reviewed by
DEED to ensure compliance with the standards
established under AS 14.07.165. DEED is directed to
establish a statewide program to support a
parent/guardian in evidence-based early education for
children under five years of age.
9:16:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked about distinction between early
education programs established through the proposed legislation
and existing federal tribal head start programs.
MS. TOBIN deferred to Ms. Melin.
MS. MELIN explained that Head Start programs are administered
through the federal government, which sets requirements and
provides technical assistance and professional development, and
which has different reporting requirements for the different
types of programs. A pre-K program administered through the
state is designed by the school district, with the state
monitoring and tracking progress through its own assessment
tools.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked how the programs would work when
there may not be enough children to participate in both Head
Start and state-administered pre-K.
MS. TOBIN referred to page 9, lines 6-14, of the proposed
legislation, which she said would direct a school district to
work with existing programs to establish whether there exists
capacity to add an additional program or to close an existing
program. She stressed that all programs would need to meet the
standards, which would be set in statute, of high-quality,
locally designed, culturally responsive education.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked whether existing Head Start
programs that want to partner with school districts would have
to meet the education requirements as outlined on page 17 in AS
14.03.0125, which would be amended by the proposed legislation.
MS. TOBIN responded that the standards in the proposed
legislation are designed to ensure that every student has access
to a high-quality, locally designed, culturally responsive early
education program. She said Head Start programs have gone on
record as saying they would be willing to meet the standards.
9:23:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked whether the teacher requirements
for early education would have to be met in order for a district
with a Head Start program, but an insufficient number of
children for an additional pre-K program, to receive a grant
from DEED.
MS. TOBIN clarified that page 17, line 14, states that the
requirement would be for a teacher in charge of the program, not
for every classroom teacher.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked whether the standards proposed on
page 17 would be for the individual responsible for the program
at the district level.
MS. TOBIN replied, "Correct."
9:25:00 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that the adaptation was made with
consideration for the skilled classroom paraprofessionals. She
commented that the Juneau School District has partnered with the
Head Start program, and the early childhood education partners
have all worked together to meet the needs of the community.
9:26:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX referred to the provision that, unless the
legislature chooses to appropriate a different amount, grants
awarded to school districts may not exceed $3 million each
fiscal year. He opined that the amount may not be an
appropriate grant amount for school districts of varied sizes.
MS. TOBIN replied that the fiscal notes dealing with early
education established that approximately $17 million would be
needed to establish universal, voluntary pre-K across Alaska,
with a six-year cycle of funding support for school districts to
establish pre-K programs and build on them to achieve universal,
voluntary pre-K. The proposed legislation would remove the
grant cycles and the provisions regarding district eligibility,
she said, and replaces them with a cap that the Senate Education
Standing Committee found was an acceptable amount. She pointed
out that the House Education Standing Committee approved a $5
million allocation for pre-K grants for this year, and she said
the bill's sponsor would be amenable to discussion regarding the
exact figure.
CO-CHAIR STORY added that the House Finance Subcommittee on
Education and Early Development approved $2.5 million each year
for next two years.
9:29:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY expressed the understanding that Head
Start programs currently receive both federal and state funding.
She asked whether passage of HB 164 would change the ability of
Head Start to continue receiving state funds.
MS. MELIN responded that she doesn't foresee any changes in the
Head Start funding formula, so as long as the formula stays
intact, Head Start's funding would not be impacted by the
proposed legislation.
9:30:37 AM
MS. TOBIN resumed her presentation of the early education
components, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Please note that nothing in this section prohibits a
district from using its own funds. Participation in
the grant program is not required. School districts
are asked to work with existing early education
programs before applying for a grant.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked about the difference between the
funding assistance as described beginning on page 8, line 19,
and the funding assistance as described beginning on page 8,
line 27.
MS. TOBIN responded that the funding is from the same grant
program.
9:32:06 AM
MS. TOBIN resumed her presentation of the early education
components, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Page 10, line 31) Section 15. amends AS 14.07.020 and
directs DEED to supervise all early education programs
and approve those early education programs established
under AS 14.03.410. This section also directs DEED to
establish a new reading program under AS 14.07.065 and
offer reading intervention programs to participating
schools AS 14.30.770.
Section 16 repeals all the changes described to
Section 15 on June 30, 2034.
(Page 16, line 2) Section 17. Aligns terminology for
an early education program that a local school
district will operate.
(Page 16, starting on line 29) Section 18. Directs the
state board of education to establish regulations for
a locally designed, evidence-based, culturally
responsive early education program that meets any and
all federal requirements for early education programs.
Section 18 [20] also directs the state board to
establish the developmentally appropriate length of
the school day for kindergarten students. This section
is repealed under Section 40 on June 30, 2034.
9:36:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked Ms. Melin whether DEED has a sense
of how many Head Start programs currently have teachers that
meet the proposed qualifications.
MS. MELIN answered that the state does not collect that data on
Head Start, though it may be available through the federal
reporting process.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked whether the bill sponsor has a
sense of existing Head Start programs' ability to meet the
proposed qualifications.
MS. TOBIN replied, "We do not."
9:37:10 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY opined that page 17, line 10, of the proposed
legislation, should include "culturally responsive" in the
program's description.
MS. TOBIN referred Co-Chair Story to page 17, line 27, which
proposed that the content of an early education program be
culturally responsive to local communities. She stated that she
would defer to the expertise of Legislative Legal Services with
regards to drafting.
CO-CHAIR STORY expressed her understanding.
9:38:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY said the Lower Kuskokwim School District
has spent decades developing culturally-relevant curriculum.
She asked how HB 164 would work in terms of continued
utilization of the existing curriculum.
MS. MELIN responded that once the proposed legislation is
passed, DEED would have a better understanding of how to work
with school districts.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked whether passage of the proposed
legislation would require DEED approval of school districts'
continued utilization of locally-developed curricula.
MS. MELIN replied that it depends on what the final legislation
is.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY expressed concern that the proposed
legislation could put years of investment by school districts at
risk, and that locally-developed, culturally relevant curricula
must be protected.
9:43:09 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY suggested looking at what other states have done
in similar situations. She then read page 17, lines 29-30,
which read, "(D) accommodation for the needs of all early
education children and their families regardless of
socioeconomic circumstances;". She asked whether that means
transportation would be provided.
MS. TOBIN explained that the subparagraph is included to ensure
the existence of early education programs for every student in
the community. She pointed out that federal Head Start is based
on income limitations.
CO-CHAIR STORY asked for a specific "accommodation."
MS. TOBIN replied that she doesn't know whether school districts
offer transportation, but that the subparagraph is to ensure
early education available to all students regardless of income.
9:45:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX commented about the possibility of lawsuits.
MS. MELIN expressed that various scenarios are possible.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether there is a way to evaluate the
risk of lawsuits over the language of "accessibility" and
"culturally appropriate."
9:48:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated that Salcha, as a remote
community, has its own elementary school, but in Anchorage, as
the student population has declined, classroom space in
neighborhood schools has been made available for preschool and
Head Start programs. She suggested the possibility of adding
such programs to the space in Salcha's elementary school instead
of bussing kids to Fairbanks, which is 30 miles away.
CO-CHAIR STORY commented that the essence of public education is
making sure that all services are available to all students.
9:49:42 AM
MR. MASON pointed out that the section under discussion calls
for DEED to develop regulations, and that many issues could be
addressed in a format that would include input from
stakeholders.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX discussed possible constitutional issues.
CO-CHAIR STORY agreed.
MS. TOBIN stated that Legislative Legal Services could address
any questions.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY opined that Version I of HB 164 has been
drafted to mitigate legal risk based on previous lawsuits. She
said the state has already been challenged on its constitutional
responsibility to accommodate all students, and that there is
consistent case law acknowledging the state's shortcoming in
that area.
9:53:46 AM
MS. TOBIN resumed her presentation of the early education
components, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
(Page 19, starting on line 25) Section 25. Adds a new
subsection under AS 14.17.500 to establish that a
student of an early education program as approved by
DEED under AS 14.07.020(a)(8) counts as ? an ADM and
that programs that receive other state or federal
funds cannot receive additional funding under this
section.
(Page 20) Section 25. States that DEED cannot approve
early education programs with the intent that those
students count toward a district's ADM if those
students would increase the state's allocation for
approved early education programs over $3,00,000 in
that fiscal year. This section also permits DEED to
partially approve a district's early education
program.
Section 26. Repeals changes made in Section 25
regarding counting students in a district's ADM on
June 30, 2034.
(Page 21, starting on line 9) Section 29. Permits
schools to count early education program students in
their ADM counts. Section 30 repeals these changes on
June 30, 2034.
(Page 39) Section 43. Describes a comprehensive report
due to the 38th Alaska State Legislature on the
effectiveness of early education and reading programs
described in Section 35.
(Page 40) Section 44. Provides transition language
stating that DEED may not approve early education
programs if that approval results in more than
$3,000,000 in fiscal year 2022. In subsequent fiscal
years, DEED may approve up to $3,000,000 in new early
education programs, resulting in a compounding effect.
Section 45. Permits DEED to begin adopting regulations
prior to the effective date of this act.
MS. TOBIN pointed out that the regulatory process is clear and
provides opportunities for stakeholder and community engagement,
along with a public comment period.
9:57:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRONK referred to Section 27, subsection (a), of
the proposed legislation, and he asked whether the year-end fund
balance would be changed from 25 percent to 10 percent.
MS. TOBIN replied that is correct.
9:57:35 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that HB 164 was held over.
9:59:39 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 164 Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools 5.3.2021.pdf |
HEDC 5/5/2021 8:00:00 AM |
HB 164 |
| CS for HB 164 Memo Early Education Components 5.4.2021.pdf |
HEDC 5/5/2021 8:00:00 AM |
HB 164 |
| CS for HB 164 Memo Virtual Education Components 5.4.2021.pdf |
HEDC 5/5/2021 8:00:00 AM |
HB 164 |
| CS for HB 164 Memo Evidence Based Reading Interventions for English Language Learners 5.4.2021.pdf |
HEDC 5/5/2021 8:00:00 AM |
HB 164 |