02/23/2009 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview(s): Department of Education and Early Development Discussion on the Governor's Proposed Pre-kindergarten Pilot Program. | |
| HB23 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 23 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 23, 2009
8:01 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Paul Seaton, Chair
Representative Cathy Engstrom Munoz, Vice Chair
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Wes Keller
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch
Representative Berta Gardner
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT
DISCUSSION ON GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED PRE-KINDERGARTEN PILOT PROGRAM
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 23
"An Act establishing a grant program to support voluntary class
size reduction."
- HEARD AND HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 23
SHORT TITLE: CLASS SIZE REDUCTION GRANTS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) CRAWFORD, GARA
01/20/09 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/09
01/20/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/20/09 (H) EDC, FIN
02/23/09 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
ERIC CROFT
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as a former legislator to assist
in presenting HB 23 on behalf of the joint prime sponsor,
Representative Harry Crawford.
EDDY JEANS, Director
School Finance and Facilities Section
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of HB 23.
LARRY LEDOUX, Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the DEED overview of the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program.
REPRESENTATIVE HARRY CRAWFORD
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as one of the joint prime
sponsors of HB 23.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:01:37 AM
CHAIR PAUL SEATON called the House Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. Representatives Seaton, Wilson,
Edgmon, Gardner, Buch, and Keller were present at the call to
order. Representative Munoz arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
^OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT
DISCUSSION ON THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED PRE-KINDERGARTEN PILOT
PROGRAM.
8:02:15 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the first order of business would be
Overview(S): Department Of Education and Early Development
Discussion on the Governor's Proposed Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program.
8:02:54 AM
LARRY LEDOUX, Commissioner, Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development (DEED), recalled several meetings recently
held in Anchorage related to this topic. He explained that a
group of Alaskans discussed the immediate changes necessary to
address the graduation rate in Alaska. Another group comprised
of early childhood providers, Head Start, Best Beginnings, the
University of Alaska, and Department of Education and Early
Development (DEED) personnel discussed implementation policies
for programs. He indicated the DEED has requested $2 million in
its budget request to develop a Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program
in Alaska. He mentioned that this program would be a voluntary
school-based program designed to work with poverty-level
children and families, children with disabilities, children who
are learning English as a second language, and at-risk children
who are not prepared to read or learn.
8:04:27 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX offered his belief that quality pre-school
programs make a difference in children's lives. Brain
development between birth and school age is phenomenal, he
opined. Anything that can be done to encourage development of
healthy brains pays tremendous dividends. He stressed that his
focus today is not on the financial benefits of early childhood
education, but rather to provide information that demonstrates
children need quality social, emotional, and physical
experiences prior to entering school that prepares them to
learn.
8:05:13 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX stated that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program will provide an emphasis on quality programs for four-
year olds that will be "state-driven" with local control over
leadership and program decisions. He indicated the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program will emphasize a wide variety of
models ranging from rural to urban and will be designed to
enhance existing pre-kindergarten programs. Applicants to host
these programs must demonstrate the means by which they will
meet the program goals and requirements. He stressed that
applicants must demonstrate how the district will support
parents and children enrolled in a center-based program, the
"strengthening families" model, as well as support for those not
enrolled in any program by providing library materials, home
visits, and other materials as requested. If an application is
reviewed positively, the applicant may request a waiver from any
specific requirement. He explained that the DEED has the
ability during the RFP process to craft the Pre-Kindergarten
Pilot Program to fit the needs of the community it will serve.
He mentioned that the DEED's FY 10 budget request also includes
funding for the Head Start program within the Teaching and
Learning Support Division so the program can work with all
children within a community.
8:07:08 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX explained that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program would be guided by the Alaska Early Learning guidelines,
aligned with the K-3 standards, and its curriculum will be based
on the developmentally appropriate practices as defined by the
National Association of Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
The requirements for the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program include
that the teachers must possess a Bachelors of Arts degree in
Early Childhood Education and the applicant must demonstrate
partnerships with community entities. The program will provide
for ongoing teacher training and support. The class size will
be limited to 20 with a staff ratio of 1:10 or better.
Community partners will conduct vision, emotional and health
screening. The three and a half hour program will provide
children with nutritional snacks and meals, and children will
have a minimum of 15 hours of contact time per week. The DEED
will also partner with community entities such as the Need for
Transportation and Extended Day Services. The Pre-Kindergarten
Pilot Program will incorporate a local community board or an
advisory council will be established in collaboration with
community partners.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX emphasized that the program will provide
administrative flexibility to encourage creative proposals that
will help provide information for the state's future development
of the pre-kindergarten system. He stressed that the DEED will
prioritize community engagement, offering additional points for
applicants showing collaboration among the widest possible
community partners. He related that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program will focus on communities that are in an under
improvement status with the department. He said he hopes that
the DEED will collect information for two years, and that the
department will regularly evaluate the program to produce data
that should demonstrate the benefits of the program.
8:09:21 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Representative Keller,
offered to provide his speaking notes to the committee.
8:09:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON offered her support for the request for
proposal (RFP) process. She referred to constituent letters
expressing their concerns that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program would be in competition with existing child care
centers. She inquired as to whether the current child care
centers could apply if they meet the requirements of the
program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX offered his belief that the RFP will allow
community partners to apply for funding. He emphasized the
outcome is the important aspect and not the process. He
stressed that standards will be in place for the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program no matter what form the program
takes.
8:10:33 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER referred to the handout titled "Pre-K
Pilot Guidelines" and inquired about the regulation referenced,
4 AAC 12.331, and asked if the teachers will be credentialed.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that trained teachers are essential
to the program. He stated that the regulation requires that
teachers and classroom staff must have a minimum of six credits
in early childhood education. He offered his belief that
credentialed teachers will be required since they will be
working with young children.
8:11:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked Commissioner LeDoux to describe the
Alaska Early Learning Guidelines.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX responded that the Alaska Early Learning
Guidelines were established in accordance with the vision of
University of Alaska early childhood development providers and
professionals. He indicated that the guidelines address school
readiness factors such as language development, literacy, and
cognition, ranging from birth to grade six. He offered to
provide the document to the committee.
8:12:11 AM
CHAIR SEATON related his understanding that the proposed Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program would focus on four-year olds, with a
class size of 20, for 15 hours per week as the basic model. He
opined that the program would basically be a 4-year old
kindergarten class. He recalled a similar program in the North
Slope Borough that was eliminated, and asked the commissioner to
provide data from that program. He further recalled the
children in the two-year kindergarten class out performed
students that did not attend school for the additional year. He
also asked if all kindergarten teachers are required to have an
endorsement.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that all kindergarten teachers are
certified as teachers, but do not all have a minimum of six
credits in early childhood development. He clarified that the
teachers for this program will be certified child professionals
with training in early childhood education. He emphasized
differences between a kindergarten class and an early childhood
program, which he offered to provide to the committee in written
form.
CHAIR SEATON further recalled that the 2-year kindergarten
program was folded several years ago due to funding
requirements, not due to lack of performance. The outcomes for
that program should be available to support the Pre-Kindergarten
Pilot Program, he surmised.
8:16:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER inquired as to whether transportation and
extended day care are requirements for the Pre-Kindergarten
Pilot Program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered no. He stated that the
recommendation would be for community partnerships to assist
parents. He said that the public system will not be required to
transport young children for the proposed pilot program.
8:17:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON cautioned the committee not to attempt to
compare programs in the North Slope region, as she recalled that
the programs were not fully funded, but tended to supplement the
school funding in those school districts She cautioned that the
Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program may have a decidedly different
focus versus the prior kindergarten program. Thus, a comparison
may not provide a fair assessment unless the baseline and
educator requirements for the prior program are also considered.
CHAIR SEATON recalled the North Slope program required certified
teachers and received full funding including cost differential.
He agreed it would be important to discern the differences. He
opined it is important to examine similar programs in Alaska and
the Lower 48 and their results. Chair Seaton added that he
would also like to review the solutions that the early childhood
group anticipated. Thus, the committee will have some idea of
what the group that met on this discussed and their recommended
solutions.
8:20:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER recalled a flurry of communications from
daycare providers that argue that the current system meets the
needs of preschool children. She related the complaints are
that government should not provide what the private sector is
already providing. She highlighted that private schools exist
as well as public schools and neither should be eliminated.
However, she also recognized that a range of child care exists.
She said, "Some of it is crummy and some of it is absolutely
wonderful..." She inquired as to whether any information on
ranking child care programs exists. She further asked how the
department will target the regions that really need the pilot
program and not provide duplicate services in areas that do not
need the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX explained that daycare programs and early
learning programs are very different. He emphasized that the
department is focusing on quality early learning programs for
four-year olds. He stated that the Head Start program has a
lengthy waiting list, up to 1,000, and many children come to
kindergarten not having attended any program. He offered that
the state has an Early Childhood Education System. It is the
intent of the department to work through the system, which is
why the program is a "pilot" program. The DEED's underlying
philosophy is to recognize that parents are the best educators
of their small children. He pointed out that part of the
program is to support the efforts of parents who are providing
those skills for their children. He related that the intent of
the RFP process is to work with providers in each community to
ensure that every child has an opportunity to gain early
childhood experiences prior to attending school. He mentioned
several models such as Head Start. He also pointed out that the
needs of four-year olds is different from the needs of five-year
olds. He surmised that a universal program may negate the
importance of parents in the lives of their young children. He
offered his belief that using the RFP process allows the DEED to
work with each community to fill the gaps in parent education,
and to access children that will benefit from a quality early
childhood program. The overarching goal is to improve the
overall quality of early childhood education, he stated.
8:24:33 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked whether the department has a timeline;
and whether the department is "pressed" due to the Superior
Court decision, Moore v. State.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX opined that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program would be fully in place by next school year. He opined
that the court decision has caused the department to review
educational programs in school districts in which the students
are chronically underperforming. However, the court decision is
not the motivating factor, he said.
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH stated that it sounds as if the department
is addressing this in a rational matter and it may just take
some time.
8:26:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ asked if underperforming districts or
schools will have a preference.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered yes.
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ recalled the commissioner mentioned that
transportation poses one barrier at the kindergarten level. She
inquired as to whether there will be any means for considering
support at the pre-kindergarten level. She further inquired as
to whether any preference could be given to those programs that
offer transportation or work with families to provide
transportation.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX responded that within the RFP, the
department will look for full partnerships. He opined that the
more services that are provided the greater the likelihood that
the program will be funded. He offered his belief that by using
a grant fund, local resources will be leveraged to assist in
these areas. He also mentioned that it is problematic for some
parents to transport their children since the kindergarten
classes often are shorter programs so busing is not available
after class.
8:28:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ offered that the "Ready to Read Ready to
Learn" program is beneficial in the early childhood and pre-
kindergarten programs. She asked whether this program or
similar programs would be encouraged to participate with the
proponents of the pilot program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX acknowledged that the "Ready to Read, Ready
to Learn" initiative is a wonderful document that is well
thought out, is helping children, and forms the cornerstone of
the program that the DEED is trying to develop. He indicated
that the DEED has worked closely with Best Beginnings, a public-
private partnership that works to ensure all Alaska children
begin school ready to succeed, and Head Start, and other
professionals in the early learning environment to develop a
program.
8:29:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER agreed with the commissioner's statement
that parents are the best first teachers. He asked what
safeguards are in place to prevent the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot
Program from becoming a substitute for parental attention.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX opined that the RFP process will designate
the local communities to identify the children who need early
learning assistance. He stated that the emphasis is to help
parents who want to help their children and who need information
and access to an early learning professional. He related that
parents who are not interested in the services will be
respected. He said, "Parents who want to use the system as a
daycare or to abdicate their responsibilities; we're going to
leave that to the local agency to set those standards within
that community. You know, local communities do that best." He
offered that if the DEED provides guidelines, the outcome could
be to block the children who need the services. He offered his
belief that providing quality information and access will allow
many parents to have the information to help their child develop
pre-literacy skills.
8:32:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER inquired as to whether the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program needs to be a "brick and mortar"
school setting. She cited the Parents as Teachers Program (PAT)
that helps parents become better parents. She inquired as to
whether PAT could successfully qualify for an RFP for the pilot
program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX related that any organization within the
community that the school district supports via the RFP process
may have an opportunity to be part of the pilot program.
However, he highlighted that any quality early childhood program
will have close partnerships with the parents of children in the
program. The advantage of an RFP pilot program is that the
DEED's goal is to not only reach parents of children who will
participate in the pilot program, but to also allow access to
resources for parents whose children are not in the program
Thus, components of the PAT program will be incorporated into
this Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program. He added that the
advantage of an RFP process is the flexibility to leverage
partnerships within a community. He pointed out that every
community has a number of providers who are currently providing
services to those children. He emphasized the purpose of the
pilot is to find a pathway to collaborate and build the
infrastructure so that no child "falls through the cracks"
within the system. He opined that a unilateral effort would
negate the partnerships and would pull the children from the
private and public entities and place them in one vast system.
He said, "That doesn't always work as well."
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH said that he is very encouraged that the
commissioner emphasizes the need to collaborate with the various
programs that currently exist.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX underscored his interest in providing
quality early childhood programs.
8:35:45 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Chair Seaton, answered that
the advantage of utilizing the RFP is that the individual cost
will be set. He related that cost factors of each community can
be taken into account since he anticipates every program will be
different. He highlighted that the DEED will not be attaching
specific funding for each child. The application will establish
what the funding requirements will be in each area. He said,
"But we fully expect we're going to spend more money in some of
the remote rural regions for a program that will be identical to
one that was in Anchorage or Kodiak or Kenai."
8:37:17 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked for a summary of the committee's work that
includes the breadth and depth of the anticipated program,
including the funding mechanism. He also expressed interest in
the class size limit of 20 and 15 contact hours and how services
that are provided to parents whose children are not in the
classroom will fit into the funding formula.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that each community is different.
Many early childhood programs are four days per week programs.
During the fifth day, the teacher will work with parents or make
home visits. He highlighted that each community's program will
vary. He related a scenario in which a community applies for
the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program, but already has an existing
PAT program. The community may put together a program in which
the PAT personnel will carry out the educational component for
the parents. He cautioned that the DEED is not going to base
the funding on the number of children in the community who
participate. Instead, the funding will be based on the quality
of the program and how the applicant "leverages resources" into
the community. He explained that if the program funding were
based on the size of the program, that the DEED would assume
that each community possesses the same infrastructure, will
offer the same program, and use the same philosophy to implement
the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program. He said he hopes that every
community that applies will have enough funding to provide a
quality comprehensive Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program within the
community.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX related that as part of the grant
development, some providers such as Head Start and Best
Beginnings have been collaboratively working with the DEED and
the University of Alaska (UA). He said, "The beauty of the
program is that every program will be different and because it's
an RFP and we evaluate the RFP, we can leverage the money to
meet the need that that community individually puts together."
8:40:24 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked for clarification of how an existing program,
such as a PAT program, will be leveraged into the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program. He further asked for the parameters
of the program and how the pilot program will mesh with the
funding of an existing program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX offered his belief that applicants for the
grant will collaborate with other community providers. He
opined that if a community had a PAT program, that the applicant
would reference the PAT program. He further opined that a solo
PAT program would not likely qualify. In further response to
Chair Seaton, Commissioner LeDoux reiterated that the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program will apply to four-year olds and the
five-year olds that are too early to start school.
8:43:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER inquired as to whether what standards will
be utilized for faith-based organizations who might also apply
for the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that all programs will use state
the Alaska Early Learning Guidelines as the basis to align the
curriculum.
8:44:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked if the guidelines are met will the
school district and faith-based organization be kept separate in
accordance with the statutes.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that he did not think that faith-
based organizations are specifically addressed in the Pre-
Kindergarten Pilot Program. He offered to review the issue of
how faith-based organizations mesh. He offered his intent to
provide information to support parents who are working with
their children. He stressed that if a parent is sending their
child to a private early learning environment, that the DEED's
services to that parent would be the same, regardless of whether
they attend a private or public setting. He pointed out that he
envisions it would be similar to correspondence programs that
the DEED provides to parents. He said, "But we will serve
parents."
8:45:35 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked for clarification of "leverage" with respect
the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX explained that prior to becoming
commissioner, he wrote a grant called "The Learning Café" that
provided services to students up to the age of 24 who had
dropped out of school. He related that the grant provided a
broad range of services. He stated that as part of the
development of the RFP, he was able to leverage funds from the
community in support of the effort. The community shared a
common goal to help young people find success and had a vehicle
through his grant to achieve its goal. Thus, if a community is
developing a program to provide quality early learning, due to
the collaborative nature of the RFP, other sources will offer
resources in support of the community's need, he stated. He
offered his belief that the strength of any grant program is
that it brings people together to prepare an attractive
proposal.
8:47:32 AM
CHAIR SEATON related his understanding that leveraging of funds
would not just mean coordination with existing programs but that
the RFP is able to expand the existing program with new grant
funding and that is what is meant by the leverage of funds.
8:48:06 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that it is difficult to predict
what the applications will consist of but he stressed that the
DEED desires to work with existing programs in the community.
He explained that the pilot program could allow a community that
does not have an existing program, to create a single program.
He contrasted that community with one in which many public-
private programs currently exist. Thus, the two applications
would be very different. He emphasized the DEED wants to find a
niche for every child to have a quality early childhood
experience. He offered his belief that the expectation is that
this pilot program will raise the bar in each community that
participates.
8:48:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked if other states offer similar programs
and have already set parameters for their programs.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that many states have fully funded
universal preschool programs. He offered to provide information
for the committee. He elaborated that some states use Head
Start as the vehicle, others have no program. He reiterated
that DEED's goal is to provide every child with quality early
childhood support. Thus, instead of proposing a universal
program, the nature of the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program is to
work within each community and collaborate within the existing
infrastructure in Alaska to utilize local resources. He
surmised that the pilot program will not be able to reach all
children and anticipates revisiting the legislature to provide
feedback and revise the program to meet the needs of the
community.
8:50:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON recalled that the DEED hopes to have the
program in place by the fall school year. He opined that the
RFP process may be lengthy. He inquired as to how the RFP
process will unfold, the number of additional administrative
staff will be necessary to review the proposals.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX explained that the DEED is already preparing
RFP's and the infrastructure is being developed. He said he
hopes that the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program funding will be
approved, that the infrastructure will be in place so that as
soon as the funds are approved these RFP's will be distributed.
He mentioned that the department will provide technical
assistance, hopes to have pilot programs in various geographical
areas of the state.
8:51:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON inquired as to whether the distribution of
the funds would compare with the Alaska Housing Finance
Corporation (AHFC) weatherization program distribution of funds.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX responded that the DEED anticipates that the
program will have geographic priorities to ensure that statewide
needs will be taken into consideration. He said, "We hope we
have programs from Barrow to Wrangell, if you will, when it's
all said and done. We won't say that this community is going to
get one but we are interested in geographic diversity around the
state and we'll write that into the RFP."
8:52:53 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON asked how assessments will be measured to
determine if the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program has met its
objectives.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX answered that each district is required to
submit the "Alaska Developmental Profile" which measures a
number of criteria that will provide the data necessary to
determine the success of the child's pre-literacy and pre-social
skills. He said that the DEED believes it already has an
assessment program in place to measure the pilot program's
success.
8:56:31 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Representative Wilson,
explained that he understands the facets that each school brings
to each community. He stated that he hopes that this program
will become a catalyst to provide new partnerships in each
community. He related that while an overall quality is the
goal, that each program will be different.
8:57:00 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked how many programs might be funded if the full
$2 million for the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program is approved.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX estimated approximately 20 programs are
anticipated for the pilot since some communities may have only a
few children. He opined that if the program is funded and is
successful, that the DEED will need to request additional
funding so the goal is to create an efficient data-driven
program and to set up sites to collect the information.
8:58:39 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Chair Seaton, explained that
the applications will come from school districts in partnership
with communities, with the potential for the district to request
funds for more than one site in its application. In further
response to Chair Seaton, Commissioner LeDoux related that grant
writing involves some risk. The need for quality early
development programs is universal, not only rural versus urban.
He surmised that in ten years the program might meet the needs
of 25 percent of Alaska's pre-kindergarten children. He
explained that 50 percent of parents will probably provide the
experiences, and Head Start and private programs will meet the
rest of the needs of children. He reiterated his belief that
the pilot program will "raise the bar" due to the collaborative
nature of the RFP process.
9:00:40 AM
CHAIR SEATON related his understanding that of 10,000 four-year
olds, the program estimates about that about 400-500 children
would be served in the pilot program. He recalled that brain
development for children ages one to three is rapidly expanding.
He inquired as to the rationale for selecting four-year olds.
9:01:45 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX surmised that the reason to focus on the
four to five year olds is due to the political reality of state
funding. He stressed the importance of building the
infrastructure that could expand to three-year-olds. He pointed
out the importance of the role of parents in young children's
lives.
CHAIR SEATON agreed. He also reminded the committee that
parents have the potential to be the best teachers. However, it
is not happening in Alaska, which is why the legislature is
considering funding a $2 million grant program. He mentioned
that children are not arriving to school ready to learn. He
stressed that these efforts are geared to get Alaska closer to
the ideal. He mentioned that the Parents as Teachers (PAT)
program has been in Hoonah for 14 years. He inquired as to
whether the district can track individual performance of
students in a school with a program like the PAT as compared to
a school without such a program.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX explained that statistical data regarding
each child that enters first grade can be provided. However, he
highlighted that information regarding programs that exist in
each area will not be available. He pointed out that the
availability of a program is not necessarily the only factor to
consider since the outcome depends on the quality of the
program.
9:07:25 AM
CHAIR SEATON offered that providing an assessment over time may
be the best means for understanding the effects of a program in
a given community. He suggested that it is important to
understand how the existing programs are performing.
9:08:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER opined that early childhood learning is
clearly beneficial. He related his understanding that parents
often bring their children to early learning programs
voluntarily. He empathized with how difficult it is to collect
meaningful data for this age group. He further related that a
child might be three to four years ahead due to the early
learning experiences.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX recalled a statement that he agrees with:
"College begins in pre-school". He opined that quality early
learning programs have been deemed critical in the development
of the child, with the emphasis on quality.
9:12:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER suggested that much could be accomplished
with a good library in every community, with a qualified
librarian present to provide story hours every day.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX offered his belief that literacy of our
children, making sure that every child can read by the time they
finish second grade is a statewide priority. If communities
realized the importance, reading circles would be prevalent. He
said that literacy is a number one priority. He said he hopes
that the pilot program will help create that environment and can
build on it. He also stated that the DEED should not take over
the responsibility but should provide an infrastructure that
will ensure that every child has access. He said, "This is only
the first step."
9:13:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ recalled that assessments will be given in
kindergarten and first grade with the developmental profile.
She inquired as to whether the DEED will also track the child
through the third and fifth grade assessment.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX agreed that the children's success will be
tracked through the years.
9:13:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON drew attention to the information on the
federal stimulus funding for education packet and indicated her
interest in how the department will incorporate the funding into
the formula.
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX related that the expectation is that the
stimulus funding will be distributed based on the Title I
populations since school districts receive most of the federal
funding through this formula.
9:16:41 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Chair Seaton, explained that
the information in the committee packet was prepared by the
federal government and the information from the federal
government changes daily. He said that he will meet with the
Secretary of Education this week in Washington D.C. He said he
hopes to share the unique circumstances that Alaska faces.
9:17:21 AM
CHAIR SEATON mentioned that Shirley Pitts, Office of Children's
Services/Department of Health and Social Services is online to
answer questions. He also indicated that communications
received from constituents are in members' packets.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER commented that having an OCS/DHSS
representative on line to this meeting is encouraging.
9:19:43 AM
COMMISSIONER LEDOUX, in response to Representative Gardner,
agreed to address the committee regarding details on dropouts
and the graduation rate.
9:20:25 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:20 a.m. to 9:24 a.m.
HB 23-CLASS SIZE REDUCTION GRANTS
9:24:23 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 23, "An Act establishing a grant program to
support voluntary class size reduction."
9:24:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRY CRAWFORD, Alaska State Legislature,
paraphrased from his sponsor statement that this process began
in about 2003. He stated that the dropout rate was bad then but
is worse now. He opined that Alaska is failing its children and
has a dropout rate nearly double the national average that leads
to a number of negatives. He offered that students who complete
high school earn an average of $290,000 more in their lifetime.
He related that non-graduates are 68 percent more likely to rely
on public assistance and graduates are 20 percent less likely to
commit violent crimes. He stated that according to a 2002 U.S.
Government Accountability Office study nearly 80 percent of
inmates were high school dropouts. The average cost of
incarceration to the State of Alaska in 2002 was $36,730 per
year. Alaska ranks as ninth in the number of students who will
earn a university Bachelor's degree in 10 years.
9:26:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD related that HB 23 would give a grant of
$8,000 to any school district that will commit to class sizes of
15 or under. He explained that the class size of 15 was chosen
because the Project STAR, a Tennessee based study, tested three
class sizes, and saw a dramatic increase in performance in class
sizes of 13-17 students. Other studies, such as one in
California in which class sizes were reduced to 20 showed some
improvement, but did not demonstrate the dramatic improvement
that smaller class sizes showed.
9:28:23 AM
ERIC CROFT stated that as a past legislator, he had previously
introduced similar legislation. He stressed the many things can
be done to help the school system, but the single most important
thing is to have students enter school with appropriate skills.
Additionally, it is important to have a qualified teacher with
time to teach. Despite technological advances, it remains that
the two most important things are to enter school ready to learn
and to have a teacher who has time to teach his/her students, he
stated. He indicated that particularly in the K-3 classes the
class size is important. He characterized this bill as an
antidote to one-size fits all testing model of the "No Child
Left Behind" testing model. He further opined that by adding
testing requirements without providing states with the
additional resources does not do the school systems justice. He
mentioned that the bill would not dictate what the district must
do, but if the school districts decide to implement the grant
program, the program can be completed at their own time and
speed. He pointed out that California tried to implement class
size reduction as a requirement but could not hire enough
teachers or find that many buildings in a year or two.
MR. CROFT related that the state can provide the incentives, the
"road map", and the funding to address two of the most important
aspects of education.
9:33:33 AM
CHAIR SEATON inquired as to whether school would need to address
all classes from kindergarten through third grade (K-3) in order
to qualify for funding.
9:34:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD explained that the intent of HB 23 is to
make this funding as flexible as possible and have it apply for
classes K-3. However, a school may need to begin with
kindergarten and add classes as possible.
9:35:39 AM
CHAIR SEATON directed attention to the sectional analysis titled
"House Bill No. 23 - Voluntary Class Size Reduction Sectional
Summary", to Section 2 that read: "Only schools maintaining a
class size of no more than 15 in grades kindergarten through
three would be eligible for grants."
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD answered that his intention is to make
it more flexible than that. In further response to Chair
Seaton, Representative Crawford answered that he was not certain
how to enforce the commitment that each school district
participate for a minimum of five years to provide data on the
efficacy. He offered his belief that class size will reap
benefits.
9:37:16 AM
CHAIR SEATON inquired as to what measure of achievement will be
used to track the academic progress and achievement levels.
Chair Seaton further inquired if the language in the sectional
analysis that states the definition for "child with a
disability" has the meaning in AS 14.30.350, which refers to
special education students.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said he did not know. In further
response to Chair Seaton, Representative Crawford agreed that
the $8,000 funding will go through the current foundation
formula funding.
9:40:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER pointed out that the title states that it
is to support class size reduction, but he recalled that the
criteria for the grant would require a commitment to that size.
He related his understanding that half of the schools in the
state could not meet that class size.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD related his understanding that many
schools statewide have small class sizes but have other
problems. The funding would also act as an incentive for those
classes to do a better job, he stated.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER maintained his belief that the title of
the bill needs to be altered to include a commitment to reduce
class size versus requiring a reduction in class size.
9:42:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ referred to the fiscal note. She pointed
out that the fiscal note is for $118 [million] but in
calculating the five year grants the totals to about $38
million.
CHAIR SEATON asked to hold questions on the fiscal note for Mr.
Jeans.
9:43:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER provided a district scenario that might
pose a problem with respect to special education children such
that a district has 14 children but the next child is a special
education child. She opined the district would lose funding
allocation since the class size would exceed 15:1.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD stated that if the special education
child is counted as two, that the class would be divided into
two entities to maintain the small size.
9:44:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER inquired as to how many new teachers and
classrooms would be required if this bill passed and was
implemented.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD related that the fiscal note includes
all classrooms that would be eligible statewide, if all classes
participated. However, he pointed out it would not be realistic
to implement statewide.
9:44:59 AM
CHAIR SEATON referred to the sectional again, and read, "A
parent of a child may file a complaint in court to require a
district to comply with and enforce the class size requirements
of this Act." He inquired as to whether Representative Crawford
thought that the bill refers to voluntary class size when it
seems to him as though at least one parent would file a lawsuit
to force the school district to enforce the smaller class size.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD answered that provision would apply once
the school district agrees to the small class size to ensure
that the class size was maintained. He stated that the school
would not be forced to make the commitment to reduce class
sizes.
CHAIR SEATON suggested that the sponsor should request a legal
opinion on this point. He opined that a court challenge could
come to the fore, given the existing language.
9:47:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER offered his belief that nothing prevents a
school district to choose to have a low teacher to student ratio
on its own.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD, in response to Chair Seaton, answered
that the grant would fund certified/qualified teachers and not
teacher aides.
9:47:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON stated that every single school that could
get a teacher would apply since this would help the school
obtain additional funding.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said that that would be the intent, for
each school to implement this as quickly as possible.
9:48:47 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON related that classroom facilities would be
an issue.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD offered that the intent of the bill is
not to make small classrooms mandatory but to get smaller
classes in place as quickly as possible. The results for small
classes have been demonstrated. He said, "I just don't think we
can afford not to do this." Alaskan children are being failed
and something needs to change, he added. He opined that the
state will spend a lot of money to try to fix problems with
education. He further opined that directing attention to the
early grades will garner results throughout a student's career.
He again said, "College begins in pre-school."
9:50:17 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked what percentage of districts would
automatically qualify for this program since some classes
already have less than 15 students.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD deferred to Mr. Jeans.
9:51:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON related her understanding that the impact
in funding could be considerable.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD addressed the fiscal note regarding the
Wrangell schools. He opined that the schools in Wrangell would
receive almost $244,000 in additional funding.
9:52:59 AM
CHAIR SEATON inquired as to whether Representative Crawford has
reviewed the base student allocation.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD recalled that the fiscal note was based
on 1.5 times the base student allocation.
9:54:30 AM
CHAIR SEATON related his understanding that the intent of the
bill is to provide an additional $2,500 per student for
kindergarten through third grade. If a school district were
able to make the change for kindergarten and first grade that
the bill would only apply to classes for 15 students or less.
9:56:23 AM
EDDY JEANS, Director, School Finance and Facilities Section,
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), stated
that the DEED prepared a fiscal note for HB 23. He directed
attention to Page 2 of the fiscal note. He explained that the
DEED reviewed the total number of students enrolled in K-3, by
district, and assumed that every district would apply for the
grant if they do not automatically qualify for the grant by
default since many of the schools already have a ration of
people teacher ratios (PTR) below 15:1. He related that the
fiscal note was based on a school size adjustment of .97, which
represents the adjustment that schools would receive from the
school size adjustment table from 250-450 students. He stated
that he could have picked another adjustment, but that is the
one selected for this purpose. He further explained that
geographic cost differentials were added to the adjustment as
well as 20 percent for special needs funding. Thus, the overall
cost was $118 million statewide, he stated.
MR. JEANS opined that the DEED interpreted the costs as
supplemental grants above the base student allocation (BSA). He
reviewed the calculation which he said was applied that to the
adjusted attendance area and average daily membership (ADM). He
explained that for 2011-2015 the same adjustment was used. He
mentioned that an additional $7,476 is added for each year to
adjust for the consumer price index (CPI).
9:59:02 AM
CHAIR SEATON related his understanding that the basis for the
fiscal note is $118 million and the other funds are estimated
for Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment, but the $118 million
is the base amount since it represents the beginning of the
program.
MR. JEANS agreed. He stated that once the funds are in the base
funding and the additional years would be adjusted for the CPI.
9:59:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ related that the fiscal note is $118
million plus the CPI for the five years. She inquired as to
whether any cost is included for additional space that might be
needed to implement the smaller classroom sizes.
MR. JEAN answered no. However, he noted that typically the
larger urban schools would need additional space. However, he
explained that if HB 23 were to pass, that would be taken into
consideration when the department considered space eligibility
to allow municipalities to request additional money to expand
their facilities.
10:00:46 AM
CHAIR SEATON returned to his question regarding the ratio of
schools whose PTR is below 15 for K-3 classrooms.
MR. JEANS offered to provide an estimate for the committee. The
larger urban areas have a ratio that is over 1:15 with most
reporting classroom sizes of 17 to 18 PTR. He explained that
the way that this bill would work is to provide additional
funding on a per child basis.
10:01:48 AM
CHAIR SEATON expressed concern that the bill would not provide
enough funding to incrementally implement the program. He posed
several instances in which a school might have to split a
classroom or hire additional teachers.
MR. JEANS offered to provide the information. However, Mr.
Jeans opined that the fiscal note for HB 23 would provide enough
funding to hire the teachers the schools would need to hire. He
posed a scenario in which Glacier Valley School has 2 classes
for each grade from K - 3. He related that if the school has a
17:1 ratio, that probably only two additional children would be
in each of the six classes so one or two additional classes
would be created to fulfill the smaller class ratios. He
further opined that the smaller schools already meet the
requirements but would gain additional revenue under the bill.
He opined that many small schools are operating at a 10:1 or
less PTR ratio.
10:04:15 AM
MR. JEANS addressed Representative Gardner's question that
adding an extra special education child to the class would put
the school over the ratio of 15:1 PTR. He responded that the
child would not be counted as two students, except when applying
the formula to generate revenue, and not for the PTR ratio.
10:04:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON inquired as to what would happen if the
student count was 15 and an additional child was added to the
class.
MR. JEANS explained that scenario would trigger subsection (d)
which is where the child's parents or the state would petition
the court to enforce the smaller classroom size. He indicated
that this subsection is the enforcement aspect of the bill for
compliance. He emphasized that if a school district gave its
assurance that it would maintain a smaller classroom size, the
mechanism exists for the parents or the state to force
compliance.
10:05:43 AM
CHAIR SEATON maintained his concern regarding the legal aspect,
such that a parent could assert that funding is available,
his/her school district is opting to offer a lesser quality
education than is available statewide.
MR. JEANS answered that he understood Chair Seaton's concern.
10:07:23 AM
MR. JEANS, in response to Representative Wilson, explained that
the fiscal note reflects the changes over the prior year. Once
the change has occurred, it becomes part of the base. Thus, the
$118 million is the base and is carried forward, he noted.
10:07:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON related her understanding that the cost is
actually higher since the fiscal note costs are cumulative.
MR. JEANS reiterated that implementing HB 23 would require and
additional $118 million from this point forward, plus
adjustments for each additional year.
10:08:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked how much more will the cost be for a
five year period.
MR. JEANS answered that it would cost approximately $600 million
over a five-year period.
10:08:58 AM
CHAIR SEATON inquired as to whether a $100 increase in the base
allocation amounted to about $20 million.
MR. JEANS agreed that the increase would range from $20-22
million.
MR. JEANS, in response to Chair Seaton agreed that is a fair
assessment that the cost of implementing HB 23 would represent a
base allocation increase of $500 statewide
10:09:31 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 10:09 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 23 materials.pdf |
HEDC 2/23/2009 8:00:00 AM |
HB 23 |
| Pilot Pre-K Requirements (2).doc |
HEDC 2/23/2009 8:00:00 AM |