Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
03/25/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s) | |
| Board of Education & Early Development | |
| Professional Teaching Practices Commission | |
| University of Alaska Board of Regents | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 25, 2020
8:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair
Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair
Representative Grier Hopkins
Representative Chris Tuck
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky (via teleconference)
Representative Mike Prax
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative DeLena Johnson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
Board of Education & Early Development
Keith Hamilton Soldotna
Lorri van Diest Palmer
- CONFIRMATION(S) HEARD & HELD
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Lem Wheeles Anchorage
- CONFIRMATION(S) HEARD & HELD
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Cachet Garrett Fairbanks
- CONFIRMATION(S) HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 153
"An Act relating to early education programs provided by school
districts; relating to funding for early education programs; and
relating to the duties of the state Board of Education and Early
Development."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 153
SHORT TITLE: PRE-ELEMENTARY PROGRAMS/FUNDING
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) DRUMMOND
05/07/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/07/19 (H) EDC, FIN
03/09/20 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
03/09/20 (H) Heard & Held
03/09/20 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/11/20 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
03/11/20 (H) Heard & Held
03/11/20 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/14/20 (H) EDC AT 1:00 PM DAVIS 106
03/14/20 (H) Heard & Held
03/14/20 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/25/20 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
KEITH HAMILTON, Ph.D., Appointee
Board of Education & Early Development
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education & Early Development.
LORRI VAN DIEST, Appointee
Board of Education & Early Development
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education & Early Development.
LEM WHEELES, Appointee
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission.
CACHET GARRETT, Student Regent Appointee
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as student regent appointee to
the University of Alaska Board of Regents.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:37 AM
CO-CHAIR HARRIET DRUMMOND called the House Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Representatives
Hopkins, Zulkosky (via teleconference), Prax, Story, and
Drummond were present at the call to order. Representative Tuck
arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
8:04:37 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business
would be the confirmation hearing for appointees to the Board of
Education & Early Development.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND invited Dr. Keith Hamilton to testify. She
noted he is a re-appointee to the Board of Education & Early
Development.
^Board of Education & Early Development
Board of Education & Early Development
8:05:08 AM
KEITH HAMILTON, Ph.D., Appointee, Board of Education & Early
Development, Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED), stated he currently serves as the first vice chair of
the board. He said he has lived in Alaska for 19 years and is
beginning his twentieth year serving as the founding president
of Alaska Christian College, a Native-serving, accredited
institution that mainly serves students from rural Alaska;
serving 104 students this year. The college hits head-on many
of the barriers that are talked about at the kindergarten to
grade 12 ("K-12") level. Alaska's Education Challenge has
brought the college close to reaching a lot of the issues
statewide. Because of lower test scores, developmental classes
are required when students come in and the college has an
amazing team that helps get that done.
DR. HAMILTON noted he was recently re-appointed to the Alaska
Commission for Post-Secondary Education (ACPE) on which he has
served as a commissioner for five years. He also serves on the
Alaska State Personnel Board. His wife Debbie is chair of the
Alaska Board of Professional Counselors and is executive
director of the New Hope Counseling Center on the Alaska
Christian College campus. Governor Parnell asked him to serve
as someone who could connect the K-12 folks and the various
education folks. Governor Walker put him into the position to
be the liaison for the board between the K-12 and the colleges.
He was part of a task force involved in joint meetings with the
University of Alaska regents several times a year until it was
halted two years ago.
DR. HAMILTON stated he wants to serve on the [Board of Education
& Early Development] because he wants a healthier and more
educated state, and he jumped right in with Alaska's Education
Challenge. With his experience in higher education, he was able
to look at that with folks across the state and the results are
being worked on today. As an ACPE board member he went through
the [federal 2015] Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) approval to
make sure the state was meeting the criteria for that. As a
volunteer firefighter emergency medical technician (EMT) for 41
years, he added, it is good to see results coming out of the
Cultivate Safety and Well-Being section of the Alaska Education
Challenge. He hopes to see higher scores each year as the board
works as a team at DEED. Graduation rates are inching upward,
which he wants to see continue. Because of the Alaska Education
Challenge the K-12 schools are better able to serve students.
8:09:42 AM
DR. HAMILTON noted that the current members of the Board of
Education & Early Development ("state board") have been together
for about one and a half years, providing consistency and
momentum from not having to replace people every year. He said
face-to-face meetings are down to one or two a year. The board
hasn't seen the Mt. Edgecumbe High School for two to three
years. When it comes together face-to-face once or twice a year
the board only has time for maintenance, and it is difficult to
be unable to dream and scheme together. There are many
challenges [given] the fiscal notes. He is a local control guy,
and he wants to give power back to the districts so they can do
the best jobs possible to ensure their students can succeed
every day, which is the department's mission.
8:11:11 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY requested Dr. Hamilton provide more background
about the halting of meetings between the state board and the
university. She inquired whether they are important and, if so,
how Dr. Hamilton is going to start them again.
DR. HAMILTON replied he thinks it is a critical subcommittee
that the board has always attempted to have. The person leading
that went off the board and the momentum slowed rapidly at that
point. He was changed over to another committee and doesn't
know where it has been since then. "We're not talking to each
other," he continued. The university regents and state board
used to meet face-to-face once a year for half a day, but that
hasn't happened in about four years, so there is a disconnect.
8:12:33 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted Mt. Edgecumbe is made up of students from
all over the state. She asked whether thought has been given to
having Mt. Edgecumbe taken over by a separate board.
DR. HAMILTON responded that the state board has a liaison to an
advisory board that meets more regularly about Mt. Edgecumbe.
The advisory board is comprised of local Sitka folks and
statewide folks, mainly alumni, but has no power to make
decisions that the state board is sometimes asked to make. He
said he feels irresponsible when things are brought before him
to be voted on because he hasn't been on site or spoken with
folks on the advisory board that the state board has never met.
Two different organizations are speaking into Mt. Edgecumbe as a
process and neither one is able to effectively do the job that
is required of them.
8:14:08 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY inquired how Dr. Hamilton ensures that he is in
touch with the issues between K-12 given much of his work is at
the private college level. For example, visits with schools in
Soldotna and visits with district leaders and being in the
classroom to get hands-on-the-ground information.
DR. HAMILTON answered that he recently met with the Kenai
Central High School Site Council, which he attempts to do on a
regular basis. His children are alumni of that school. He has
met with the principals of the high schools on the central Kenai
Peninsula, Homer, and Seward; they welcome him to reach out at
any time. He attends functions at the school when possible and
meets with the district school board about every half-year.
8:15:43 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND invited Ms. Lorri Van Diest to testify. She
noted Ms. Van Diest is a re-appointee to the Board of Education
& Early Development.
8:15:53 AM
LORRI VAN DIEST, Appointee, Board of Education & Early
Development, Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED), stated she was re-appointed by Governor Dunleavy and
currently serves as the second vice-chair to the third judicial
seat for the board. She was previously appointed by Governor
Walker to serve the remaining two years of Mr. Harmon's term.
As a life-long Alaskan growing up in Seward she chose to follow
her dad's footsteps and join the teaching profession. She
earned a B.S. in Mathematics with a teaching credential from
Seattle Pacific University and began her first teaching job at
Seward High School from which she graduated.
MS. VAN DIEST related that after marrying she moved to the
Matanuska-Susitna ("Mat-Su") Valley and was part of the original
staff that opened Colony High School. During her 11 years at
Colony she taught high school math, became a secondary guidance
counselor, and coached girls' basketball. Later she transferred
to Teeland Middle School and was the lead counselor who helped
open this new school. She spent her last six years in the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District office working as the
curriculum coordinator and was part of the curriculum team that
established a district curriculum review cycle and developed
guidelines for the curriculum review steps. Her job was to
facilitate the teacher leaders in updating and writing content
area standards and selecting the classroom materials to assist
in teaching those standards. In 2010, she retired from the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District to become a full-time
teacher to her three children.
MS. VAN DIEST said that four years ago she became a substitute
guidance counselor filling in for absent secondary counselors.
Currently she is an elementary counselor at a high needs Title 1
school in the Mat-Su. Having boots on the ground in a local
school gives her direct insight into the daily workings of the
school. This perspective is what she brings to the state board.
She has spent most of her career in public education as a
classroom teacher, guidance counselor, coach, and curriculum
coordinator. Her lens and focus have been, and continues to be,
the health, safety, and wellbeing of Alaska's students.
Students must feel safe in their school environment and have a
connection to their school. Establishing relationships and
building connections between students and staff is a critical
component to the safety and wellbeing of students. Without
students feeling safe and connected, the learning of reading,
writing, and mathematics doesn't happen well.
MS. VAN DIEST noted that after being seated on the Board of
Education & Early Development she learned about the development
work of Alaska's Education Challenge. She was pleasantly
surprised to find that one of the five trajectories of this
challenge states, "Improve the safety and wellbeing of students
through a school partnership with families, communities, and
tribes." Along with the safety component, she continued, the
other four areas are: support all students to read at grade
level by the end of third grade; increase career, technical, and
culturally relevant education to meet student and workforce
needs; close the achievement gap by ensuring equitable
educational rigor and resources; prepare, attract, and retain
effective education professionals. The state board adopted
Alaska's Education Challenge and this framework has guided its
work. The board has directed the commissioner to focus the
efforts of DEED on the components of this challenge. The board
believes that all of Alaska's 128,800 students deserve an
excellent education every day.
8:20:14 AM
MS. VAN DIEST addressed current legislation that corresponds to
the goals of Alaska's Education Challenge. She said HB 153, the
Alaska Reads Act, sponsored by Representatives Drummond, Story,
and Hopkins, and its companion bill, SB 6, give Alaskans hope
that their children can achieve the goal of reading by the end
of third grade. With the school readiness piece, pre-K skills,
and evidence-based reading knowledge and practices utilized in
Alaska's schools, students' reading proficiency will increase.
She said HB 155, Alaska Performance Scholarship Eligibility,
sponsored by Representative Story, clearly shows the importance
of career and technical education courses, as they can count
toward the eligibility requirements of the Alaska Performance
Scholarship (APS). She specified that HB 181 contributes to
improving the safety and wellbeing of Alaska's students by
developing mental health standards, which will be taught through
the K-12 health curriculum. These bills, along with others,
show direct ties to the strategic priorities of Alaska's
Education Challenge.
MS. VAN DIEST stated that during her next term on the Board of
Education & Early Development she wants to continue with the
strategic work the board has adopted. She is currently chair of
the Regulations Committee, which has been reviewing the
education regulations one by one. The committee works with DEED
staff on regulation specifics and determining whether a
regulation needs to remain as is, or be revised, or be removed.
When stakeholders express a need for a regulation change the
Regulations Committee reviews it and makes recommendations to
the full board. The revised regulation then goes through the
review process by all stakeholders prior to being adopted.
MS. VAN DIEST explained that her goals for the education future
of Alaska are aligned with the framework of Alaska's Education
Challenge and the state's system of school success. She said
that the indicators outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act
dovetail nicely with Alaska's Education Challenge. She wants to
see the proficiency rate increase in grade three language arts,
she wants to see continued academic growth and academic
achievement in English language arts and mathematics.
Components in the Alaska Reads Act are geared toward increasing
students' reading achievement and performance, particularly at
pre-K through grade three. She wants to see Alaska's graduation
rate increase from 80 percent and the chronic absenteeism
decrease from 29 percent.
MS. VAN DIEST specified that she also wants to see Alaska's
university system graduate more and more Alaskan teachers.
Alaska has a teacher shortage, she pointed out, and teachers are
needed for the education of Alaska's children to be successful.
Once Alaska gets those teachers the state needs to keep them.
In addition to supporting the goals and indicators of Alaska's
Education Challenge, she continued, she wants to work to support
stable and affordable funding of education with a fiscal
discipline of those funds. The passage of a sustainable,
predictable, and affordable budget is critical to demonstrating
a collective commitment to Alaska's students. The Board of
Education & Early Development will continue to use Alaska's
Education Challenge strategic plan to help it focus its efforts
and navigate this challenging time. She is excited about her
opportunity to continue serving as a member of the board.
8:24:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY noted there are several known social
determinants within rural areas of Alaska that may be
contributing to lagging indicators for reading proficiency and
graduation rates. She requested Ms. Van Diest to provide her
perspective about flexibility if that may be required in order
to best support rural school districts.
MS. VAN DIEST replied that a great conversation starter is
happening on the legislative side with regard to where Alaska's
Education Challenge talks about having tribal compacting and
helping to close the achievement gap. She has not ever lived in
remote Alaska, but knows there are tremendous challenges there.
At the recent Alaska Close Up in Juneau with her daughter many
of the participating students were from remote Alaska. Those
students talked about the teachers that don't stay, which is a
huge issue. A big concern of hers is teacher training and
retention. Having a different teacher every year plays a huge
part in students not being able to read and achieve. Sometimes
a teacher doesn't even come back after winter break.
8:26:40 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked whether the board has discussed what it
takes to retain teachers once they've been attracted to rural
Alaska.
MS. VAN DIEST explained that the board has had off-the-cuff
conversations, but no conversations as an agenda item before the
whole board. She said it was a crushing blow when the
University of Alaska Anchorage lost its teacher accreditation.
If Alaska could grow its own teachers, she opined, those
students who have lived in rural Alaska would know what it's
like and understand the challenges, and would also know the joys
of living remotely. She recently looked at some great
suggestions made in a presentation by the Alaska State Policy
Research Alliance that she would like to take to the board to
discuss about how to get these young people to become teachers
in their hometown.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND requested Ms. Van Diest to provide her with
further information regarding the Alaska State Policy Research
Alliance's presentation.
8:29:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK stated that last year the legislature had a
difficult time from the Board of Education & Early Development
giving a budget. He asked what Ms. Van Diest thinks her role is
serving on the board and her responsibilities to the legislature
as far as determining what funding needs should be provided for
Alaska's public schools.
MS. VAN DIEST said she is unsure how to answer the question.
The Board of Education & Early Development, she continued,
doesn't necessarily speak to the budget and say what should
happen and what should be funded. Qualifying that she is
speaking for herself, she said the board doesn't have that level
of detail and expertise. Chair Fields is continuing to speak
with legislators to understand and decide what would be the most
appropriate and helpful role that the board could have in the
budget process each year. The legislature is working with the
budget head-on and legislators and the board must be able to
work together on what should be funded in education. The
stakeholders need to be heard. Alaska's Education Challenge is
used by the board as its strategic plan to help focus its
efforts, which is why the board is excited about the Alaska
Reads Act and tribal compacting, but those do come with fiscal
notes.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK maintained that a tradition was broken last
year. He said that when working on the budget the legislature
relies on the Board of Education & Early Development to help
make proper decisions. The bills mentioned by Ms. Van Diest
were introduced by legislators themselves, but legislators also
look to the board for leadership and for direction of where the
state should go as far as public education. He said he hopes
last year's decision by the board to not work with legislators,
or to sit on its hands, doesn't happen again. Since Ms. Van
Diest was serving on the board at that time, he added, he is
concerned about how things are going to be in the future.
8:32:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked what Ms. Van Diest sees as the board's
role. He further inquired about Ms. Van Diest's specific ideas
for addressing the budget challenge that the legislature is
going to be facing over the next few years of setting priorities
within what are becoming limited resources.
MS. VAN DIEST replied she doesn't have a direct answer to say
what the board's role is in the budget. She offered her belief
that it is inappropriate for her to give her opinion. Regarding
last year, she said there are apparently two statutes that
contradict each other, and one set of lawyers advised, "This is
what should happen," and another set of lawyers advised, "This
is what should happen." She deferred to Chair Fields for an
answer because he is the board member who helps give direction
and works with legislators. The board has priorities, she
added, and is going with the Alaska Education Challenge. The
board is hoping the bills that have been put forth are passed.
It is a challenging time for the state given the COVID-19
situation, she pointed out, so the efforts and focus of the DEED
staff have been on helping school districts learn how to do
remote learning, which is a huge learning curve for schools and
for her as a counselor.
8:34:51 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that several weeks ago the House heard a
presentation on teacher retention provided by the Institute of
Social and Economic Research (ISER) and another group from the
Pacific Northwest. She said she would provide this presentation
to the Board of Education & Early Development to review and
discuss as an agenda item. She requested Ms. Van Diest's
thoughts on working with the University of Alaska and whether an
autonomous Mt. Edgecumbe school board would be better than a
state board.
MS. VAN DIEST answered that Mt. Edgecumbe's advisory board gives
recommendations to the state board and during her two years on
the state board those recommendations have been followed. Why
Mt. Edgecumbe doesn't have its own onsite board is also a
question of hers. The advisory board has representation from
several areas throughout the state, including a state board
member serving as a liaison. She said she thinks it is
something the state board could look at, but that it may be in
statute, not regulation, and therefore it is something the
legislature must change. Regarding the University of Alaska,
Ms. Van Diest said there hasn't been a combined meeting with the
Board of Regents during the two years she's been on the state
board. She related that during last year's teacher
accreditation situation, several state board members said it
would be a good thing for the state board to meet collectively
with the Board of Regents. Regarding the teacher training and
retention presentation, she said those are the slides she looked
at, but she must have gotten the entity wrong.
CO-CHAIR STORY urged that the entire state board view these
presentations because there are definitely some policy and
revenue funding implications that should be looked into by the
board. She said she agrees with Representative Tuck that the
state board and the commissioner should be making informed
recommendations to the legislature.
8:40:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY expressed her disappointment with how
slowly the Department of Education and Early Development has
been working on tribal compacting. She said the department
hasn't provided the legislature with any indication of what may
be included in the considerations it may be making about tribal
compacting, explicitly with regard to what that legislation
might look like. While it's worthwhile to talk about tribal
compacting moving forward, she opined, no meaningful progress
has been made in this current session. She requested Ms. Van
Diest to address what flexibilities or support may be needed
within HB 153, the Alaska Reads Act, regarding English language
learners who are Indigenous or are learning in a rural K-12
education environment where turnover is quite significant.
MS. VAN DIEST explained that the state board is split into four
committees and she isn't part of the Tribal Compacting
Committee. Because her work has been with the Regulation
Committee and Standards and Assessment, she can only speak about
tribal compacting in very broad terms. She offered her
understanding that DEED is still talking with stakeholders and
not yet ready to come forward with a piece of legislation. She
deferred to either the commissioner or deputy commissioner to
answer how the Alaska Reads Act will impact the state's
Indigenous language learners. She apologized for not having an
answer.
^Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
8:43:51 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the next order of business
would be the confirmation hearing for the appointee to the
Professional Teaching Practices Commission.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND invited Mr. Lem Wheeles, a new appointee, to
provide testimony.
8:44:01 AM
LEM WHEELES, Appointee, Professional Teaching Practices
Commission (PTPC), stated he was born and raised in Anchorage
where he graduated from Dimond High School. Upon earning a B.A.
in Political Science with minors in Communication and Sociology
and an M.A. in Teaching, from the University of Alaska Anchorage
(UAA), he got his dream job at Dimond High School. For his
entire 16-year teaching career he has taught social studies,
including World History, U.S. History, Alaska Studies, and
Advanced Placement (AP) Comparative Government. Currently he is
teaching AP United States Government, AP United States History,
U.S. Government, Economics, and Student Government. For the
past decade he has also taught online courses in U.S. History
and U.S. Government for the Anchorage School District (ASD).
For the past week he has been working on the team leading the
Anchorage School District's transition to online education in
the wake of the statewide school closure. He has received
several recognitions: the 2018 Alaska History Teacher of the
Year, Teacher of Excellence awarded by BP, Teacher of the Year
awarded by the Alaska World Affairs Council, and twice awarded
Advisor of the Year by the Model United Nations of Alaska.
MR. WHEELES said he also provides opportunities for students to
develop their interests and leadership skills as the sponsor of
Model United Nations Club and Christian Club. For a decade he
has been the student government advisor and under his leadership
Dimond's student government has been awarded the National Gold
Council of Excellence and Dimond is the only school in Alaska to
currently hold this top national distinction.
MR. WHEELES noted that in addition to his work with students he
has served on the Anchorage School District Assessment Inventory
Steering Committee, as the elections chair for the Anchorage
Education Association, and as the parliamentarian for the
National Education Association (NEA)-Alaska Delegate Assembly.
For the past year he has served as a subject matter expert for
the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools program. He is
currently a Statistics in Schools ambassador, helping to promote
the census to educators and students through appearances on
national podcasts and by speaking with local and national media.
8:46:50 AM
MR. WHEELES shared his thoughts about education issues and why
he is excited for the opportunity to serve on the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC). He said his mission, as
an educator, is to inspire all his students to be engaged
citizens. He empowers his students to be politically active by
teaching them about their government and its history, and by
providing them with opportunities to engage with their
government. In his classroom he has hosted a sitting governor,
members of Congress, members of the Alaska legislature, U.S.
ambassadors, and foreign consuls. His students have applied
what they've learned as campaign volunteers, legislative and
congressional staffers, delegates to United Nations conferences,
and candidates for public office. His ultimate objective is to
challenge his students to not just learn about their government,
but to be an active part of it.
MR. WHEELES related that as a government teacher he is often
asked about his political views. When his students ask, he
tells them he doesn't share his views with students because it
would be unethical for him to do so and potentially sway their
views. Similarly, he tells his students he doesn't care what
their political views are, but he cares that they form political
views and that they can articulate why they believe what they
believe. He teaches his students about a variety of political
beliefs and ideologies so they can form an educated opinion and
engage in civic discourse with each other. The members of this
committee, he continued, come from different political parties
and have a variety of political beliefs, and yet committee
members meet regularly, respect one another, and engage in
thoughtful discourse with the end goal of doing what is best for
Alaska. His goal as a teacher is to prepare his students for
those conversations, whether in their homes, on social media, in
their workplaces, or for some of them someday in Alaska's state
capitol.
MR. WHEELES stated that his goal as a teacher leader and member
of the Professional Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC) is to
hold his colleagues to these highest standards as well. As a
recess appointee to the commission, he has served during the
last two meetings of the PTPC. During the most recent meeting,
he proposed including in the PTPC newsletter reminders to
educators about appropriate ways to deal with politics in the
classroom, especially in this presidential election year. He
has advised colleagues on numerous occasions about the proper
way to deal with such subjects. He has also advised many
students and a few parents on how to approach situations where
they feel a teacher has crossed the line and pushed a particular
view. His goal is to be pro-active and address the issue before
it arises to the level of a complaint before the PTPC, but if it
reaches that level he is prepared to react appropriately.
MR. WHEELES explained that as a quasi-judicial body, the PTPC is
asked to adjudicate complaints against certificated educators,
including teachers, counselors, principals, and superintendents.
This is a role he does not take lightly. He said he appreciates
that the legislature saw fit to create the PTPC over 50 years
ago so that educators could hold their colleagues accountable,
but also so that a jury of their peers can judge them. When he
teaches about the importance of jury duty, he tells his students
that if they are smart, then they might be able to talk their
way out of being put on the jury. He then challenges them with
this thought "If you are ever accused of a crime ... would you
want your jury to be made up of only the people who are left
after all the smart people have talked their way out of it?" He
said that if he were ever the subject of a complaint to the PTPC
he would want to be judged by his peers who have a good grasp on
what it means to be an educator in 2020. The PTPC, he added, is
made up of five teachers, a principal, a superintendent, a
representative from higher education, and a representative from
DEED. This group of educational professionals understands the
challenges of being an educator and wants public education to be
esteemed throughout Alaska.
8:50:30 AM
MR. WHEELES pointed out that, as a body, the PTPC works to
promote professional and ethical behavior by all Alaskan
educators through pro-active education and outreach and by
responding to complaints when a violation has occurred. The
current state budget crisis, he noted, has hampered the ability
of Alaskan school districts to attract and retain quality
educators, making the role of the PTPC all the more important.
As districts hire new-to-Alaska and new-to-the-profession
educators, it must be ensured that they are educated on the
professional teaching code of ethics and the potential
consequences for violations. As a member of the PTPC, he vowed,
he will work to increase the commission's education and outreach
efforts to ensure that all educators are familiar with the code
of ethics and understand what it means for their professional
practice. He said that as a lifelong Alaskan and career
educator with connections throughout the state, he is an ideal
nominee for the PTPC. He added that he is well informed on
current education issues in the state and is well respected by
educators throughout Alaska.
8:51:36 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY commented that Mr. Wheeles' description of being
neutral and giving students the tools to assess how to make
decisions is very much needed.
^University of Alaska Board of Regents
University of Alaska Board of Regents
8:52:33 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business
would be the confirmation hearing for the student regent
appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND invited Ms. Cachet Garrett, student regent
appointee, to provide testimony.
8:53:06 AM
CACHET GARRETT, Student Regent Appointee, University of Alaska
Board of Regents, stated she is a lifelong Alaskan, learner, and
volunteer. She noted she has extensive leadership experience as
a student representative and in her career. She received her
undergraduate degree from the University of Alaska Southeast and
is now in graduate school at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
MS. GARRETT related that she is excited to serve as student
regent. She explained that she went through an election process
by her student body to be nominated to the governor for
appointment. The governor's team then vetted and appointed her,
and her nearly one year of service on the Board of Regents has
been the most worthwhile effort of her life. Alaskans, she
opined, can cherish and be proud of Alaska's universities. This
past year has undoubtedly been the most challenging year in the
university's history.
MS. GARRETT said that during her service she has supported the
processes of the board as it attends to the tasks assigned to it
by the governor, while prioritizing her representation of the
26,000 students enrolled in the Alaska university system. She
has met and communicated with students across the state and will
continue to ensure that their concerns are conveyed to the Board
of Regents. Right now, the students are under great pressure
and she only wishes to continue serving them and lifting them up
during the remainder of her term, which concludes in May 2021.
8:56:13 AM
MS. GARRETT stated that it takes a person of great resilience,
courage, and deep affection for the University of Alaska to step
into leadership of Alaska's state university at this critical
time. Her courage, bolstered by her whole heart of service
orientation, will keep her serving in this role of student
regent, she said. Other qualifications, she added, are her
passion for communication and how she fully engages this passion
as a member of the board and as a representative of the students
of Alaska. She encourages the students to count on her for open
communication and she extends this invitation to all 60 members
of the legislature.
MS. GARRETT pledged that after her confirmation she intends to
increase her connection to and representation of the students.
She said it's important for the students to know they have a
representative completely in service to them and wholeheartedly
in love with them, and with serving them and the needs of the
state through them. As well, it is important to increase the
morale on the university campuses.
MS. GARRETT stated she knows she has served her constituents
well and in an exemplary manner because she has heard many
positive reports from students, staff, faculty, and the board.
There is more she can be doing, she continued, and it is piecing
itself together naturally right now as the university faces a
dire situation. Now is the time to come together to support the
mission of the university, which is to support the state's
missions and needs. She encouraged the legislature and the
board to utilize her this next year towards the betterment of
the state. She offered her appreciation to legislators for
their attention to state matters and accountability.
8:59:50 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 8:59 a.m.
9:00:01 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony for all appointees.
She closed public testimony after ascertaining that no one
wished to testify.
9:00:33 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:00 a.m.
9:01:00 AM
ADJOURNMENT
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND recessed the House Education Standing
Committee at 9:01 a.m. to a call of the chair. [The meeting was
called back to order at 8:07 a.m. on 3/26/20.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Hamilton Board Application_Redacted.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Lorri Van Diest Resume_Redacted.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Lorri Van Diest Board Application_Redacted.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| PTPC Lem Wheeles Resume.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| UA Regents Cachet Garrett Resume.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 153 Fiscal Note Packet 3.25.2020.pdf |
HEDC 3/25/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 153 |