04/03/2024 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): State Board of Education Report to the Legislature | |
| HB202 | |
| HB230 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 202 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 230 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 3, 2024
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Jamie Allard, Co-Chair
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Co-Chair
Representative Mike Prax
Representative CJ McCormick
Representative Tom McKay
Representative Rebecca Himschoot
Representative Andi Story
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
All members present
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 202
"An Act relating to the availability and administration of
opioid overdose drugs in public schools."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 230
"An Act repealing the limit on the number of years of out-of-
state school experience that may be substituted for in-state
experience in teacher salary scales."
- MOVED HB 230 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 202
SHORT TITLE: OPIOID OVERDOSE DRUGS IN SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) D.JOHNSON
05/15/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/15/23 (H) EDC, HSS
04/03/24 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
BILL: HB 230
SHORT TITLE: TEACHERS: OUT-OF-STATE EXPERIENCE;RETIRED
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HIMSCHOOT
01/16/24 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/24
01/16/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/24 (H) EDC
02/07/24 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
02/07/24 (H) Heard & Held
02/07/24 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/22/24 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
03/22/24 (H) Heard & Held
03/22/24 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/03/24 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the State Board
of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
JAMES FIELDS, State Board Chair
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint during the State
Board of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
SALLY STOCKHAUSEN, First Vice Chair
Department of Education & Early Development
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint during the State
Board of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
KATHY MOFFIT, Director
Division of Innovation & Education Excellence
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the State Board
of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
CAROL BOATMAN, Director
Alyeska Reading Institute
Department of Education & Early Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the State Board
of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
DEB RIDDLE, Operations Manager
Division of Innovation & Education Excellence, Department of
Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the State Board
of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
JOEL ISAAK, Deputy Commissioner
Tribal Compacting Committee
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint during the State
Board of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
BARBARA TYNDALL, State Board Member
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint during the State
Board of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
REPRESENTATIVE DELENA JOHNSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, introduced HB 202.
SAVAYA BIEBER, Staff
Representative Delena Johnson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave the sectional analysis for HB 202 on
behalf of Representative D. Johnson, prime sponsor.
DJ TYSON, Director of Communications
Volunteers of America Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 202.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:00:21 AM
CO-CHAIR JUSTIN RUFFRIDGE called the joint meeting of the House
and Senate Education Standing Committees to order at 8:00 a.m.
Representatives McKay, Himschoot, Allard, and Ruffridge and
Senators Tobin, Stevens, Kiehl, and Gray-Jackson were present at
the call to order. Representatives Prax, McCormick, and Story
and Senator Bjorkman arrived as the meeting was in progress.
[Co-Chair Ruffridge passed the gavel to Senator Tobin.]
^PRESENTATION(S): State Board of Education Report to the
Legislature
PRESENTATION(S): State Board of Education Report to the
Legislature
8:02:15 AM
CHAIR TOBIN announced that the first order of business would be
the State Board of Education Report to the Legislature
presentation.
8:02:30 AM
DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early
Development (DEED), informed the committees that she would not
be presenting but was available to answer questions during the
State Board of Education Report to the Legislature presentation.
8:03:27 AM
JAMES FIELDS, State Board Chair, Department of Education & Early
Development, co-presented a PowerPoint, titled "State Board of
Education: Report to the Legislature," [hard copy included in
the committee packet]. He began the presentation on slide 2,
titled "Mission, Vision, and Purpose." He proceeded to slide 3,
titled "Alaska's Education Challenge," which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Five Shared Strategic Priorities:
1. Support all students to read at grade level by the end
of
third grade.
2. Increase career, technical and culturally relevant
education to meet student and workforce needs.
3. Close the achievement gap by ensuring equitable
educational
rigor and resources.
4. Prepare, attract and retain effective education
professionals.
5. Improve the safety and well-being of students through
school partnerships with families, communities and
tribes.
8:06:53 AM
MR. FIELDS moved to slide 4, titled "State Board of Education
(SBOE): Alaska Education Challenge and Board Committees." He
stated that the board took proactive steps by forming and
operationalizing five working committees to advance the goals
outlined in the shared strategic priorities and that he would be
providing a brief update on each committee. He continued to
slide 5, titled "Reading Committee," which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Mission: Support all students to read at grade level
by the end of third grade.
Focus Areas and Updates:
Implementing the Alaska Reads Act
• Provide teacher professional development in the
Science
of Reading
• Implement the Early Literacy Screener
• Develop process and hire DEED Reading
Specialists
8:07:47 AM
SALLY STOCKHAUSEN, First Vice Chair, Department of Education &
Early Development, joined the presentation and expounded on each
bullet point on slide 5. She opined that the Alaska Reads Act
has been significant, and she expressed her hope that teachers
get used to the extra work because it is "the right work." She
added that feedback from teachers has been that they are
appreciative of the training.
8:11:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY acknowledged the hard work of teaching
staff. She inquired about data points and accountability
measures that the board may be using. In addition, she asked
about the full time equivalent (FTE) being provided for
districts and what the board could be doing to make sure more
districts qualify.
8:13:53 AM
KATHY MOFFIT, Director, Division of Innovation & Education
Excellence, Department of Education & Early Development,
explained that there is a lot of record keeping in place as far
as teachers and their attainment of the Alaska Science of
Reading coursework, and she added that 80 percent of teachers
have had this training. Statute requires that teachers in the
K-3 arena need the coursework, and she affirmed that DEED
monitors this closely.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY suggested that it would be helpful to see
the data. She asked what the qualifications are for reading
specialists and whether the positions are being filled.
MS. MOFFIT responded that currently, there is a cohort that DEED
is working on, and ideally each district would have one. She
said there are 24 in the cohort, and in addition, there is an
academic support team of "reading specialists" that do not have
the same qualifications but understand school needs and are
there for support.
8:17:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY inquired about the qualifications of
reading specialists. She then referred to quality preschool
programs and asked what the department is doing for districts to
qualify for what she referred to as an important component.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP replied that there have been seminars to
provide the data and information needed. She further explained
that the Alaska Reads Act, related to "head start processes,
had a very expansive list to qualify.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY emphasized it is important that the state
board is keeping track and helping to close the achievement gap.
8:19:15 AM
SENATOR STEVENS commented that there is a relationship between
the Board of Regents and the State Board of Education, and he
stated that he would appreciate hearing that graduates from the
University of Alaska System (UA) know how to teach reading.
8:19:54 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE drew attention to the board action taken to
create the Alyeska Reading Institute (ARI) and noted that it was
not in the report. He asked why the board approved it and what
the goals are in relation to the Alaska Reads Act.
MS. STOCKHAUSEN responded that the board is excited to provide
support all throughout the state and not just the urban hub.
The intent of the program is to train the teachers to be strong
teachers of reading, she said.
8:21:57 AM
CAROL BOATMAN, Director, Alyeska Reading Institute, Department
of Education & Early Development, said ARI is supporting
districts with "Tier 2" implementation and has trained over
1,000 teachers. Superintendents have been provided with
competitive grants for summer school, she explained, and
currently 140 students across the state are being tutored by 12
teachers who are working with them five days per week.
CHAIR TOBIN requested additional comments from the state board
on how ARI would be supported in the future.
8:24:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether districts needed
additional support for tutoring for summer school for individual
reading improvement plans (IRIP), and what was different about
the Alaska Reads Act that would require more support.
MS. STOCKHAUSEN replied that IRIP has a targeted intervention
for a child's needs and, in addition, each IRIP has a certain
number of parent contacts to keep up with data points along the
way to see if the child is responding to intervention. The
number of people needed to conduct IRIPs and the time to make
parent contacts is a heavy lift for teachers, she explained, and
teachers know it is the right work, but they are not used to
using the data to that level for targeted reading intervention.
It is a mind shift change with much follow-up involved, she
said.
8:27:05 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD followed up on Senator Steven's previous comment
on teachers being adequately trained to teach children how to
read. She questioned what DEED would do to make sure teachers
have the training before being hired or what would be done
after.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP responded that that is key, and the state
board monitors the K-3 program at University of Alaska Anchorage
(UAA). She referred to a program known as a "reading bootcamp"
where teachers could be sent to get the skills needed to start
and be supported along the way. She noted the program was not
just for teachers but also for aides.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked whether UAA was still an accredited
university for teachers to get certified.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP confirmed that teachers have been granted
provisional accreditation and a K-3 program at this time.
CHAIR TOBIN asked to be provided with a list of opportunities
and conferences available for additional learning.
8:29:27 AM
SENATOR KIEHL questioned the head of the department and asked
whether a mission had been settled on for the Alaska Reads Act,
which he noted came up last year in the budget.
MR. FIELDS said that as far as he was aware, it had not been
discussed recently but it was meant to be a tutoring program for
teachers and paraprofessionals. As for the future, there were
conversations of a satellite school for underprivileged
students.
8:31:49 AM
CHAIR TOBIN noted the time and that the report needed to be
brief.
8:32:08 AM
MR. FIELDS returned to the PowerPoint on slide 6, titled
"Culturally-Relevant Career and Technical Education Committee,"
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Mission: Support school districts and workforce
partners to cultivate the potential in our students by
integrating rigorous classroom instruction with
relevant work-based experiences that inspire, guide
and empower them for post-secondary training, college
and careers.
Focus Areas and Updates: Promote Awareness of CRCTE
Programs Across the State
• Establish a formal SBOE CRCTE Recognition
Program
• Engage with CRCTE programs, staff and advocacy
across the
state
• Promote awareness of CRCTE programs
MR. FIELDS noted that Ms. Riddle could join the discussion and
expand on the report.
8:32:23 AM
DEB RIDDLE, Operations Manager, Division of Innovation &
Education Excellence, Department of Education & Early
Development, joined the conversation and summarized the content
shown on slide 6. She stressed that the board has very much
embraced the strategy, and the words were approved by the June
board meeting and presented to the districts at a professional
development conference that takes place each September.
8:34:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY noted her concern that when the state board
put together a plan, "culturally relevant education" had become
lost, and she would like to know what happened to this piece of
education.
MR. FIELDS replied that discussions about the piece not getting
lost came up during the last board meeting, and it is a
continuing discussion whether there should be a separate
committee for it. He informed the committee that the next
section of the report featured the Tribal Compacting Committee,
and he introduced Mr. Isaak.
8:36:07 AM
JOEL ISAAK, Deputy Commissioner, Tribal Compacting Committee,
Department of Education & Early Development, continued the
presentation on slide 7, titled "Tribal Compacting Committee
Pilot: Transformation in Action," which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Premise: Public schools that are open to all students
and funded through public dollars.
Mechanism: Government-to-Government agreement (State-
Tribe) to establish Tribally Compacted Public-School
Districts for the purposes of Tribal self-governance
and a funding mechanism that integrates with the
Department of Education and Early Development.
Operation: Teachers that are certified through a
Tribal training process that the Department of
Education and Early Development verifies to issue
state licenses for Tribally Compacted Public School
Teachers.
Accountability: Background checks, audits and
assessments are required under the State Board of
Education for the purposes of state-wide regulation.
Evaluation: Tribes provide annual progress reports and
DEED provides a summary alongside the Tribal progress
report to the legislature.
8:38:41 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD commented that she liked the program and asked
if the pilot program were successful, whether it could be opened
up to charter and correspondence schools across the state.
MR. ISAAK replied that there are different mechanisms and the
premise for compacting lies within the tribal self-determination
piece. In addition, he pointed out that the correspondence
piece in the report addressed that component.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked Mr. Isaak if he would agree or disagree
that if there were parental involvement at the local level that
works for a tribal compact, then it could work across the whole
state.
MR. ISAAK agreed that parental involvement and trusted adults
are very important and critical pieces of education.
8:40:45 AM
SENATOR STEVENS expressed concern about the relationship between
tribally compacted public school districts and local school
districts and whether it would create numerous additional school
districts.
MR. ISAAK responded that the tribes in the tribally compacted
public school districts would have local control and the same
level of ability and shared programs and services. He added
there are incentives in Title 14 when districts work together to
reduce overhead by economy of scale. He affirmed that these
would be additional school districts but how they carry out
different things like the use of building space and accounting
was something that existing districts must work on to create
more efficiency.
8:42:39 AM
CHAIR TOBIN referenced Nome, Alaska, and asked whether there
would be additional recommendations from the department about
not destabilizing existing public schools with dollars as
students go to the tribal compacted school.
MR. ISAAK responded that conversations in consultation with the
districts and tribes located in Nome recognized that additional
funds were something that was up to the legislature to
appropriate.
SENATOR TOBIN said she looked forward to future conversations on
the topic.
8:44:52 AM
MS. STOCKHAUSEN rejoined the presentation on slide 8, titled
"Effective Educators Committee," which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Mission: In order to grow and attract effective
educators, we will remove barriers and increase
articulated pathways that will meet the immediate and
future demands of the State's historic teacher
retention and recruitment demands.
Focus Areas and Updates:
Remove Barriers to Certification
• Changed teacher certification statutory changes
• Develop paraprofessional certification
improvements
Create Paraprofessional Pathways and Alternatives to
Certification
• Develop a teacher apprenticeship framework
MS. STOCKHAUSEN gave additional examples of how the certificates
work for those who have not finished their degrees and how
districts keep them involved.
8:49:01 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked Ms. Stockhausen whether she would be
involved with the decision making on requirements and cutting
teachers, and whether the department has looked at "military to
teacher recruiting."
MS. STOCKHAUSEN offered her belief that the decision to cut
teachers lies in local control and the department does not have
a part in it. She added that she was not familiar with "green
to teach" for post-military personnel but commented that "it
would be great."
8:50:42 AM
COMMISSIONER BISHOP added that there is a military compact for
certification for families that come to Alaska, and it is a
compact that identifies reciprocity.
8:51:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said that she did not see anything on
the slide in reference to retirement and asked Ms. Stockhausen
whether anything is being done by her committee to address
Alaska's retirement system, or whether she saw it as a barrier.
MS. STOCKHAUSEN replied that was something that came up during
the teacher retention study in the report, but the department
focused on what could be taken care of immediately. She agreed
it was a barrier and that teachers in Tier 3 stay a while, then
leave.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT related that she was excited about the
teacher apprenticeship framework and paraprofessional pathway
and asked Ms. Stockhausen whether she had heard anything from
paraeducators moving towards certification about barriers.
MS. STOCKHAUSEN acknowledged she had, and that it is a
discussion that should be revisited.
8:53:29 AM
CHAIR TOBIN commented that the board had made resolutions in the
past regarding recommendations, and there is always an
opportunity to provide a resolution recommending how [the
legislature] might deal with teacher retention related to
retirement benefits.
8:54:02 AM
BARBARA TYNDALL, State Board Member, Department of Education &
Early Development, joined the presentation on slide 9, titled
"Safety and Well-being Committee," which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Mission: Improve the safety and well-being of students
through school partnerships with families, communities
and tribes.
Focus Areas and Updates:
• Increase the value of mandatory eLearning
programs by
improving educator engagement
• Collaborate with teacher preparation programs
to develop
a trauma-engaged school framework in both
programs,
instruction and environment
• Provide support to districts who do not have
counselors,
nurses and social workers
MS. TYNDALL shared that she learned there are four mandatory
classes for all teachers to take, and she related that she will
be taking the classes herself to become more aware.
8:57:10 AM
CHAIR TOBIN referred to a presentation in the Senate Education
Standing Committee which examined chronic absenteeism and
homelessness and asked about recommendations to provide
additional supports to schools as they deal with these issues.
MR. FIELDS gave an example of being a basketball coach and in
activities in schools ranging from sports to theater. He
indicated there is a need to change requirements for eligibility
based not on grades but on attendance and how students are
interacting in the school. He stressed the importance of
keeping kids in school and said the topics are "on his radar."
SENATOR TOBIN said many schools use federal funds to employ
social workers and asked whether there would be recommendations
from the state board on how to continue those supports.
MR. FIELDS responded that recommendations for the next
[legislative] session can be discussed with the commissioner
during a June meeting in Kotzebue, Alaska.
9:00:34 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked for a thorough analysis of what it means
for the state school board to take over charter schools.
MR. FIELDS confirmed the board would provide the analysis at a
later date.
9:01:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY suggested that the state board work with
the entities in the reports to collaborate and assess where the
board could be working more on the achievement gaps. She asked
for comments as to why meetings are not taking place.
MR. FIELDS replied that in the past it was left to the
commissioner to meet with the superintendents and then relate
information back to the board. He added that two members of the
Board of Regents and two members of the state board held joint
committees to discuss issues, which is something he wished to
get back in place, but it takes time.
9:03:45 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE expressed that he was trying to align some of
the assessment data from last year to this year and asked that
regulation changes and cut scores could be addressed.
MR. FIELDS recommended that the question be fielded to the
commissioner.
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE noted that he speaks with the commissioner
often about assessments, but his current inquiry is more
specific to the proposed regulation changes that the board is
considering regarding cut scores.
MR. FIELDS explained that there must be a measuring tool for the
current assessment, and he stated he had been trying to get from
summative versus formative. He said the assessments can be used
by teachers throughout the year, so they see more value in it,
rather than just at the end of the year.
9:06:51 AM
MS. STOCKHAUSEN added that modifying cut scores is a process and
a new assessment is being developed. She said her
interpretation is that the new test would not lower standards
but be truer and more reliable.
9:07:49 AM
SENATOR BJORKMAN commented on participation in sports being used
to get students to do work, and for students to participate in
sports, they must come to school and show up on time and attend
practice. He offered his belief that it is important to raise
standards and stated that he is disinterested in seeing
standards lowered for participation.
9:09:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT requested a list of statewide
assessments from 2016 to the present and information on major
maintenance.
CHAIR TOBIN asked that the information be sent to her office.
MR. FIELDS explained that the discussion on major maintenance
was based on the ability to sustain classrooms and assessing
costs and different ways of not having to hire outside entities.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the list was endorsed by
the entire board.
MR. FIELDS confirmed the list is endorsed by the whole board and
noted that every year it is voted on and goes through many
different variables, based mainly on safety for students.
9:11:59 AM
CHAIR TOBIN welcomed final comments.
MR. FIELDS thanked the legislature for its support and for the
opportunity to present.
9:12:33 AM
CHAIR TOBIN discussed future business and passed the gavel back
to Co-Chair Ruffridge.
9:13:08 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:13 a.m. to 9:17 a.m.
[During the at-ease, the members of the Senate Education
Standing Committee to their leave.]
HB 202-OPIOID OVERDOSE DRUGS IN SCHOOLS
9:17:38 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 202, "An Act relating to the
availability and administration of opioid overdose drugs in
public schools."
9:18:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DELENA JOHNSON, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, introduced HB 202 and paraphrased the sponsor
statement [included in the committee packet], which read as
follows [original punctuation provided]:
Between 2018 and 2022, 886 drug overdose deaths
occurred in Alaska. Last year, Anchorage School
District officials reported at least ten opioid
overdoses over the course of one month, including five
of these overdoses happening in one day.
From August 17th, 2023, to February 9th, 2024, there
were 117 visits to emergency departments for kids aged
5-18 that occurred on school days that could have
happened at schools. Ten of these cases specifically
mentioned that the school the child attended was
involved, and many of these were proven to be
intentional overdoses.
The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration recommends that schools keep naloxone
on hand as fatal opioid overdose numbers rise. As of
October of 2023, 33 states had adopted laws that allow
schools or school employees to store and administer
Naloxone, according to Jon Woodruff, the managing
attorney at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy
Association.
HB 202 will require all school districts to keep at
least two Naloxone kits in each main school building
and ensures that at least one person trained to
administer naloxone spray is present during all hours
that the main school building is open to students or
the public. This bill also requires school buses, each
school-sponsored event, on or off school grounds, and
all weekend activities sponsored by the school to have
at least one Naloxone kit present and at least one
person who is trained to administer. Finally, this
bill requires the Department of Health Commissioner to
develop and provide a short video to each school
district about how and when to administer Naloxone
nasal spray.
9:19:58 AM
SAVAYA BIEBER, Staff, Representative Delena Johnson, Alaska
State Legislature, gave the sectional analysis for HB 202
[included in the committee packet] on behalf of Representative
D. Johnson, prime sponsor, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1 amends AS 14.30 by adding a new section: AS
14.30.145(a) requires each school district to ensure a
person who is trained to administer Naloxone is on
site when the main school building is open to the
public, before and after school, during each school-
sponsored event and all weekend activities, on or off
school grounds, and on school buses. This section also
requires each main school building to keep at least
two doses of Naloxone on site and at least one dose
available during school sponsored events and on school
buses while students are being transferred.
AS 14.30.145(b) would require the Commissioner of
Health to develop and provide a training video to each
school district.
AS 14.30.145(c) defines the terms "main school
building", "naloxone nasal spray", "opioid overdose
drug", "school district", and "school grounds".
Section 2 amends AS 17.20.085 by adding a new
paragraph:
AS 17.20.085(e) defines the terms "naloxone nasal
spray" and "school district".
Section 3 amends AS 17.20.085 by adding new
subsections: Notwithstanding a provision or rule of
law to the contrary, AS 17.20.085(f) allows a school
district, if acting under a standing order or protocol
under (a) or (c) of this section, to supply and
possess opioid overdose drugs for the purposes of AS
14.30.145. Notwithstanding a provision or rule of law
to the contrary, AS 17.20.085(g) allows a school
district acting under (a) or (c) of this section to
administer naloxone spray under AS 14.30.145 to a
person at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose.
9:22:00 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD stated that she was trying to understand why
there is not a "fiscal charge" as well as understanding the
liability regarding school bus drivers.
MS. BIEBER responded that subsection (2) in the bill related
information regarding the school bus driver but stated that she
was unsure how it is implemented with the contracts. She
offered to have the question directed to a Department of
Education & Early Development (DEED) staff member.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON speculated that school bus drivers go
through a certain amount of training and the training for
naloxone administration is very simple, like a nasal spray. She
said she could find out more and get back to the committee.
9:24:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT questioned bus driver contracts and
expressed her concern regarding the effective date for the "bus
portion" and addressing separate contracts. She pointed out
line 2, on page 8, and asked whether the short training video
would be included in mandatory trainings that educators have
annually.
MS. BIEBER responded that she was not sure about the video and
stated that the training would not be for every teacher, just
one that would be trained to administer naloxone.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the naloxone would be
free or DEED would distribute it to the schools. She further
inquired about an expiration date.
MS. BIEBER responded that each school district would have to
keep naloxone.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON added that there are details that must
be worked out, and in regard to the fiscal note, the intention
is to work with the department to find funding through opioid
grant funding.
9:28:59 AM
MS. BIEBER confirmed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) announced a shelf-life extension for naloxone from three
years to four years.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT observed that the reality is districts
may be exposed to a liability they do not already have.
MS. BIEBER replied that she did not have an answer but would
research it.
9:29:59 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD commented on the possibility of the bus driver
being sued or fired because of the liability and questioned
whether the maintenance staff at school are involved. She
voiced her concern about protecting children but also employees.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON confirmed that she and her staff are
present to try and sort things out and refine the bill.
9:32:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her support for HB 202 but
expressed her concern regarding how districts were being
addressed about the bill and what their response was about staff
needing training.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON related an example of speaking with an
acquaintance who was involved with the bill and highlighted the
importance of kits being available and training being kept to a
minimum. With the funds available, she indicated, this is
possible to do in Alaska.
9:35:13 AM
MS. BIEBER added that she talked to the Matanuska-Susitna
Borough School District and the kits are kept with school
nurses. She added that the Anchorage School District (ASD) has
been keeping them near the "safety stations" on the walls and
the supplies are from Project HOPE.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed interest in what rural school
districts have in place and what the costs would be. She also
inquired about the training for bus drivers.
9:37:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK opined that the proposed legislation is
critical and should be moved out today. He further inquired
whether any legal issues have cropped up in states where similar
legislation has been implemented.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON responded that she was not aware of
legal issues forthcoming. She offered a comparison of people
being trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and that
she had not heard of anyone having any liability in performing
it better or not. She confirmed that she would look into the
liability piece.
9:40:08 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD offered her belief that the legislature would
like to vet the bill, and she suggested that training be open to
those who are 16 and older to look out for their peers but with
parent permission.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON replied that she would not want [the
proposed legislation] to get unmanageable and force a school
district to add to their requirements or put a burden on
someone. She reiterated that the training to administer is
minimal and that she was open to possible amendments.
9:42:12 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 202.
9:43:04 AM
DJ TYSON, Director of Communications, Volunteers of America
(VOA) Alaska, testified in support of HB 202. He related
examples of what is happening with youth overdoses in schools
and noted that overdoses are happening without warning. He
opined that the passage of the bill would have the additional
impact of helping to normalize the administration of naloxone
and raise awareness for the potential to save lives in
communities.
9:45:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT shared that she did a police ride along
and was also taken into the evidence locker which contained
various drugs. She said the officers told her naloxone enables
people to go to more of an "edge" that they are looking for when
taking drugs, but she acknowledged that naloxone is known as
being a remedy to overdose. She asked whether there could be
unintended consequences of trying to make sure naloxone is
readily available.
MR. TYSON replied that naloxone is a safety device like a
seatbelt that saves lives, but that he could not speak to it
enabling or increasing use.
9:47:12 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 202.
9:47:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON commented that drug users know more
about drugs and drug effects; therefore, there would always be a
way to use something in a nefarious way or chase a greater high.
She stated that the bill specifically addressed students in
schools that may not have gotten to the level of sophisticated
drug use, thus would not have used drugs, such as naloxone, as
enhancement.
9:49:17 AM
MS. BIEBER added that DEED has a 15-minute free course online on
naloxone.
9:49:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX questioned whether universities should be
included in addition to the K-12 school system.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON opined that the universities would
already have a sense of what needed to be done. She stated she
could contact the University of Alaska System (US) to see what
it may have in place.
9:51:18 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE expressed his support for the bill and
pointed out features in the Capitol building in reference to
first aid. He further confirmed that naloxone is very easy to
administer.
REPRESENTATIVE D. JOHNSON, in closing, stated she would
appreciate any input or amendments from committee members that
could make HB 202 more well-rounded.
MS. BIEBER thanked the committee for hearing the bill.
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that HB 202 was held over.
9:53:51 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:53 a.m. to 9:54 a.m.
HB 230-TEACHERS: OUT-OF-STATE EXPERIENCE;RETIRED
9:54:33 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 230, "An Act repealing the limit on the
number of years of out-of-state school experience that may be
substituted for in-state experience in teacher salary scales."
9:54:54 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to report HB 230 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 230 was reported out of the House
Education Standing Committee.
9:55:22 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:55 a.m.
9:55:36 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE discussed future business.
9:56:01 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.