Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/25/2001 08:10 AM House EDU
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES
STANDING COMMITTEE
April 25, 2001
8:10 a.m.
EDUCATION MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Con Bunde, Chair
Representative Brian Porter
Representative Joe Green
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Gary Stevens
Representative Reggie Joule
Representative Gretchen Guess
EDUCATION MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Fred Dyson
Representative John Coghill
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Gary Stevens
Representative Reggie Joule
Representative Sharon Cissna
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Vic Kohring
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Confirmation Hearings:
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Georgia Sue Cast - Bethel
Patricia Truman - Palmer
Cynthia Curran - Juneau
- CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Board of Education & Early Development
Diane Heard - Eagle River
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
GEORGIA SUE CAST, Appointee
to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission
PO Box 1646
Bethel, Alaska 99559
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission.
PATRICIA TRUMAN, Appointee
to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission
125 West Evergreen
Palmer, Alaska 99645
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission.
DIANE HEARD, Appointee
to the Board of Education & Early Development
9633 Krishka Circle
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education & Early Development.
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Appointee
to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission
(No address provided)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 01-30, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR CON BUNDE called the joint meeting of the House Special
Committee on Education and the House Health, Education & Social
Services Standing Committee to order at 8:10 a.m. Present at
the call to order from the House Special Committee on Education
were Representatives Bunde, Porter, Green, Stevens, Guess, and
Wilson. Representative Joule joined the meeting while it was in
progress. Members present from the House Health, Education and
Social Services Standing Committee were Representatives Dyson,
Wilson, Stevens, and Coghill. Representatives Joule and Cissna
joined the meeting while it was in progress. [The minutes for
HB 239, HB 171, HB 218, and SB 86 are found in the 8:40 a.m.
House Special Committee on Education minutes of the same date.]
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Board of Education & Early Development
CHAIR BUNDE announced that the committees would consider the
confirmations of Georgia Sue Cast, Patricia Truman, and Cynthia
Curran to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission, and
the confirmation of Diane Heard to the Board of Education &
Early Development.
Number 124
CHAIR BUNDE asked Georgia Sue Cast what experiences she has had
that would qualify her for a position [on the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission].
GEORGIA SUE CAST, Appointee to the Professional Teaching
Practices Commission, testified via teleconference. She stated
that she has taught since 1980 and this would be her second term
on the commission.
CHAIR BUNDE asked why she [wants to be on the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission].
MS. CAST responded that she firmly believe that teachers need to
have a hand in policing their profession.
CHAIR BUNDE remarked that he couldn't agree more. He said, "If
more teachers were to be a little stricter in getting rid of the
deadwood, we would be well served."
Number 0219
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON asked what the major issues are that [the
Professional Teaching Practices Commission] has dealt with in
the past, and what would she like to see the commission be
proactive at investigating in the future.
MS. CAST answered that [the commission members] investigate only
what comes across their desks. She stated that there have been
a number of contract violations. In those cases, the districts
ask for [the teachers'] licenses.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON asked if there has been any pattern of
unethical conduct or lack of professional accomplishment and
skill, [in the cases that have come before the commission].
MS. CAST answered no. She stated that the non-fulfillment of
teacher contracts has really been the only consistent [issue].
CHAIR BUNDE asked if the recent sexual indiscretions of teachers
in the [Matanuska-Susitna] area will come before [the
commission], or if [those teachers] will get [fired] before
appeal.
MS. CAST responded that she is pretty sure that those teachers
have lost their credentials. She stated that [the commission]
has not seen [that case] as of yet.
Number 0386
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked Ms. Cast if [the commission] is
entirely reactive or if it is ever proactive.
MS. CAST replied that it is a matter of reaction. She explained
that after a complaint is filed, it is investigated by [the
commission's] director. The members then vote on whether they
want to follow [the director's] recommendations or if they want
[the director] to investigate further.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked what the track record of the
commission is - if they generally uphold or overturn
recommendations.
MS. CAST responded that it really depends. She stated that
things are really "picked apart" by the commission.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON remarked to Ms. Cast and the other
candidates, "If, indeed, you believe that we should change the
law to allow you to be proactive and not just reactive to the
cases that come before you, I, for one, would sure be glad to
hear from you."
Number 0555
PATRICIA TRUMAN, Appointee to the Professional Teaching
Practices Commission, testified via teleconference. She stated
that she has been teaching in Alaska since 1978 - in the Bush,
the Interior, and now in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley - and is
Alaska's Teacher of the Year. She said she has been on the
commission for about a year and a half, and although it has been
more of a reactive group, it is starting to be more proactive.
She noted that as teacher of the year, she is able to talk with
pre-service teachers and educate them in the behavior that they
need to uphold. She added that the commission has been working
in the universities, and [the commission] is also beginning to
speak with administrators and first-year teachers in districts
about the code of ethics.
Number 0727
DIANE HEARD, Appointee to the Board of Education & Early
Development, testified via teleconference. She stated that she
thinks all Alaskans should take the opportunity to be of some
service to their communities and to the state. She said she has
been involved in the YWCA of Anchorage; has served on the
Anchorage Women's Commission, which provides services to the
municipality; and has been appointed by Governor Knowles to the
State Board of Education and Early Development. She remarked
that she feels this gives her an opportunity to serve the state
at a higher level, and to be of some assistance to the fruition
of the children of Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked what she brings to early childhood
development with an educational background in business
administration.
MS. HEARD stated:
Well, I used to be a child. ... I think my business
background is simply another diverse view that can be
brought to the table. I don't believe that the
Department of Education and ... Early Development can
be fully served if all views come from the same
perspective. I'd refer to, as an example, the report
from the task force, which was very business-oriented.
I think even a church is a business; a school is a
business. Services are provided [and] dollars are
needed for the services. So I think there's a lot of
application of my background to the conversation on
education in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON asked what her view is on parent-led
schools, particularly charter schools.
MS. HEARD responded that she thinks charter schools are an
alternative to the traditional public education, which she would
support. She said she thinks the charter school is a viable
example of how parent involvement can be a positive influence on
a child's education. She added that she believes that is
possible through public schools as well. The school
administrators, the teachers, the students, and the parents all
need to be involved in a child's education. She said she
supports the charter schools and the public schools, which are
overseen by the district.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON stated that this spring a few [legislators]
approached the state school board to be an alternative sponsor
for charter schools. He said, apparently, the most successful
charter school programs in the nation provide for an alternative
sponsorship in addition to the local district. He asked Ms.
Heard if she would be supportive of an alternative sponsoring
group for charter schools in [Alaska].
MS. HEARD replied that she thinks her response to that would be
very broad. She stated that there are many things that are done
differently in the Lower 48 than here, and she thinks Alaskans
hold themselves out to be different. She said she thinks
[Alaska] has opportunities to learn from [the Lower 48] but that
[Alaska] is also in a position, through the Department of
Education and Early Development and the Alaska Legislature, to
show some new things to those in the Lower 48. She added that
while there may be an alternate sponsor, she is not well versed
enough at this time to speak directly on who that sponsor might
be.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON stated that yesterday in Children's Caucus
there was a young woman who spoke from Kotlik who was visiting a
school in Anchorage. She stated that she was stunned in class
to see that the "city kids" talked and told jokes when the
teacher was trying to teach. She said that was a marked
contrast to home, where the kids paid attention to the teacher.
He asked Ms. Heard if teachers ought to be able to use
discipline and control their classes.
MS. HEARD responded that she is not sure the schools can fully
hold students accountable, if there isn't some level of
discipline available to the instructor.
Number 1080
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS stated that there seems to be a lot of
interest in both the university and [kindergarten through 12th
grade] in vocational education. He asked Ms. Heard if she has
any thoughts in terms of vocational education, and what the
board could do about it.
MS. HEARD answered that her only thought on that is:
Students need to be educated to a level that gives
them choice. And that choice may move them to be
immediately in the workforce, or it may move them to
go to college, but either way they need a choice. If
students are to have a chance, they have to have a
choice. I liken this to going to a restaurant. If
the menu only has hot dogs and hamburgers, a student
will never ask for halibut because it is not
available. ... The state board of education will be
meeting in Seward in June, and I am looking forward to
going to the Vocational Tech Center.
CHAIR BUNDE stated that as a businessperson Ms. Heard may have
heard from her colleagues who are frustrated that the high
school graduates are functionally illiterate, and not able to
perform at a level to take entry-level jobs. He asked what her
position is on the high school competency test, and if her view
from the business world is one that seems to be shared by
others.
MS. HEARD responded:
The business world has left me feeling that there are
not enough qualified people to fill positions. That
does not mean that they're not educated enough, but
maybe not specifically for the responsibilities of the
positions they are applying for. I think that we as a
society have a responsibility to have children
prepared upon exit of high school, to be gainfully
employed, [and] to participate fully in society. ... I
know through my reading that it was the business
professions that came to the legislature to bring to
light that people were not coming out of schools with
the education they need to take a job. But even with
the exit exam, I think there is an onus on the
employer to determine for [himself or herself] that
the individual is qualified for the job they're
applying for.
Number 1260
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Appointee to the Professional Teaching Practices
Commission, came forth and stated that she is an administrator
for teacher certification, has taught in Alaska for over 20
years, and is a nationally board-certified teacher in early
childhood. She said she feels that education is the most
important thing that is going on in the world today.
CHAIR BUNDE asked if it is fair to say that the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission is the appeals route for teachers
who have been questioned on their practice.
MS. CURRAN answered yes, it is, but [the commission] also
realizes that they need to be more proactive with the new
teachers coming into the state, in letting them know what the
code of ethics is. Therefore, [the commission] has begun some
discussion on what can be done.
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON asked how the commission is going to be
more proactive.
MS. CURRAN responded that when the [commission members] meet
with teachers, they can talk to them about what the code of
ethics is. She stated that when teachers receive their
certificates, they are given a pamphlet of what the code of
ethics is; however, like so many things people get in the mail,
it is put aside.
Number 1345
REPRESENTATIVE DYSON asked if there are new issues coming up
that may need to be readdressed in terms of ethics.
MS. CURRAN answered that this will be her first term; therefore,
she is not familiar with what has come before the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission in the past.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked what problems are being faced in
finding good teachers in Alaska.
MS. CURRAN replied:
The entire United States is facing a teacher shortage.
... Teachers are looking for lots of different things:
challenges, different experiences. I hesitate to
bring up pay, but that is a factor; many teachers are
looking elsewhere before they would come to Alaska.
The spirit of adventure is what really brings people
here. And having been here for so long, that's what
keeps you here, ... being able to see the state and
work with so many different kinds of people. A place
where you feel valued as a professional is very
important, where your opinion is taken into
consideration, where you feel you can make a
difference.
Number 1430
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA stated that one of the things that has
been thought about a lot right now in the legislature is
Alaska's extraordinarily high suicide rate, especially with
young children and teenagers. She asked if morale really does
seep on down through, and if Ms. Curran can think of other ways
to make [Alaska's] schools a place that gives children hope for
the future.
MS. CURRAN answered:
Being in buildings that aren't crumbling, that are
cheerful places, [and] are safe places helps to make
children feel that they are valued. Their parents
come in; they see that they are valued. Involving
whole communities in education - it can't just be done
by the teachers or the principals. It takes a whole
community to have a successful school. And when you
involve everyone in the community ... there's more
promise for the future. Things are never going to be
perfect, wherever we are, but we can work hard to make
it better. ... I think that's what we're trying to do
in education.
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE asked Ms. Curran, if the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission had an opportunity to be
proactive, what she would see as important to be proactive
about.
MS. CURRAN responded that teachers need to understand what the
code of ethics is; what is acceptable and not acceptable; the
ways to behave toward parents, students, other faculty, and the
community as a whole; and what's important in education.
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE remarked that the state faces a shortage in
teachers. He asked Ms. Curran if she thinks it is the role of
[the Professional Teaching Practices Commission] to begin
looking at ways to fill that need, and what some of those ways
would be.
MS. CURRAN replied that she believes the commission has the
right to make suggestions to the Board of Education and Early
Development. However, she said a lot of [the commission's] time
is spent in dealing with violations.
Number 1620
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN made a motion to advance the nominations of
Georgia Sue Cast, Patricia Truman, and Cynthia Curran to the
Professional Teaching Practices Commission out of committee.
There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced for
all three appointees.
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN made a motion to advance the nomination of
Diane Heard to the Board of Education & Early Development out of
committee. There being no objection, the confirmation was
advanced.
ADJOURNMENT
The joint meeting of the House Special Committee on Education
and the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing
Committee was adjourned at 8:39 a.m. [The minutes for HB 239,
HB 171, HB 218, and SB 86 are found in the 8:40 a.m. House
Special Committee on Education minutes of the same date.]
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