Legislature(2011 - 2012)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/03/2012 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education | |
| State Board of Education | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 3, 2012
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair
Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair
Senator Bettye Davis, Vice Chair
Senator Hollis French
Senator Gary Stevens
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ALASKA COMMISSION ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
- HEARD
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT ON Alaska PERFORMANCE
SCHOLARSHIP OUTCOMES
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
DIANE BARRANS, Executive Director
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the APS Report Summary.
BRIAN RAE, Assistant Director
Research and Analysis
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the APS Report Summary.
ESTHER J. COX, Chair
Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the Annual Report and Summary.
MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding the Annual
Report.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:00:35 AM
CO-CHAIR JOE THOMAS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators French, Stevens, Vice-Chair Davis, Co-Chair
Thomas and Co-Chair Meyer.
^Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
Alaska Performance Scholarship Outcomes Report
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced that the first order of business would
be to hear an overview of the Alaska Performance Scholarship
Outcomes Report by the Alaska Commission of Postsecondary
Education, Alaska Department of Education & Early Development,
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the
University of Alaska.
8:02:12 AM
DIANE BARRANS, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on
Postsecondary Education, said the 2012 Alaska Performance
Scholarship (APS) Report examines higher education and career
readiness. She said the APS Report task force has provided
information that will allow for ongoing strategic resource
deployment and performance review.
8:04:20 AM
BRIAN RAE, Assistant Director, Research and Analysis, Alaska
Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE), said the APS
Report reflects one semester of recipients' postsecondary
performance and additional measurement data will become
available in future years. He said the report presents eligible
students' acceptance percentages, demographics, award levels and
the APS' effect on academic performance.
MR. RAE said 906 Academic Year 2011 (AY11) students received the
APS and the Anchorage district had the highest acceptance level
at 40 percent. He said district APS eligibility rates ranged
from 29 to 40 percent.
8:07:41 AM
MR. RAE said the Southcentral region had the highest percentage
of APS eligible graduates at 31.7 percent and the Far North
region had the lowest percentage at 11.4 percent. He said the
Interior and Far North regions had the highest percentage of
eligible graduates that accepted the APS at nearly 50 percent.
8:08:50 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if Kodiak was in the Southwest Region.
MR. RAE answered yes.
8:09:30 AM
SENATOR FRENCH asked about student privacy concerns for the
study.
8:10:02 AM
MR. RAE said some data is regulated under the Family Education
Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), e.g., graduation announcements are
considered public and on the receipt of funds is considered
private. He said the Chief Privacy Officer from the U.S.
Department of Education was contacted to clarify reporting
parameters. He said the department is taking a conservative
approach to listing personal data.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the Pelican District had graduates in
AY11.
8:11:21 AM
MR. RAE answered no.
8:12:01 AM
MR. RAE revealed eligibility data by gender and race: 50.25
percent female, 37.9 percent Caucasian, 8.3 percent American
Indian/Alaska Native (Native). He said there was no difference
in gender or ethnic groups when eligible candidates accepted the
APS.
MR. RAE said in AY11: 8064 students graduated from public high
schools, 30 percent attended in-state postsecondary schools and
17 percent attended out-of-state institutions. He said 83
percent of APS eligible students versus 33 percent APS
ineligible students attended postsecondary schools. He said APS
"Level-1" eligible students were more likely to attend out-of-
state schools, "Level-2" and "Level-3" students were more likely
to attend in-state schools. He said Washington and Oregon
attracted the most out-of-state students.
8:14:46 AM
MR. RAE said the University of Alaska (UA) System attracted the
most APS students; 505 attended UA-Anchorage (UAA), 339 attended
UA-Fairbanks (UAF) and 46 attended UA-Southeast (UAS). He said
the majority of students enrolled in fulltime, bachelor degree
programs and received an average of $3402 out of the nearly $3
million APS award pool. He noted that the higher percentage of
Level-l eligible students leaving the state had an effect on
award expenditures.
8:17:02 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked why a higher number of Level-1 eligible
students attended out-of-state schools.
MR. RAE answered that he does not have that data but speculated
that some eligible students may have preferred an out of state
school or decided prior to the APS announcement.
8:18:27 AM
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the APS intent is to try and keep the
brightest Alaska students in the state.
8:18:51 AM
MS. BARRANS responded that data from the Free Application
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filings showed more Level-1 students
were from affluent families which allowed for greater school
choice. She said there also may have been an impact on school
choice when initial funding for the APS was not known.
8:19:39 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if the ACPE would report student
perceptions of the UA versus out-of-state institutions.
8:20:06 AM
MR. RAE answered no. He said general student comments would be
provided. He suggested that the UA may be better suited to
provide a report on students' perceptions on out-of-state
schools.
8:21:06 AM
MR. RAE referenced preparatory courses taken by AY11 High School
Graduates attending the UA: 880 APS-Eligible, 27.4 percent had
attempted preparatory courses at an average of 1.0 credit hour
out of 12.6 total credit hours; 2751 APS-Ineligible, 64.8
percent had attempted preparatory courses at an average of 2.9
credit hours out of 8.4 total credit hours.
SENATOR DAVIS asked how many APS students had taken prep
courses.
MS. BARRANS answered 241 APS students.
8:27:37 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he was distressed that 27 percent of APS
students had taken preparatory courses.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if preparatory and remedial have the same
meaning.
MS. BARRANS answered yes and that the number of APS students
taking remedial courses will decline as academic rigor is phased
in for APS eligibility.
8:28:53 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he agreed that APS students taking remedial
courses should decrease in the future.
MS. BARRANS noted that math was the primary preparatory course
taken by APS eligible students.
8:30:30 AM
MR. RAE said the UA provided AY11 data on "entering classes"
starting from AY05-AY07; approximately 30 percent did not return
for their second year and 40 percent did not return for their
third year. He said a student not returning does not mean a
student has dropped out; many may have attended UA to earn
credits and transferred to another school. He said returning
student percentages could go up due to the APS incentive for
students to stay in Alaska. He said 32 percent received a degree
from AY05 entrance and 14 percent from AY07 entrance. He noted
that six years is the typical time to attain a four year degree.
He said APS students should increase the percentage that
graduate in four years.
8:32:30 AM
MR. RAE said 357 APS-Eligible students responded to a survey: 90
percent were pursuing a degree, 25 percent were attending out-
of-state schools; 66 percent said the APS affected their
decision to attend school in Alaska, 20 percent attending out-
of-state schools considered the APS and 25 percent said the APS
influenced their decision to pursue a postsecondary education.
8:34:26 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS commented that a high percentage of eligible
graduates did not accept the APS and he hoped more students take
advantage of the APS in future years. He said people tend to
stay within a few hundred miles of where they go to
postsecondary school.
8:35:11 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked to verify that students who attended UA
their first two years, only 50 percent return for their third
year.
MR. RAE answered that 57 to 60 percent return for their third
year. He said it is the hope through the APS incentive that more
students return.
8:35:54 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that losing the brightest kids to out-
of-state colleges and only half of the students return to the UA
after two years bothers him. He said typical retention rates at
other colleges are 70 to 80 percent.
SENATOR STEVENS asked to clarify Native student eligibility and
program acceptance percentage rates for the APS.
8:37:20 AM
MR. RAE answered that once a student acquired APS eligibility,
gender or race had little to do with acceptance rates.
8:38:21 AM
SENATOR FRENCH commented that UAA is very alert to the returning
student numbers and is trying to improve rates by increased
social media use to connect and engage first and second year
students.
^State Board of Education
Annual Report to the Legislature
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced the next item of business would be the
annual report from the Alaska State Board of Education and Early
Development.
8:39:51 AM
ESTHER J. COX, Chair, Alaska State Board of Education & Early
Development, reviewed the annual report and said the board
adopted APS amendments and established minimum eligibility
criteria for grade point average, test scores and qualifying
courses. She said a grace period was enacted to allow AY11 and
AY12 graduates an opportunity to attain the APS after the new
regulations were adopted. She said supplementing school
curriculum with online courses will especially assist rural
community students to qualify for the APS.
8:43:05 AM
MS. COX said graduates taking the SAT or ACT exams increased in
2011 to 85 percent from 77 percent in 2010. She said districts
are reporting more students have enrolled in science and math
courses.
8:43:46 AM
MS. COX said the board approved amendments and accommodations on
the Alaska Supplement for WorkKeys Assessment; a career ready
test given to all eleventh graders, test results may be used for
APS eligibility. She said the Individualized Education Program
(IEP) assesses eleventh grade students with significant
cognitive disabilities and determines WorkKeys testing
competency. She said the board clarified appropriate use of
accommodations for students with disabilities and limited
English proficiency. She said the board adopted the English
Proficiency Standards from the World-Class Instructional Design
& Assessment (WIDA) consortium for English language learners.
She said of AY11 WorkKeys students, 85 percent earned a National
Career Readiness Certificate.
MS. COX said the board extended the amount of time districts may
take to distribute test results from the Standards-Based
Assessment (SBA) and the High School Graduation Qualifying
Examination (HSGQE); the previous deadline was 20 days. She said
the board amended two regulations regarding state assessments
and adopted revised participation guidelines for students with
disabilities. She said the board clarified that the SBA would be
used for calculating the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report
under the federal education law known as the No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB).
8:46:25 AM
MS. COX said the board voted to recommend keeping the HSGQE; a
test that provides students with a basic-skills baseline and
information to adjust curriculum. She said AY11 HSGQE results
for tenth grade students: 83 percent passed reading and 71
percent passed writing and 76 percent passed math.
8:47:44 AM
MS. COX said the board amended AYP reporting regulations to
allow districts to include and take credit for students who
successfully exited the Limited English Proficiency Program. She
said three changes to the AYP calculation improved 2011
Proficiency Results. She noted that the federal government
requires 100 percent proficiency by 2014 for NCLB.
8:48:43 AM
MS. COX said the board adopted an amendment which requires
teachers who are moving from a Three Year Certificate to a
Professional Five Year Renewable Certificate to have been
employed as a teacher for at least two years. She said the board
adopted an amendment that will no longer require educators
seeking Provisional Two Year Administrative, Special Education
Administrative and Special Services certificates to complete six
semester hours of credit.
8:49:44 AM
MS. COX said the board agreed to change the name of "Vocational
Education" to "Career and Technical Education," to require
districts to make the blank forms used in teacher administrative
evaluations available to the public and to require district
employment applicants to disclose prior teaching experience in
Alaska.
She said the board approved adding teacher preparation programs
for K-5 math at UAS, an elementary endorsement at Alaska Pacific
University and added an endorsement in Career and Technical
Education Certificate program at UAA.
MS. COX said Alaska's Type-M Teaching Certificate must be
initiated by a district that wants to hire an industry
professional who has not completed a teacher preparation
program. She said the Department of Law is reviewing a
regulation that will require Career and Technical Education
(CTE) endorsed, Type-M teachers to pass the Praxis I Competency
Test to demonstrate reading, writing and math proficiency within
one year of obtaining their certificate. She said in order to
renew a Type-M, Limited CTE Five Year Certificate; the local
school board must submit an application which contains evidence
of the following: three semesters of credit hours related to the
applicant's employment, 135 hours of work experience in a
specialty field outside of work with students and a statement of
satisfactory teaching performance. She said specialty teachers
in Alaska Native Language or Culture and ROTC are exempt.
8:51:48 AM
MS. COX said the board now requires teachers recertifying Type-A
Certificates to take credits in subjects related to their
employment, enrollment endorsement area, or program leading to
an endorsement.
She said the board has worked with educators and industry
representatives to replace the current Alaska Content and
Performance Standards (ACPS) in reading, writing and math with
more rigorous grade level standards. The focus has been to
ensure that the new standards outline a path for all students to
graduate career and college ready. The new ACPS will be grades
K-12 inclusive and be equal to or more rigorous than the
National Common Core Standards (NCCS). She said the board will
take final action in June, 2012 with possible AY16 enactment.
8:56:01 AM
MS. COX said graduation rate methodology changed to reflect the
Federal Uniformity Guidelines mandate. She said graduation rates
are calculated across a four year span and dropout rates are
calculated independently over a one year period. She said the
graduation rate had improved from 61 percent in AY05 to 68
percent in AY11.
8:57:07 AM
Teacher retention is an issue in rural Alaska; the majority of
new teachers come from out-of-state and have to deal with a new
culture and many leave after their first year. She said the
Alaska Statewide Mentor Project was initiated in 2004 to help
new teachers become more effective within their first two years.
She noted that budget cuts were made to the program last year.
She said AY11 Rural Retention Rates were 84 percent for mentored
teachers and 68 percent for non-mentored teachers. She said a
U.S. Department of Education grant will allow the UA to evaluate
how mentoring affects teacher retention and student achievement.
8:59:20 AM
MS. COX said the 2009 Legislature provided $2 million for eight
districts to create pre-school programs that incorporate
Alaska's Early Learning Guidelines in ways tailored to their
local communities. She said a recent report indicated that many
children showed exceptional growth, but there are still children
preforming below expectations.
She said Third Grade Assessment improvement will require early
childhood involvement that is sustained through the primary
grades. She said in addition to the Early Literacy Plan, the
board proposed the Family Engagement Plan that includes action
steps for parents, teachers and community members. She said
school readiness, parent involvement and quality teacher
engagement are the only things that impact student achievement.
9:00:41 AM
The board heard reports on the Alaska System of Support
Activities for Intervention Districts as follows, three
districts received department intervention due to chronically
low student performance levels and two districts exited
intervention status after student performance levels were
sufficiently raised.
9:02:06 AM
MS. COX said the Alaska Learning Network improves student
achievement by providing online courses taught by highly
qualified teachers, structure for collaboration and support,
digital resource access and professional development
opportunities for teachers.
9:02:53 AM
MS. COX said Mt. Edgecumbe High School is a state operated
boarding school located in Sitka, Alaska; approximately 400
students, 78 percent are Native. She said the board recently
changed credit requirements to align student curriculum for APS
eligibility.
MS. COX said board members attended the Anchorage Education
Summit in November to address greater expectations for student
success with school and community members.
9:04:03 AM
MS. COX said the board's Teacher Quality Committee addresses
teacher evaluations tied to student performance for federal
funding. She said the board continues to: monitor department
work with intervention districts, engage in strategic planning,
career and technical education plan implementation, continue
work on the new standards and assessments, monitor and or amend
regulations as needed for the APS.
MS. COX asked the Senate Education Committee to consider
additional travel expense funding to allow board members to meet
at Mt. Edgecumbe and a rural district venue on an annual basis.
9:07:55 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER said Senators Davis and French have a bill that
deals with Early Learning Guidelines.
9:08:32 AM
SENATOR DAVIS commented on the Mentor Program funding cuts and
asked if money was put back into the budget.
MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early
Development, replied no. He said last year the Mentor Program's
budget was reduced from $3 million to $2.25 million.
9:09:46 AM
SENATOR DAVIS commented on the board's intent for higher ACPS
versus the NCCS. She asked how students who move to Alaska would
adapt to the higher ACPS.
9:10:34 AM
MS. COX answered that she believes in higher standards for the
ACPS. She said Massachusetts is a state which adopted standards
above the NCCS.
SENATOR DAVIS said Massachusetts adopted the NCCS.
MS. COX answered that she did not know if Massachusetts changed
their standards to meet the NCCS.
9:11:42 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked about the board's approach to teacher
evaluations.
MS. COX answered that the board's Teacher Quality Committee and
the National Education Association-Alaska are addressing teacher
evaluations tied to student performance. She said the board is
considering a statewide evaluation document for the 27 percent
of teachers who are teaching courses that are assessed via
student performance.
9:14:31 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Meyer adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 9:14 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 2012_APS_Outcomes_Report.pdf |
SEDC 2/3/2012 8:00:00 AM |
Alaska Performance Scholarship Outcomes Report SB 169 Version M |
| Supp 5 3 - Report to legis Jan 2012 title page (2).pdf |
SEDC 2/3/2012 8:00:00 AM |
Board of Education Annual Report to Legislature (Cover |
| Supp 5 2 - Report to legis Jan 2012 body (2).pdf |
SEDC 2/3/2012 8:00:00 AM |
Board of Education Annual Report to the Legislature (Body) |