Legislature(2011 - 2012)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/17/2012 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB194 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 182 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SB 194 | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 17, 2012
8:03 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
SENATE BILL NO. 194
"An Act providing for a school improvement and revitalization
procedure in the Department of Education and Early Development;
establishing advisory councils for school improvement; and
requiring reports to the legislature."
- MOVED CSSB 194(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 182
"AN ACT AMENDING THE AMOUNT OF STATE FUNDING PROVIDED TO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS FOR PUPIL TRANSPORTATION."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 194
SHORT TITLE: PROCEDURES FOR LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): EDUCATION
02/08/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/08/12 (S) EDC, FIN
02/13/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/13/12 (S) Heard & Held
02/13/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/15/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/15/12 (S) Heard & Held
02/15/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/17/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff
Senator Joe Thomas
Co-Aide
Senate Education Standing Committee
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed the committee substitute for SB
194.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Neutral on SB 194. He answered questions on
the committee substitute.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:16 AM
CO-CHAIR JOE THOMAS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Davis, Stevens, French, Co-Chair Meyer and
Co-Chair Thomas
SB 194-PROCEDURES FOR LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
8:03:41 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced the consideration of SB 194.
8:03:53 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER [moved to adopt CSSB 194( ), labeled 27-LS1190\I,
as the working document.]
8:04:06 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS objected for the purposes of discussion.
8:04:26 AM
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff to Senator Thomas, Alaska State
Legislature, and co-aide to the Senate Education Standing
Committee, reviewed the committee substitute (CS). He said the
first change was on page two, line 15, "highly qualified
teachers" was changed to "high quality teachers." He said there
was a terminology conflict with the U.S. Department of
Education.
He said the next change was on page three, lines 27, 28 and 30,
the term "the degree of" was added to assist with defining the
requirements of audits.
He said the next change was on page four, line eight, "school or
district" was changed to "school."
MR. RICHMOND said "governance council" was changed to
"revitalization advisory council."
He said on page four, lines 10 and 11, added "in conjunction
with the local school board and the district superintendent,
may."
He said the next change was on page four, line 25, added "a
school that has not been designated as a revitalization school
may request the local school board to establish a revitalization
advisory council."
8:07:28 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked to clarify that a school may request its
school board to establish a RAC.
MR. RICHMOND answered correct. He said a non-designated low-
performing school may request their school board to receive DEED
approval for RAC.
SENATOR STEVENS asked to clarify that a school board shall
establish a RAC when designated as low-performing by DEED.
MR. RICHMOND answered yes.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS commented that he hoped everyone understood the
distinction that allowed a school to request their school board
to establish a RAC prior to low-performing designation.
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that a RAC would consist of 13 members
and addressed his concerns for filling positions in rural areas.
He asked how the RAC size was chosen and was 13 members a set
number.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS responded that RAC participants increased when
additional school board members were added. He said the intent
was to involve more community members and noted that less RAC
members made sense in areas with smaller school boards.
8:11:48 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that he would like flexibility for RAC
member size.
MR. RICHMOND said there was a provision in the bill for a one-
school district to receive a waiver for RAC member size. He said
the RAC member size waiver could be expanded.
SENATOR STEVENS commented that a change to RAC was to include
the addition of two to four school board members. He asked if a
provision to include school board members was removed during the
editing process.
MR. RICHMOND responded that during the editing process the
school boards were given the option of appointing school board
members.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said Senator Stevens' concern was that school
board representation was optional rather than mandatory.
8:14:20 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said school board members should be directly
involved in RAC to act as a non-quorum liaison.
MR. RICHMOND responded that the school board appointed the RAC.
SENATOR STEVENS replied that he understood that.
SENATOR DAVIS commented that the language did not include
mandatory RAC school board appointments.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS responded that an additional RAC configuration
requirement could include up to three school board members.
SENATOR STEVENS commented that school board members could not
have a quorum in RAC.
MR. RICHMOND responded that school board representation in RAC
was addressed in section (d).
SENATOR DAVIS commented that five member school boards could not
have more than two RAC representatives.
MR. RICHMOND answered correct.
SENATOR DAVIS commented on RAC membership within the parent and
community cohorts. She asked if the parent and community leader
cohorts be reduced from four to three members in order to allow
for two school board members to be included as a separate
category.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS answered yes.
8:17:41 AM
SENATOR FRENCH asked if DEED knew which low-performing schools
would fall in the 3 percentile group. He said there was concern
with not enough bodies to go around and knowing specific schools
could assist with defining RAC membership.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS answered that he did not know if schools could
be identified in advance. He said RAC member size could be
changed in addition to adding an assurance for school board
participation.
SENATOR FRENCH responded that he would go along with whatever
the committee thought best.
SENATOR STEVENS asked if there would always be 17 councils
operating in the state.
MR. RICHMOND responded that 3 percent of the lowest performing
schools would have a RAC. He said the current number was 17
schools.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if the committee should set a maximum
number or make RAC membership flexible.
8:19:59 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER responded that he would prefer to go with
flexibility due to unknown population parameters.
MR. RICHMOND responded that requiring 13 RAC members could be
eliminated and flexibility provided for participant cohorts.
SENATOR STEVENS responded that RAC size flexibility was a good
idea. He said some RAC members might represent multiple cohorts.
MR. RICHMOND said changes could be made to adjust cohort numbers
and a proviso added for smaller school boards.
SENATOR FRENCH commented that the term "one or more" could be
added to parent, community, teacher and school board cohorts. He
said the remaining cohorts would be noted as having "one"
representative.
8:22:58 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS responded that would be acceptable. He suggested
that parents and community leader cohorts be changed from four
to two representatives.
MR. RICHMOND asked if a school board cohort should be added to
the required RAC appointments.
SENATOR FRENCH responded yes. He said at least one school board
member should be appointed and noted that an individual could
count in multiple cohorts.
MR. RICHMOND recommended that only school board members be
allowed to nominate parents and community leaders for RAC
selection.
SENATOR FRENCH concurred that consolidating nomination within
the school board would remove an added decision layer.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS summarized that the committee was in agreement
that school boards with five or fewer members would be allowed
to select two board members for RAC. He said larger school
boards would have at least three RAC members with flexibility
provided for parent and community leader selection.
8:25:20 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he agreed that a RAC would include school
board members without forming a quorum, flexibility provided for
RAC membership and allow individuals to represent multiple RAC
cohorts.
MR. RICHMOND said page seven, lines 15-18, a requirement was
added for a school board to report to DEED when a RAC
revitalization model was rejected. He said the report would
provide DEED with information on RAC model effectiveness.
He said page seven, lines 19-24, would allow school boards to
accept all or part of a RAC revitalization model.
8:29:08 AM
MR. RICHMOND said language was deleted regarding DEED being
required to adjudicate between the RAC and the school board.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if a conceptual amendment should be done.
SENATOR DAVIS recommended that changes be made by the Education
Committee rather than the Finance Committee.
MR. RICHMOND asked if a bill may be passed out of committee with
changes that are not formally adopted.
8:30:50 AM
At ease from` 8:30 a.m. to 8:33 a.m.
8:33:00 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if Senator French had an amendment to
present.
SENATOR FRENCH answered yes and presented an amendment for
adoption.
A M E N D M E N T 1
Page 4, line 31:
Insert "up to" prior to the number "13"
Page 5, line 2:
Delete "four"
Insert "one or more"
Page 5, line 4:
Delete "four"
Insert "one or more"
Page 5, line 6:
Delete "two"
Insert "one or more"
Page 5, after line 10, subsection 7:
Insert "one or more members of the school board"
Page 5, line 3:
Delete "nominated by parents or guardians of the
school"
Page 5, line 5:
Delete "nominated by the members selected under
(1) and (3) of this subsection"
He said section (d), properly stated that individuals may be
from multiple cohorts and the amount of school board members
serving on RAC could not be a quorum.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if page 5, lines 11-14, was agreeable
regarding RAC appointments for school boards with more than five
members having up to three members and school boards with five
or fewer members may appoint up to two members.
SENATOR FRENCH answered yes, as long as the school board did not
form a RAC quorum.
8:37:31 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said Amendment 1 was officially accepted and
asked if there was an objection. He said hearing no objection,
Amendment 1 was adopted.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said he would remove the objection to the CS. He
asked if there were further objections.
SENATOR STEVENS said he would like to hear from DEED for
comments on the current intervention system and what the
proposed RAC model would do.
8:38:55 AM
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development, Juneau, said the department does not insist
on RAC for the current intervention system. He said the member
makeup for the proposed RAC was not the model currently used in
intervention areas that require advisory committees. He said
DEED was presently not directly engaged with advisory
committees. He said school principals received good leadership
practices support and the same training was available to others,
but not required.
He said DEED would strive to implement a consistent RAC model
for all low-performing schools.
8:41:12 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked how long the current intervention model
had been in place.
MR. MORSE answered three years for the current intervention
program with coaching support. He said the previous intervention
without coaching support dated back to 1985.
SENATOR FRENCH asked which schools might be involved in the
lower 3 percent. He also asked if the list would be similar to
the schools mentioned in the Moore Case.
MR. MORSE answered that he could not predict specific schools,
but the districts noted in the Moore Case would likely be
consistent with the districts in the lower 3 percent.
8:43:55 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if the department's ability to enforce
financial accountability would be impacted.
MR. MORSE answered that he did not believe it would. He said he
believed the intent was to engage the community and the
department would not be prevented from doing the work it needs
to do.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS responded that the intent was to enhance and
work with DEED to try and solve intervention district problems.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said the committee adopted the amendment and his
objection for the CS was removed.
8:45:56 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER moved to report CSSB 194( ), version I as
conceptionally amended from the committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said there being no objection, CSSB 194(EDC)
moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee.
8:46:45 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Thomas adjourned the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting at 8:46 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Changes to CSSB 194 - Version I.pdf |
SEDC 2/17/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 194 |
| CSSB 194 Version I.pdf |
SEDC 2/17/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 194 |