Legislature(2011 - 2012)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/02/2012 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB120 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 197 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SB 120 | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 2, 2012
8:01 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. 120
"An Act establishing in the Department of Education and Early
Development a voluntary parent and early childhood education
program for pre-elementary aged children."
- MOVED CSSB 120(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 197
"AN ACT ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT FOR ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 120
SHORT TITLE: EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: PARENTS AS TEACHERS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) FRENCH
04/06/11 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/06/11 (S) EDC, FIN
02/29/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/29/12 (S) Heard & Held
02/29/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/02/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
EMILY COATE, Coordinator
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
Association for the Education of Young Children Southeast Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
ABBE HENSLEY, Executive Director
Best Beginnings
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
NORM ECK, Superintendent
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
Kotzebue, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
MELISSA PICKLE, Volunteer
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Eagle River, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
PAM PENROSE, Director
Special Education
Hydaburg School District
Hydaburg, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
JANET STONE, Early Education Specialist
Lower Yukon School District
Mountain Village, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 120.
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director
Teaching and Learning Support
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions related to PAT.
PAUL SUGAR, Teaching Specialist
Teaching and Learning Support
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions related to PAT.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed questions related to PAT and the
Moore Settlement.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:01:26 AM
CO-CHAIR JOE THOMAS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators French, Stevens, Davis, Co-Chair Meyer and
Co-Chair Thomas.
SB 120-EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: PARENTS AS TEACHERS
8:01:47 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced the consideration of SB 120.
8:02:44 AM
EMILY COATE, Coordinator, Parents as Teachers (PAT), Association
for the Education of Young Children-Southeast Alaska, Juneau,
supported SB 120 saying that the newest PAT program, now in
Southeast Alaska, started in October and was funded from the
Alaska Children's Trust, Best Beginnings, thread, and United
Way. In three weeks it was completely full and has had a steady
waiting list ever since. PAT applies to all different types of
family structures including single family households, two parent
households, and a range of socio-economic statuses.
She explained that parents involved in PAT have shown a lot more
patience with their children within the first three years of
their child's life. The 17 families in PAT reach out to other
families that are not in PAT, helping them gain more confidence
in what they know.
SENATOR DAVIS commented that she supports the program. She asked
where PAT gets its funding.
MS. COATE answered that PAT gets its funding from the following
independent sources: Best Beginnings, Alaska Children's Trust,
United Way and thread. It did not get state funding because SB
120 did not pass last year.
SENATOR DAVIS asked what other resources could be called upon.
MS. COATE answered that PAT is a non-profit organization and
that they get other funding through partnerships.
SENATOR DAVIS asked if any PAT advertising is being spread to
church groups and organizations that might have children
eligible for the program, and they could then seek funding from
those potential organizations.
MS. COATE answered that the program is currently at full
capacity and no advertising is being done. Their hope is to hire
at least one more family visitor that will allow them to take in
20 more families.
8:06:59 AM
ABBE HENSLEY, Executive Director, Best Beginnings, Anchorage,
supported SB 120 and said that parents are a child's first
teacher. "Babies on Track" is an introduction for families to
the PAT program. It really sets the stage for all early brain
development and other developing skills that children need to be
successful.
MS. HENSLEY said adding home visiting to Babies on Track would
get the most benefit out of the program. Home visitors in
Parents as Teachers are well-trained with a rigorous set of
requirements. Having in-state trainers makes adding to the cadre
of trained home visitors even easier. The state already has a
vigorous network of PAT programs. For example, when Juneau
wanted to start its PAT program, they didn't have to make it up.
They knew who they could turn to, who to get advice from and how
to get the training and be on their way.
She said that she serves on the state advisory group for PAT and
has a firsthand look at the professionalism of the whole program
and she had been their personal advocate for many years. From
being on the advisory group she sees the new rules and
regulations that are coming down as well as the new requirements
for the home visitors. It is becoming a more rigorous training
so when visitors come into families' homes they have all the
tools they need to insure that they interact appropriately.
Families learn to trust them, but what's important is that the
home visitors know a lot and know how to share that information
with the families.
MS. HENSLEY said that PAT isn't the only program that works, but
it is an important part of what is available on the spectrum of
everything from very intense intervention all the way to
something like the Imagination Library, which is a very much
less expensive with books and activities.
8:11:36 AM
MS. HENSLEY said the Early Childhood Partnership in Juneau knew
best what their children needed and how to find it, and PAT was
their first choice. Like Juneau, after reviewing many programs,
Kodiak picked PAT after receiving one of only two federal grants
to do a home visiting program. PAT's ultimate goal is to see
that children go to school ready and that they have what they
need to be successful.
MS. HENSLEY said the new Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating
Council came up with seven priorities that were presented to the
committee a few weeks ago. One was to serve an additional 5,000
children and this program fits well with that priority. Best
Beginnings has joined with four other organizations to come up
with a set of priorities for this legislative session and PAT is
a part of that list.
8:13:46 AM
SENATOR FRENCH, sponsor of SB 120, asked her to compare and
contrast Head Start to the PAT program.
MS. HENSLEY answered that Head Start and PAT are very different
programs, but they are very complimentary to each other. She
stated that in some communities PAT serves children from birth
to three and then those children might go on to Head Start.
Looking at community by community, some communities want a pre-
kindergarten program or a Head Start program and have the
children to support a centrally based program. In other
communities with fewer children, for example, a PAT program
would be appropriate rather than saying no service is available
because there aren't enough children. They are different
programs, but both of them have a requirement for parent
engagement, which is a major component of ensuring that children
have what they need when they get to school. Parent engagement
with their children throughout the school year has proven to
make children more successful learners.
8:16:08 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if there is one central location that
serves as an umbrella for all the different programs that can
decide which areas need which programs. He then asked if DEED
should be the decision maker.
MS. HENSLEY answered that a central location for information is
a good idea and the Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council
(AECCC) could direct families with children to the variety of
programs and services that are available.
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that funds must be efficiently used and
they need to be sure there isn't any duplication and that areas
have the right program. He said somebody needs to be held
accountable and if it is not the Department of Education and
Early Development, then he wondered who that would be.
MS. HENSLEY answered that part of what the AECCC is doing is
inventorying programs that currently exist and determining which
programs have waitlists. Knowing there are lengthy waitlists for
Head Start, for example, would help in deciding where to direct
resources efficiently and effectively as possible. Their
strategic report was due to the governor and the legislature at
the end of June.
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that he looked forward to seeing that
report.
MS. HENSLEY said that additional in-depth communication is
welcomed as they move forward.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS agreed that efficient use of funds without
duplication was important and then invited Norman Eck to
testify.
8:22:32 AM
NORMAN ECK, Superintendent, Northwest Arctic Borough School
District, Kotzebue, supported SB 120 and said Parents as
Teachers is the one program he would choose over the others,
because early learning is critical. Parents are a child's first
teacher; they are the most important and influential teacher the
child will ever have. If the child is taught in these early
years, it will likely determine his success later in life. If a
learning problem isn't handled right away, years of constant
remediation may or may not help make the correction. Closing the
achievement gap can be effectively attainted through early
learning methodologies. For parents who are not ready or able to
take on PAT, two years of kindergarten for the 4 and 5 year olds
would be needed. Early childhood education is a must for
children who otherwise would come to school two years
developmentally behind other students.
8:25:07 AM
MR. ECK shared a personal story about how he and his wife
adopted a child who was born with cerebral palsy. Using the
elements that are now part of the PAT program as tools they were
able to diminish the effects of the cerebral palsy over the
course of the last two years.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS invited Melissa Pickle to testify.
8:27:38 AM
MELISSA PICKLE, Volunteer, Court Appointed Special Advocates
(CASA), Eagle River, supported SB 120, and said research has
shown that families and children who enrolled in the PAT program
experience many positive things. The parents have increased
knowledge of child development and positive child practices that
lead to fewer documented cases of child abuse and neglect.
Alaska has one of the highest rates of child abuse and neglect,
and nearly half of the reports of harm involve children ages
zero to five years.
She said that many children come into CASA because of a lack of
parenting knowledge based on positive child rearing practices.
These parents don't have knowledge of proper child development
and some of them have inappropriate expectations for a young
child and use inappropriate disciplinary practices. She stated
that some parents get frustrated and that could lead to
violence. Furthermore, having someone to talk to about the
stressors related to parenting can help alleviate the stress
many parents experience. The PAT program also connects families
with other agencies and can provide additional information and
support for families.
MS. PICKLE said that abuse and neglect have a tremendous impact
on a child's development, particularly for young children birth
to five years whose brains are still developing. With advances
in technology, differences in the structure of a brain of a
healthy child in a normal environment versus that of a child who
has experienced severe abuse and neglect can be seen.
MS. PICKLE said that the PAT program has many positive impacts
on a child's abilities and social/emotional development. The
largest impact comes from providing parents with the information
and skills they need to keep their children healthy and safe.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS invited Pam Penrose to testify.
8:31:38 AM
PAM PENROSE, Director, Special Education, Hydaburg School
District, Hydaburg, supported SB 120 and said that the needs of
the PAT program are driven by the needs of the child and the
family. Also critical is that the PAT program uses evidence-
based practices that meet the State of Alaska's early learning
guidelines. The parent component meets a profound need for all
families, especially families in crisis.
She said that PAT staff model teaching techniques for the
parents as they engage the children in fun, motivating
activities. PAT hosts group socials that provide parents and
children a safe and comfortable environment in which to play
each month and they are well attended. Children are given
opportunities to develop their motor, social emotional,
language, and problem solving skills that are necessary for
school readiness.
She stated that she was fortunate to have two paraprofessionals
who assist students in an educational classroom, kindergarten
through second grade. PAT staff spends most of their time
working with the students who did not attend the PAT program.
These children began kindergarten without the benefits of
learning how to pay attention to a story, follow directions, or
play successfully with their classmates. These paraprofessionals
are both young mothers whose children are active participants in
the PAT program. They find the information that they receive
about healthy births, discipline, temperament, stress and family
driven problem solving to be extremely helpful for developing
wellness for the whole family.
She said the PAT staff is always part of the development of the
IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) for students who
have been identified with special needs. These students would
not have made any substantial gain without the support and
expertise of the PAT program. PAT's early learning program helps
parents understand the impact and importance of early learning
on school success. Children need a chance to develop a love of
learning and to experience the feeling of success that increases
self-esteem and ultimately results in self-sufficiency.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS invited Janet Stone to testify.
8:34:46 AM
JANET STONE, Early Education Consultant, Lower Yukon School
District, Mountain Village, said she is a veteran teach of 30
years with a broad range of experiences including multicultural,
all socio economic levels, pre-school, public school, general
and special education. She had been a consultant for the pre-
school programs for two years and had the unique opportunity to
visit all 11 villages in the district multiple times. She had
worked in kindergarten classes, observed in Head Start programs,
visited the Teachers as Professionals and had direct interaction
with the families with the children under the age of five.
MS. STONE said the PAT program is one way to help bridge the gap
between the normally expected developmental experiences of
children on the road system and the vastly different experiences
of children in rural Alaska. Children in town have the time for
life experiences that are expected and assumed to be the ones
children bring to school by most text book publishers and
curriculum developers. However, children who have never seen
trucks, cars, trains, traffic signals, restaurants, signs and
billboards, have not had the opportunity to explore
environmental prints or had the kind of language interaction
that leads to concept development. PAT and other early
interventions in preschool programs have been critical in rural
Alaska to help bridge that gap in cognitive developmental areas.
More importantly, she said they help raise parents' awareness of
a need for even more language interaction with their children.
Parents are their children's first and most important teacher
and in many of the villages, some of the parents are as young as
17 years old or younger. Then it becomes even more important to
have an agency or known organization such as PAT to help develop
successful parents with the skills and abilities they need to
raise successful learners.
MS. STONE said that often, this program is the only access some
families have for child development. From it they can receive
reassurance that their child is developing normally or get
support in areas their child may need. Most studies show that
early intervention is the most critical act. The more time and
money spent getting children started successfully leads to less
need for special education services later.
8:37:56 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS closed public testimony and asked if the CS
would impact the existing December fiscal note.
8:38:47 AM
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director, Teaching and Learning Support,
Department of Education and Early Development, said that the
change in the CS was in the dates, so there would be no impact
to the fiscal note.
8:39:01 AM
PAUL SUGAR, Teaching Specialist, Teaching and Learning Support,
Department of Education and Early Development, introduced
himself and was available to answer questions.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked how many children would be covered by the
$3.9 million fiscal note.
MS. CURRAN answered that approximately 940 families would be
impacted by this program. To get that number they estimated
53,000 children were between one month and five years of age and
came up with an average of 1.34 of pre-kindergarten children per
household. They came up with 39,000 families and used a
multiplier for those families that might be seeking services and
came up with 1,740. The 800 families that were already receiving
services through federal funding were deleted and that left 940
families.
SENATOR DAVIS asked why PAT targets children between the ages of
zero and five instead of zero and three. She said normally five
year olds would be in kindergarten.
MS. CURRAN answered that it's because kindergarten is voluntary
in the state of Alaska.
SENATOR DAVIS commented that if parents are not going to send
their children to kindergarten, then it is likely that they will
not send their children to the PAT program. She then stated that
age should be based on the target group of zero to three years.
With that target, the PAT program would be able to serve more
children.
8:42:27 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if the department already operates or
supports any PAT Programs.
MS. CURRAN answered yes: the DEED grants $300,000 to RurAL CAP
for its PAT program.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if the program has been successful.
MR. SUGAR answered yes, the Department of Education and Early
Development is the largest single provider of PAT programs in
the state and a small amount of the $300,000 helps run the state
office.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if the administration supported SB 120.
MS. CURRAN answered that the department believes strongly in the
deliberative process and will work with the legislature to do
what needs to be done.
CO-CHAIR MEYER said the PAT program works. It gives children a
head start and could save the state and society time and money
later down the road. He then asked if the department would
coordinate all the activities and hold people accountable and
make sure that the money is being spent efficiently.
8:45:47 AM
MS. CURRAN answered that the department is responsible for
making sure that funding is spent in the way it is supposed to
be spent and that accountability measures need to be considered.
MR. SUGAR said that different programs use different tools.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if the program could assist with the Moore
vs. State of Alaska Settlement that Judge Gleason recommended.
It required more funding for pre-kindergarten kids.
MS. CURRAN deferred that question to the deputy commissioner.
8:48:33 AM
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development, Juneau, said that PAT's potential
relationship with the Moore Settlement was that $2 million a
year was to be applied toward pre-K programs for each of three
years (a total of $6 million). The pre-K programs need to be
generated by the community putting forth what they think will
work in the community. He understood that they were to target
four-year olds and he didn't see why the settlement would
preclude a community from using part of that funding for a PAT
program. Then they might have to augment it for the early age
levels.
SENATOR FRENCH said he thought the Moore Settlement was aimed at
a two-year pre-K program conducted by a school district in
classrooms. The approved program must be standards based and for
four years; it must prepare students for school and involve
parents as part of the program including three activities of
parent engagement in staff duties (the PAT aspect).
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if the reduction to the cost of
remediation as a result of using the PAT program was reflected
in the fiscal note.
MR. CURRAN answered that the department did not factor in
remediation.
MR. MORSE said that the fiscal note reflected the bill which
says "cohorts" under five years old; that would be five cohorts,
because there is birth to one, one to two, and so on.
8:52:55 AM
SENATOR DAVIS asked the department what it is doing in the area
of early childhood education and how much money is allocated in
the present budget for children zero to three years of age and
zero to four years of age. The reason the legislature changed
the name of the department to the Department of Education and
Early Development was to include the younger children and she
didn't see them doing that. She wanted to know if there be any
money for early childhood education without this bill.
MR. MORSE answered that he would get that information for the
committee. He said state money supports Head Start and $300,000
worth of grants support RurAL CAP and PAT. Other money comes
through the state's budget that goes to Best Beginnings along
with some coordination money. The department works with the
Department of Health and Social Services and with the Early
Childhood Coordinating Council.
8:54:55 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS found no further questions or comments and
removed his objection. Finding no further objection he asked the
will of the committee.
8:55:07 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER moved to report CS for SB 120, version 27-
LS0788\M, from committee with individual recommendations and
accompanying fiscal note(s).
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced that without objection CSSB 120(EDC)
moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee.
8:55:42 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Thomas adjourned the Senate Education Standing
Committee at 8:56 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| CS SB 197.pdf |
SEDC 3/2/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| SB 197 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 3/2/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| Taking Stock.pdf |
SEDC 3/2/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197] |
| SB 197 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 3/2/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |