Legislature(2011 - 2012)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/14/2012 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB197 | |
| HCR18 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 197 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HCR 18 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 14, 2012
8:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair
Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair
Senator Hollis French
Senator Gary Stevens
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bettye Davis, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 197
"An Act establishing a grant program in the Department of
Education and Early Development for achieving excellence in
public schools."
- MOVED CSSB 197(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 18(FSH) AM
Relating to an examination of fisheries-related programs to
facilitate the entry of young Alaskans into commercial fisheries
careers and to collaboration with the University of Alaska
fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative.
- MOVED CSHCR 18(FSH) AM OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 197
SHORT TITLE: GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) THOMAS
02/10/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/10/12 (S) EDC, FIN
02/29/12 (S) EDC WAIVED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE,RULE
23
03/02/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/02/12 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
03/05/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/05/12 (S) Heard & Held
03/05/12 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/14/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: HCR 18
SHORT TITLE: COMMERCIAL FISHERIES PROGRAMS
SPONSOR(s): FISHERIES
04/17/11 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/17/11 (H) FSH
02/09/12 (H) FSH AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 120
02/09/12 (H) Heard & Held
02/09/12 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
02/14/12 (H) FSH AT 5:15 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519
02/14/12 (H) Moved CSHCR 18(FSH) Out of Committee
02/14/12 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
02/15/12 (H) FSH RPT CS(FSH) NT 5DP
02/15/12 (H) DP: JOHNSON, AUSTERMAN, MILLER, HERRON,
THOMPSON
02/27/12 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/27/12 (H) VERSION: CSHCR 18(FSH) AM
02/29/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/29/12 (S) EDC
03/14/12 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff
Senator Joe Thomas
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the committee substitute (CS) for
SB 197.
KERRY BOYD, Superintendent
Yukon Koyukuk School District
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 197.
NORMAN ECK, Superintendent
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
Kotzebue, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 197.
TRACEY MARTIN, Teacher
Meadow Lakes Elementary
Mat-Su Borough School District
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 197.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Did not state a position on SB 197.
TIMOTHY CLARK, Staff
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HCR 18.
FRED VILLA, Associate Vice President
Workforce Programs
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HCR 18.
JERRY MCCUNE, Lobbyist
United Fisherman of Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HCR 18.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:39 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 French, Stevens, Co-Chair Meyer and Co-Chair
Thomas.
SB 197-GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS
8:04:15 AM
CO-CHAIR JOE THOMAS announced the consideration of SB 197.
8:04:26 AM
CO-CHAIR KEVIN MEYER moved to adopt CS for SB 197, labeled 27-
LS1168\D, as the working document.
8:04:39 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS objected for discussion purposes and asked Mr.
Murray to walk through the changes.
8:04:51 AM
MURRAY RICHMOND, staff for Senator Joe Thomas, sponsor of SB
197, explained that on page 3, line 12, the CS changes the
multiplier for establishing the grant from $4,800 to $1,800 and
the draft fiscal note was changed from $15 million for startup
costs to $6,000,029 including $92,000 for one full-time position
with $6,000 for travel. The grant would be replenished each year
assuming the dropout rate would be either stable or decreasing
by around $1.2 million per year.
8:07:04 AM
MR. RICHMOND said the first exhibit indicated that in 2001
Alaska ranked 9th in the nation for graduation rates (41 states
were ahead of us) and moved up to 10th and back down to 6th in
2004; currently Alaska is in 12th place. The National Dropout
Prevention Center self-reported reasons for students dropping
out (when they can be found) were: 1. didn't like school; 2.
failing school; 3. couldn't get along with teachers and couldn't
keep up with school work were the next; low attendance, failing
grades, repeating grades, low student achievement and lack of
student engagement were other major reasons for dropping out. A
student often gave more than one reason, so they don't add up to
100 percent. Most studies show behavioral problems in school, as
well.
8:09:03 AM
MR. RICHMOND said the same exhibit indicated that 12 percent,
about 2,000, of the lowest performing schools in urban areas
produced nearly half of the nation's dropouts. Alaska is
significantly different, because it doesn't have large urban
areas. He explained that part of the reason for the grant is to
come up with programs that are specific to the Alaska condition.
The last exhibit was a California dropout research project
highlighting that dropping out is a process that begins fairly
early for some students. Having to repeat a grade by the 9th
grade is a good indication that a student will drop out.
There are two ways to look at the reasons for dropping out; one
is to say there are cultural and social reasons why students
drop out. Not doing well early in school and being behind
consistently are some things that dropouts all have in common.
Socio economic factors are major predictors of students dropping
out as well. How a student does in third grade is another major
predictor of whether he will graduate or not.
8:11:21 AM
MR. RICHMOND also provided a matrix of known programs from the
Center for the Prevention of Violence used mostly for high
school students that found a connection between student violence
and dropping out. The programs were ranked by eight different
organizations to figure out whether they are working or not, and
they had all been proven in one instance or another to stave off
the symptoms of dropping out of school.
8:12:47 AM
KERRY BOYD, Superintendent, Yukon Koyukuk School District
(YKSD), Fairbanks, stated support for SB 197 and explained that
the district had been in intervention status and removed from
corrective action last year. She said this bill would provide
districts with low performing schools a chance to provide
students with additional support to help them develop their
skills.
She related that YKSD has 9 schools with 300 students spread
over an area the size of the State of Washington; their
correspondence school has 1,000 students. Fortunately, YKSD
received a large federal grant five years ago that provided
funding for professional development, asset development of
students and communities and research-based strategies. This
grant was very difficult for them to receive, because the
federal government looks at sheer numbers in its assessment, and
YKSD is a small district. It is the only one in the State of
Alaska to receive that grant, which they will not receive this
year. Using it, they were able to increase their teacher
retention rate for the last three years, and they combined it
with state funding to bring at least two of their schools from
level five to making AYP.
MS. BOYD said she supported this bill, because the people
issuing federal grants don't understand Alaska's geographic
isolation and are more likely to fund the large urban districts.
SB 197 provides the opportunity to write grants with the
necessary components including the research-based practices,
sustainability and the necessary accountability specifically to
meet local needs. She said they would use this grant for
extended school days and summer programs as they used the school
improvement funds, which have helped a couple of schools go from
level 5 to making AYP consistently. However, once you make AYK
the state removes those funds; so the grant in SB 197 would help
continue that funding.
8:17:09 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said he assumed that a grant like this would try
to improve the dropout number and asked if she agreed with the
dropout assessment.
MS. BOYD answered that in her district students who are behind
in the 10th grade feel at a loss, so they tend to drop out. Her
district is so small that they call each student to try to
encourage them to get back in and she heard all of the reasons
mentioned.
8:18:33 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked how the federal government evaluates the
progress that has been achieved through use of their grants.
MS. BOYD answered that federal representatives do onsite visits
to observe the actual implementation of the grants, but they
really don't understand Alaska's isolation. In wrapping up the
current grant, for example, they wanted to see four sites in the
period of a day and a half. They didn't realize it takes three
hours to fly to just one. They also require ongoing reporting.
Districts have submit fiscal reports, narratives, school report
cards, surveys from families and teachers - all focused on
accountability for what you say you are doing with such large
amounts of money.
8:20:01 AM
NORMAN ECK, Superintendent, Northwest Arctic Borough School
District, Kotzebue, supported SB 197. He thought Mr. Richmond's
data and Ms. Boyd's testimony were both excellent. He said the
Northwest Arctic Borough has 1,950 students in 12 schools in 11
villages. None of the villages are accessible by roads and all
supplies are flown in. He had been employed in the borough for
14 years; one year as a director, 6.5 years as a principle and
he now is in his 7th years as superintendent. Three years ago he
was Alaska Superintendent of the Year.
MR. ECK said one of the most worrisome issues he deals with as a
superintendent is student dropouts. He worries about the
students who he knows might become a dropout. For some students
school work is too hard; all too often these students have a
sense of futility about school and decide to leave. Some leave
because they come from dysfunctional homes and have no support
network. Some leave school to care for a baby they may have had
or they have to care for very young siblings. However, the most
common reason is that the student does not see the relevance of
the school work to their life. If there is no disability, the
reason the school work is too hard is because the student's
reading ability is way below the grade they are in.
8:22:23 AM
MR. ECK said as caring, conscientious educators, they must use
every tool available to help them. Potential dropout students
need hope that they can earn the credits they need to pass the
high school graduation qualifying exam. SB 197 can become an
important avenue of hope for students. The ability to read and
read close to grade level is the single most important thing
students need for success in school.
He explained that in order to graduate from high school,
students must navigate reading materials that are at the 9th
through 12th grade levels. The HSG2E is written at the 8th to
9th grade level. The 9th grade standards based assessment (SBA)
is written at the 9th grade level and the 10th SBA is written at
the 10th grade level. The average adult reads at about the 8th
to 10th grade level. Most text books for high schools are
written at that grade level, but the specific subject content
vocabulary, especially in the sciences, pushes the reading level
up three to four more grade levels.
MR. ECK said with SB 197 in place, he would apply for funding
for a high school dropout prevention reading specialist
position. He would use his high school SBA reading test results
to determine who the 40 lowest performing students are. This
teacher would work with these students' classroom teachers on
reading improvement strategies, do pull out sessions with
students in small groups and one-on-one tutoring. They would fly
students from villages to Kotzebue for intensive reading
seminars to bring up their reading abilities.
He said they know that intervention is more effectively done at
the younger grades, and in the case of these higher grade
levels, given the fact that these students have made it to the
9th grade or above shows that they have the determination to be
in school, certain remediation techniques can be employed that
can help them to raise their reading levels by one, two or three
grade levels over a period of months and a year or two. That
could be the difference between a student staying in school or
dropping out. It could be the difference between passing the
HSG2E or failing it and not graduating with a diploma. He added
that reading is key to success on the map component of the HSG2E
as well as on the writing.
8:24:25 AM
He summarized that his district would write a grant for a total
of $170,000; it would cover an experienced teacher's salary,
benefits and travel to villages and for students to travel to
Kotzebue for intensive seminars two to three times a year. He
said he hoped that SB 197 becomes law so his students could have
this important additional support for student success and
excellence.
8:25:37 AM
TRACEY MARTIN, Teacher, Meadow Lakes Elementary, Mat-Su Borough
School District, Wasilla, said she supported SB 197. She said
her students have benefited directly from the reading specialist
funded by these grant monies and her own further training to be
a better interventionist. They are able to have smaller groups,
which helps them use more targeted interventions for more
success.
MS. MARTIN said they can tell as early as the 2nd grade which
students are going to be in danger of dropping out later on; it
has a direct correlation to their ability to read along with
their attendance.
8:27:06 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS closed public testimony and removed his
objection.
8:27:48 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if Alaska ranked the 12th lowest or 12th
highest in dropout rate.
8:28:22 AM
MR. RICHMOND answered that means there are 48 states that are
doing better than Alaska; but the good news is that we are
moving up. Other states are moving up as well and instilling
these types of programs. It's easy for some districts that have
more problems to get those federal grants.
8:29:19 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said Alaska had gone from being 6th in 2004 to
10th in 2008 and e asked how the Department of Education and
Early Development knows that any progress took place. He
recalled putting substantial amounts of money into education in
2004.
MR. RICHMOND responded since 2004 the way to measure dropouts
across the nation was standardized. Before that, it was kind of
haphazard. For instance, Georgia was at the top of the list for
graduation rates, but it was discovered they were taking the
number of their high school seniors, not the 9th grade cohort
and checking along those lines. Once they had to count all four
cohorts, their dropout rate went significantly higher. A long
term BSA (base student assessment) was established around that
time as districts had the ability to do better budgeting and
accounting.
8:30:53 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said at some point it would be nice to take the
bigger view and ask the department to explain why Alaska
improved between 2004 and 2008 and how it can continue that
improvement.
8:31:21 AM
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, commented that he
could point to a few things, but couldn't definitively answer
the "whys." He said the dropout rate hasn't significantly
changed, but the calculation for the graduation rate had. In
2002 they began collecting dropout data by individual student
using the state individual ID system. This allowed them to track
actual students who dropped out and find who re-enrolled
somewhere else in the state, a transfer. That might have cleaned
up a very small percent.
The other thing that has happened since 2004 is that standards
by grade level were put in place. This assessment program
provides better data and that may have helped illuminate
students' academic deficiencies, because the testing program was
more specific to what was supposed to be learned at grade
levels.
8:33:25 AM
SENATOR STEVENS recalled a big infusion of funds in the 2004
timeframe and he thought the results were tied to that, and said
it would be nice to have some data collection on that.
8:33:49 AM
MR. MORSE said he thought the three-year plan was laid out in
2006. Then over the last couple of years, the federal government
put a significant amount of money into education through
different stimulus packages.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked if their tracking program is being
expanded to gather better statistics on things that are actually
having an impact.
MR. MORSE answered they do have very good tracking of individual
students in terms of academic achievement, so they look at
schools that have more and less gains than other schools and
provide that information to districts. The only data collection
is done for the money received through the Quality Schools
funding, which is in the same chapter. They collect what it is
they are using those dollars for. Nothing has been done to tie
those two data sets together, but it could be done without much
difficulty.
8:36:11 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER moved to report CS for SB 197, version \D, to the
next committee of referral with individual recommendations and
forthcoming fiscal note.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced that without objection, CSSB 197(EDC)
moved from Senate Education Standing Committee.
8:36:37 AM
At ease 8:36 a.m. to 8:37 a.m.
HCR 18-COMMERCIAL FISHERIES PROGRAMS
8:37:54 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS announced the consideration of HCR 18 [CSHCR
18(FSH)am was before the committee].
8:38:15 AM
TIMOTHY CLARK, Staff for Representative Bryce Edgmon, said HCR
18 was a resolution about Alaska businesses and Alaska jobs that
supports the ambitions of young Alaskan fishery entrepreneurs.
He said the commercial fishing industry is among the state's
largest employers and there is plenty of potential for more
Alaskans to take part in it at the most rewarding levels. In
recent decades, the mean age of commercial fishing entry permit
owners has increased from just more than 40 years to nearly 50
years of age. This "greying of the fleet" is happening in part
because it's gotten a lot harder for younger Alaskans to acquire
fish harvesting operations.
8:39:33 AM
MR. CLARK said these days, young people face much higher hurdles
when it comes to financing, and the cost of entry into
commercial fisheries on a diversified level sufficient to
provide a satisfactory income for a skipper and crew is often
more than $350,000. With the increase of limited entry and
rationalized fisheries in recent decades, running a successful
fishing operation requires sharp business management skills,
financial literacy, and the savvy to navigate complex state and
federal regulatory systems.
8:40:43 AM
MR. CLARK said HCR 18 calls on the legislature to become
involved with a University of Alaska undertaking to create ways
to better prepare young Alaskans for these challenges. The
University of Alaska Fisheries, Seafood and Maritime initiative
began last June when UA president, Patrick Gamble, appointed an
18 member working group (Allied Fisheries) to assess and enhance
the development and delivery of programs, courses, research and
information that meet the employment needs of the fishery,
seafood and maritime industries. The goals of this initiative
also include supporting Alaskans, particularly young Alaskans,
in discovering and preparing for the wide range of employment
opportunities in the fishing, seafood and maritime industries.
In recent months, the initiative has evolved to include the
participation of the seafood industry, community development
quota groups, and the Rasmussen Foundation, among others. It's
now time for the legislature to take part.
HCR 18 calls for the Senate President and the House Speaker each
to appoint one member from their respective bodies to act as
liaisons to the University's initiative and report to the
legislature on the initiative's progress. By the end of January
next year, these legislators will make recommendations on ways
the legislature can contribute to any action plan developed
through the initiative.
He said support for HCR 18 is about enabling more of our young
fishers to step from the deck into the wheelhouse and about
helping more Alaskans into solid, skilled careers in several of
our most important industries.
8:41:55 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if migration of fleet ownership to outside
of Alaska is one of the big issues in young people having access
to the industry.
MR. CLARK answered that part of the migration of entry permits
does include fishermen who began as resident Alaskans and after
enjoying a certain degree of success decided to leave the state,
but still continue to fish here.
8:44:03 AM
SENATOR STEVENS commented that staying in Alaska is not a
punishment and it is a shame when the wealth leaves the state.
It is important to help Alaskans stay in the state.
MR. CLARK said the permit holders are businessmen and business
leaders in their communities and contribute to them.
8:45:31 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER, referring to back material, said it looks like
the Upper Yukon gillnet fleet is almost 60 years old and asked
the difference between gear types.
MR. CLARK answered that in some regions a certain gear type will
be more profitable and therefore the entry permit is more
expensive than another gear type. There are certain
inconsistencies, because in some regions the maritime geography
can provide an advantage to a seiner over a gill netter.
Essentially, he explained, in a drift gill net fishery, someone
will set a monofilament net from the stern of the boat, drift
with it for a period of time and distance; fish will become
entangled in it and they will real it back onto the boat picking
the fish out as they go. A seine operation is more elaborate and
requires two boats: the mother ship and a powerful skiff that
tows the other end of the seine net. Essentially you are
intercepting fish, closing the ends of the net into a purse and
then stacking it gradually on the deck until you end up with
fish.
8:48:34 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if seining costs more than gill netting for
a new young person to get into.
MR. CLARK answered that Permits are valued differently in
different regions. For example, in area M, on the Alaska
Peninsula, the seine permits are valued less than the drift gill
net permits, he conjectured mainly because the features of the
region lend overall greater opportunities to drift gill net
fishers, especially on the north peninsula where there are few
capes and few geographical features reaching into the sea that a
seiner could hook off of in terms of predicting where fish would
make a turn. Whereas a drift gill net fisherman can simply hug
the beach, just nose his boat right onto the sand, drop his net
and intercept fish that are swimming in very shallow water.
8:50:11 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if families pass these permits onto their
siblings.
MR. CLARK answered that a great number of permit transfers take
place family member to family member, sometimes with money being
part of the transaction. But those are only a fraction of the
transfers. He added that other situations, like the return of
certain salmon stocks in the Yukon region, can also play a part
in the ages related to permit transfers.
8:51:45 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if this resolution really addresses the
problem of young people in Alaska becoming owners in the fishing
industry. What they really need is financial assistance if it
costs $350,000 to get in.
MR. CLARK answered that the original version of this resolution
was more ambitious and covered financing issues. The
University's initiative that has a great deal of alignment with
the education and training side of the original resolution's
goals came into being just after this resolution was introduced
last spring. The financing side of it rests more squarely with
the Alaska State government both in terms of existing programs,
most particularly the Commercial Fishing Revolving Loan Fund,
which provides loans to Alaska residents, only, for a variety of
fisheries related expenditures and improvement to those loan
programs. Because they exist in statute, they are more or less
the responsibility of the legislature.
MR. CLARK said the better the education younger fishermen using
those existing programs have the more it will help them navigate
what is available to them both from the Commercial Fishing and
Agriculture Bank and through state loan programs. The fishing
industry, unlike some other industries in the state, have a very
well-functioning naturally occurring apprenticeship program in
that almost any able bodied man or woman can pound the docks in
any sizeable port and talk their way onto a boat and be taught
how to do the work.
8:55:54 AM
FRED VILLA, Associate Vice President, Workforce Programs,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, stated support for HCR 18. He
said the two goals of the UA's initiative are to support and
enhance the economy and the communities of Alaska by developing
education and training programs that support a responsive
workforce enabling the fishing, seafood and maritime industries
to stay vibrant and be substantial contributors to the state, as
well as to support those Alaskans, particularly the young ones,
in preparing for the wide range of employment opportunities in
the fishing, seafood and maritime industries.
8:58:48 AM
MR. VILLA identified five clear areas the initiative targets for
success: one is to allow Alaskans to have access to
comprehensive training and education programs that enable them
to meet the workforce needs and take advantage of the career
opportunities. Secondly, to provide a coordinated approach among
all levels of training and education in the State of Alaska from
high schools through the university campuses and the regional
training centers including AVTEC.
9:00:23 AM
MR. VILLA said they had identified five steps to meet their
goal. On March 5 they assembled nearly 70 high stakes industry
employers and leaders to work together to establish a mutual
understanding of the benefits and value of industry and
educational partnerships to meet their business needs and goals.
They want to share a common language across different industry
sectors and within individual industry sectors as a way to
identify their highest priorities and to reach an understanding
of why an industry and occupational gap analysis is needed to
develop a workforce development plan and they wanted to identify
key groups and individuals to support the initiative. To
accomplish this whole initiative, they are considering that the
initial group of 70 and those that will participate further down
will be an advisory committee for the university and the state.
He said they are conducting a training and educational inventory
of the University and regional training centers' current
programs while concurrently developing an occupational
inventory, which would help them create a gap analysis showing
the gaps between what the industry needs and existing education
and training programs.
The gap analysis will help them develop and implement a
workforce development training plan in Alaska. They are in the
final stages of reviewing a comprehensive survey using
Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) research
and analysis data from individual employers throughout the state
on what the occupations are and what training is available for
them, so they can see where the gaps are. The survey will be on
line. Then they will ask the employers what their highest
priorities are and try to address those needs working with the
University system and regional training centers.
9:03:35 AM
JERRY MCCUNE, Lobbyist, United Fisherman of Alaska, Juneau,
supported the approach in HCR 18. He said the Allied Fisheries
is moving on the seafood employment part of it mostly, but other
things in the resolution will be helpful to young men and women
fishermen.
He related that Alaska Sea Grant put on a Young Fishermen's
Summit and six young men and women from Cordova took part in it.
They learned how to write a business plan and how to pay the
money back - all very important because it costs so much to get
into a fishery now. In Cordova, for instance, it costs $600,000
to $800,000 for a seine operation and an average of $250,000 to
$300,000 for a gill net permit. You've got to have a plan
nowadays he said.
The people who took part in this program thought it was very
useful and Mr. McCune thought it should be expanded. He
explained that two years of experience are needed in order to
get a Division of Investment or CFAB loan; the safety and
navigation classes are very useful, too. He added that set net
fisheries are almost 100 percent residents and don't have a high
turnover. That is why the people are older; they take their kids
out and teach them how to fish - especially in the Yukon. It's
not worth it for someone to go up there and fish, but it works
for the residents.
9:05:58 AM
MR. MCCUNE said he thought 76 percent to 79 percent of permits
are held by Alaskan residents. All these programs are very
important. He was impressed that most of the young folks here
had already gone to college and had a degree in order to get
into fishing. So, they have a backup plan, which is very good.
9:06:41 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER commented that it seems like a lot of people
working in the factories or processing plants come not so much
from other states, but other countries, and he wanted to know
how more of our young kids could be attracted to "work the slime
line."
9:07:17 AM
MR. MCCUNE answered that back in the 50s, all the workers were
from Alaskan communities, but the fisheries are a bigger
industry now and a bigger work force is needed. The processors
recruit in Anchorage and everywhere they can, but a lot of the
jobs are remote and long hours. So 30 percent of the workforce
is students from Russian and other places with J1 permits, which
Congress might do away with. Then we would be in big trouble.
Frankly, he said, a lot of local people don't want those jobs
anymore and that most of the young kids in Kodiak and Cordova go
fishing with their families.
9:09:15 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said it was interesting to hear that students
have gotten degrees and then decide to move into the fisheries.
More commonly, you worked for your father. It seems like the big
problem is people getting into the industry and needing some
educational help in finance, economics and how to apply for a
loan. Many of the students they are talking about at the
University will be adults who are already in the industry and
need help moving up in it.
MR. MCCUNE agreed and added that the young folks attending the
Summit told him that they really needed the classes on finances
and business. The seasons are up and down.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked what the seasons are.
MR. MCCUNE explained that Sitka herring starts soon and then
halibut would open on April 19. The trollers fish Kings early,
but the first major red run would be May 15 in the Copper River;
most of the other runs all kick in in June. A lot of Southeast
fisheries wind up with silvers as late as mid-September. You can
fish May 15 to September 15 in Prince William Sound. In Bristol
Bay, you fish for three weeks.
9:12:36 AM
SENATOR FRENCH moved to report CSHCR 18(FSH)AM from committee
with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note.
CO-CHAIR MEYER announced that without objection, CSHCR 18(FSH)
am moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee.
9:14:00 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Meyer adjourned the Senate Education Committee meeting
at 9:14 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB0197A.PDF |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| CS SB 197.pdf |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| SB 197 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| SB197-EED-TLS-2-29-12.pdf |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| Taking Stock.pdf |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |
| HCR018A.PDF |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HCR 18 |
| HCR018B.PDF |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HCR 18 |
| HCR018C.PDF |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HCR 18 |
| HCR018-1-2-021512-FSH-N.PDF |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HCR 18 |
| CSSB 197.pdf |
SEDC 3/14/2012 8:00:00 AM |
SB 197 |