01/27/2014 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB111 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 111 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
January 27, 2014
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Mike Dunleavy, Vice Chair
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Charlie Huggins
Senator Berta Gardner
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 111
"An Act repealing the secondary student competency examination
and related requirements; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB 111(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 111
SHORT TITLE: REPEAL SECONDARY SCHOOL EXIT EXAM
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEVENS, GARDNER
01/22/14 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/14
01/22/14 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/14 (S) EDC, FIN
01/22/14 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/22/14 (S) -- MEETING CANCELED --
01/24/14 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/24/14 (S) Heard & Held
01/24/14 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
01/27/14 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
TIM LAMKIN, Staff
Senator Gary Stevens
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained a change to SB 111 on behalf of
the sponsor.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions related to SB 111.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:00:31 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Stedman, Dunleavy, Huggins, and Chair
Stevens. Senator Gardner arrived shortly thereafter.
SB 111-REPEAL SECONDARY SCHOOL EXIT EXAM
8:01:16 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced that the only order of business would be
SB 111. He noted there was a new version of SB 111 before the
committee.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for SB 111, labeled 28-LS1113\U, as the working
document.
CHAIR STEVENS objected for discussion purposes.
TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained a change in SB 111 on
behalf of the sponsor. He said version U makes one change in
Section 6; it phases out the exit exam to allow students who
failed the exam prior to July 1, 2014, an opportunity to pass it
before it is discontinued entirely. The window to retake the
exam would close on June 30, 2017. This language is consistent
with the Governor's bill [SB 139] to allow those who have not
passed the exam to retake it.
CHAIR STEVENS noted it was the only change in the bill. He asked
Mr. Morse to comment on the new transition language.
8:03:10 AM
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, reported that it was
important to include the transition language in order to allow
students from 2004 to the current date that may hold a
Certificate of Achievement, but did not pass the exit exam, to
retake the test within the next three years.
CHAIR STEVENS noted the arrival of Senator Gardner.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY inquired if the bill eliminates both the exit
exam and the concept of the exit exam.
MR. MORSE said the bill would eliminate the concept of an exit
exam as it currently stands. It does not eliminate assessment
requirements at the high school level.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY surmised that future exams would be readiness
exams.
MR. MORSE agreed.
8:05:44 AM
SENATOR HUGGINS opined that competency exams do not affect
change. He requested Mr. Morse's opinion.
MR. MORSE replied that when the exit exam was enacted, the
educational system was looking for an accountability measure
that would be responsive to post-secondary education, as well as
to industry. It was a concept that made sense at the time, but
now is proving to be a barrier. He maintained that SB 111
attempts to address what makes sense for the next ten to fifteen
years.
SENATOR HUGGINS recalled decreased performance results from the
exam, beginning in 2009. He wondered what school districts could
do if performance continues to decrease.
MR. MORSE reviewed results of the exit exam; reading scores
since the first year of the exam increased, writing scores
decreased, and mathematics scores increased by ten percent. A
positive result was that after passing the exam, students tended
to focus on courses that helped them to be successful after high
school. The exam also promoted new curriculum for students who
did not perform well, especially in writing. It also made aware
the need to be more focused on writing and reading at a much
earlier age.
SENATOR HUGGINS thought the debate on the exit exam was over and
there is a need to focus on larger problems. He noted Alaska's
low rating of 28th or 29th on the Program for International
Student Assessment (PISA).
MR. MORSE agreed.
SENATOR HUGGINS said it was not due to lack of funding. Compared
to all nations Alaska ranks about 40th.
MR. MORSE agreed.
SENATOR HUGGINS urged Alaska to improve.
8:11:52 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked whether the statistic regarding 10 percent
more students passing math included all students who have passed
the exam.
MR. MORSE said those numbers depicted those who passed when
taking the exam for the first time in 10th grade. Today, 76
percent passed; 66 percent passed in 2004 when students were
first held accountable.
CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony. There were no further
testifiers.
CHAIR STEVENS agreed with Senator Huggins that it is time move
on from the exit exam.
[The assumption is that the objection to adopt CSSB 111 was
removed.]
SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to report CSSB 111, Version U, out of
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note.
There being no objection, CSSB 111(EDC) moved from the Senate
Education Standing Committee.
8:13:30 AM
At ease
8:15:21 AM
CHAIR STEVENS noted all members of the committee have signed "Do
Pass."
SENATOR GARDNER requested data from the exit exam for the
previous five years.
SENATOR HUGGINS said today is National School Choice Day.
8:16:29 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stevens adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
at 8:16 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 12_SB111_BillText_VersionU_012514.pdf |
SEDC 1/27/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 111 |
| 13_SB111_SponsorStatment_VersionU_012514.pdf |
SEDC 1/27/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 111 |
| 14_SB111_Sectional_VersionU_012514.pdf |
SEDC 1/27/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SB 111 |