Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205

03/10/2015 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION

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03:30:35 PM Start
03:30:57 PM Presentations: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools 2015; Educator Quality and Quantity; Targeting Student Success Through University Collaboration and Tutoring Intervention
05:17:58 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Presentation: TELECONFERENCED
Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools 2015
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Regent Michael Powers, Chair of the Academic and
Student Affairs Committee
+ Presentation: TELECONFERENCED
Educator Quality and Quantity
Jerry Covey, JSC Consulting on Behalf of the
Citizens for the Educational Advancement of
Alaska's Children
+ Presentation: TELECONFERENCED
Targeting Student Success through University
Collaboration and Tutoring Intervention
Ty Mase, Superintendent, Lake & Peninsula School
District
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
              SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         March 10, 2015                                                                                         
                           3:30 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Mike Dunleavy, Chair                                                                                                    
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair                                                                                             
Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                           
Senator Berta Gardner                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gary Stevens                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PRESENTATIONS: ALASKA'S UNIVERSITY FOR ALASKA'S SCHOOLS 2015;                                                                   
EDUCATOR QUALITY AND QUANTITY; TARGETING STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH                                                                
UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION AND TUTORING INTERVENTION                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
JO HECKMAN, Chair                                                                                                               
University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                                           
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on the University of                                                                
Alaska's Schools 2015 related to teacher education.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL POWERS, Chair                                                                                                           
Academic and Student Affairs Committee                                                                                          
University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                                           
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                             
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on the University of                                                                
Alaska's Schools 2015 related to teacher education.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
STEVE ATWATER, Associate Vice President for K-12 Outreach                                                                       
University of Alaska - Fairbanks                                                                                                
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT: Presented  information on  the training  and                                                             
retention of teachers.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
JERRY COVEY, Consultant                                                                                                         
JSC  Consulting  on  behalf  of   Citizens  for  the  Educational                                                               
Advancement of Alaska's Children (CEAAC)                                                                                        
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT: Presented  information  on Educator  Quality                                                             
and Quantity.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
BARBARA ADAMS, Ph.D.                                                                                                            
Consultant                                                                                                                      
Adams Analytic Solutions                                                                                                        
Nenana, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT: Presented  information  on Educator  Quality                                                             
and Quantity.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
TY MASE, Superintendent                                                                                                         
Lake & Peninsula School District (LPSD)                                                                                         
King Salmon, Alaska                                                                                                             
POSITION  STATEMENT: Presented  information on  Targeting Student                                                             
Success   through    University   Collaboration    and   Tutoring                                                               
Intervention.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:30:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MIKE   DUNLEAVY  called  the  Senate   Education  Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order at 3:30  p.m. Present at the  call to                                                               
order were Senators Giessel, Gardner, and Chair Dunleavy.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
 ^Presentations: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools 2015;                                                                 
 Educator Quality and Quantity; Targeting Student Success through                                                               
       University Collaboration and Tutoring Intervention                                                                       
 Presentations: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools 2015;                                                              
 Educator Quality and Quantity; Targeting Student Success through                                                           
       University Collaboration and Tutoring Intervention                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:30:57 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced that there  would be three presentations                                                               
related to the topic of recruiting and training teachers.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:31:40 PM                                                                                                                    
JO  HECKMAN,  Chair,  University  of  Alaska  Board  of  Regents,                                                               
presented information on the University  of Alaska's Schools 2015                                                               
related to teacher  education. She introduced Mr.  Powers and Mr.                                                               
Atwater  and others  in  the audience  from  the university.  She                                                               
pointed out that AS 14.40.190(b) was  signed into law in 2008 and                                                               
requires the  University Board of  Regents to  present biannually                                                               
to  the Alaska  State  Legislature a  report  that describes  the                                                               
efforts  of   the  university  to  attract,   train,  and  retain                                                               
qualified  public  school  teachers.  She said  the  report  will                                                               
provide  data on  teacher education  programs and  graduates, and                                                               
will  discusses  initiatives  across   the  system  to  encourage                                                               
students to enter teaching.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:33:35 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL POWERS, Chair, Academic and Student Affairs Committee,                                                                  
University of  Alaska Board of Regents,  presented information on                                                               
the  University  of  Alaska's Schools  2015  related  to  teacher                                                               
education.   He   discussed   "Shaping  Alaska's   Future,"   the                                                               
university's strategic plan  with a focus on quality  of life and                                                               
economic potential. In  2011, under the direction  of Pat Gamble,                                                               
the university embarked on the  strategic plan. Many meetings and                                                               
a   broad  survey   showed  the   need  for   accountability  and                                                               
measurement  within  education,   the  likelihood  of  continuing                                                               
budget restraints,  and the growing  choices student have  due to                                                               
mobility and distance delivery.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He related that the two-year  effort lead to five themes: student                                                               
achievement,   productive  partnerships   with  Alaska   schools,                                                               
productive  partnerships  with  public  and  private  industries,                                                               
research  and   development  to  enhance  economic   growth,  and                                                               
accountability to  Alaskans relative to partnerships  with Alaska                                                               
schools.  The  focus  is  on  three  key  outcomes:  high  school                                                               
graduation  requirements are  clearly  aligned and  communicated,                                                               
teacher  retention  in rural  Alaska  will  equal that  of  urban                                                               
Alaska,  and strategic  planning  will focus  on partnerships  to                                                               
improve the college-going rate.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He said the  plan would encompass the three  major campuses, UAA,                                                               
UAF  and UAS,  who  will collaborate  on  targeting and  training                                                               
teachers.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:37:15 PM                                                                                                                    
STEVE  ATWATER,  Associate  Vice  President  for  K-12  Outreach,                                                               
University of  Alaska - Fairbanks,  presented information  on the                                                               
training and retention of teachers.  He said the university's two                                                               
schools of education  and one college of  education prepare about                                                               
a  third  of  the  number  of teachers  needed  for  Alaska.  The                                                               
university  is  working  to  increase  its  number  of  education                                                               
graduates to about  50 percent. He referred to table  1 on page 2                                                               
of a handout  to show how many education  program graduates there                                                               
were from  2007 to 2014.  In 2014  there were 237  graduates, the                                                               
second highest number.  Chart 1 on the same page  shows the level                                                               
of endorsement during the same period of time.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He related  that chart 2  on page 3  shows a declining  number of                                                               
special education  graduates, overall, but the  initial number of                                                               
certificates for  special education  remains flat.  He speculated                                                               
that the  cause for  the decline was  heavier caseloads  and more                                                               
students with severe disabilities.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
He drew  attention to chart  3 and  tables 2-5, which  show where                                                               
2013-14  new  graduates  are  going  for  employment.  Shown  are                                                               
various  careers and  wages  and disparity  in  wages five  years                                                               
after employment, depending on the field.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He spoke of  Alaska Native Educators and the  successes they have                                                               
as teachers who  understand the culture of  their students. There                                                               
is a positive  effect for students who have a  teacher who shares                                                               
their culture.  There is  a need  for the  state to  prepare more                                                               
Alaska  Native   teachers.  He  reported   that  last   year  the                                                               
university prepared the highest  number of Alaska Native teachers                                                               
in  the past  eight years.  Chart 4  on page  6 shows  a positive                                                               
trend  in an  increase of  Alaska Native  teachers. He  described                                                               
some  of  the efforts  to  attract  and retain  Native  teachers:                                                               
federal  grant  funding  to UAF  for  Native  teacher  education,                                                               
strengthening  teacher  preparation,  and UAA  partnerships  with                                                               
rural school districts.  There is also outreach from  each of the                                                               
universities.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   GIESSEL  noted   similar   programs   in  nursing   and                                                               
engineering. She asked  how many Native students  return to rural                                                               
areas to  teach. She noted  in her experience, teachers  in rural                                                               
areas come from other states.  She asked if the university tracks                                                               
the number of Native teachers who go to rural communities.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. ATWATER  said he  would provide  that information  shortly in                                                               
the  presentation. He  pointed  out that  the  overall number  of                                                               
Native  teachers is  miniscule compared  to the  total number  of                                                               
teachers, however, the  trend to employ Native  teachers in rural                                                               
schools is positive.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:42:55 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  HECKMAN  discussed  the  employer   ratings  of  UA  program                                                               
graduates   in  the   classroom  and   how  the   graduates  view                                                               
themselves. She  provided survey data in  table 5 on page  7. The                                                               
vast  majority of  teachers  are  doing very  well  in their  new                                                               
positions. Table  6 on page  8 shows UA program  graduates' self-                                                               
assessment   of  skills.   The  information   is  used   to  make                                                               
improvements in the teacher preparation program.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:44:16 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. POWERS addressed the university's  partnership with schools -                                                               
theme two  of the strategic  plan. He  shared a survey  the board                                                               
did with  54 school districts regarding  teacher preparation. The                                                               
key issue that came up was  the new teacher's relationship with a                                                               
senior teacher or mentor.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY noted the arrival of Senator Huggins.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. ATWATER  continued with the  discussion of the  importance of                                                               
Alaska-prepared educators in remote  schools. Teachers trained in                                                               
Alaska  tend to  stay  longer  in rural  sites,  which helps  the                                                               
schools have  better success. He  referred to  table 7 on  page 9                                                               
that shows the importance of  teacher stability. As a result, the                                                               
university is  sending more pre-service teachers  to rural Alaska                                                               
schools for practicums and student teaching.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He discussed the challenge of  staffing schools with the best and                                                               
brightest  teachers.  Across the  country  there  is a  dwindling                                                               
supply of  teachers, which  is not good  news for  Alaska because                                                               
about 2/3  of teachers hired  come from out of  state. Therefore,                                                               
the  university is  spending more  time recruiting  teachers from                                                               
the  Lower  48 and  is  revitalizing  teacher education.  Teacher                                                               
placement outreach  has expanded  its function by  increasing job                                                               
fairs  from 9  to 16  and making  recruiting presentations  to 13                                                               
Lower  48 teacher  preparation programs.  The university  is also                                                               
doing more  outreach to  high schools, using  a grant  program to                                                               
reach rural Native students, and updating FEA.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked what FEA is.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. ATWATER clarified  that it means Future  Educators of Alaska.                                                               
He shared  an example  of a  student from  St. Paul,  Alaska, who                                                               
returned   there  to   teach  after   hearing   about  FEA.   The                                                               
university's  colleges  of  education are  expanding  efforts  to                                                               
train  teachers   in  a  variety   of  ways.  The   Alaska  Rural                                                               
Paraprofessional Program  is training classroom aides  with a lot                                                               
of experience to become teachers.  The university is reaching out                                                               
to  similar  schools  in  the  Lower  48  to  target  pre-service                                                               
juniors. The university  is also offering mentoring  to new hires                                                               
through  the  Alaska State  Mentoring  Program.  He assured  that                                                               
state money used for the program is making a difference.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:51:01 PM                                                                                                                    
He addressed  additional ways  of meeting  the needs  of Alaska's                                                               
schools  through the  Revitalizing  Teacher  Education in  Alaska                                                               
plan.  It will  more closely  align  courses in  the colleges  of                                                               
education at  all campuses. He  noted the plan will  also improve                                                               
the rigor  and selectivity  of university  teacher certification,                                                               
graduate  50  percent  more  teachers  who  have  certifications,                                                               
partner  with the  state  and with  districts  to reduce  teacher                                                               
turnover, and collaborate to eliminate barriers and duplication.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER asked for ways  of improving the rigor of teacher                                                               
certification.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ATWATER  replied  that  they  are  driven  by  accreditation                                                               
standards that the university must  comply with regarding raising                                                               
the bar as to who gets into the program.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL discussed  the  transfer of  credits within  the                                                               
university system.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ATWATER said  that 95  percent of  credits can  now transfer                                                               
between sites.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  POWERS added  that transfer  of  credit has  been an  active                                                               
topic on the regent's agenda.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked if it is one university system.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. POWERS said  it is three campuses within  one university. UAF                                                               
is  the  research  college;  UAA  is  the  business  and  nursing                                                               
college; and UAS has an emphasis on mines and education.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. HECKMAN said  that question has been around a  long time. She                                                               
stated that  there is one  university system with  three separate                                                               
accredited  universities  with   separate  missions.  The  system                                                               
encompasses  a commonality  of all  the policies  and procedures.                                                               
She  agreed that  the problem  of transferring  credits has  been                                                               
solved.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:55:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said the responses to the question differed.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  POWERS  agreed   with  Ms.  Heckman  -   one  system,  three                                                               
universities.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  said it  has always been  confusing. He  shared a                                                               
past experience with credits.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HECKMAN  reported  that  the regents  feel  that  they  have                                                               
encouraged collaboration  amongst the three  university campuses.                                                               
The focus is now on collaboration and student success.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   GARDNER  asked   why   the   campuses  are   separately                                                               
accredited.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  POWERS said  due to  the different  focuses at  each campus,                                                               
accreditation  varies. The  research  focus at  UAF  makes for  a                                                               
different  accreditation  process than  UAS,  which  has a  local                                                               
focus.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARDNER   summarized  that  the   accreditation  process                                                               
differs because each campus has its own focus.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  POWERS agreed.  He stressed  the importance  of keeping  the                                                               
strategic plan alive and said the  regents are taking that on and                                                               
promoting it.  He noted  that employer  and graduate  ratings are                                                               
high,  as are  other areas,  due to  the focus  on the  strategic                                                               
plan.  He talked  about learning  about  the crushing  regulatory                                                               
burden on  teachers and problems  with classroom  management from                                                               
calls the  regents made  to school  districts. He  emphasized the                                                               
involvement of the regents in promoting the strategic plan.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:02:25 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  ATWATER  asked  whether  Alaska's  University  for  Alaska's                                                               
Schools should be a bi-annual report or a yearly report.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked what the purpose was behind SB 241.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. ATWOOD replied that Alaska  was not producing enough teachers                                                               
for Alaska.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  maintained that teacher turnover  numbers are not                                                               
significantly higher  today than they  were in 1983. Most  are in                                                               
rural Alaska. He said the university  can't force a person into a                                                               
major. He  suggested the issue  of retention should  be revisited                                                               
in  light  of  today's  financial climate.  He  agreed  that  the                                                               
regulatory  burden  on  teachers  is   an  issue.  He  also  said                                                               
retirement benefits and salaries  have changed. He suggested that                                                               
the research has been done on  the mentor project and it would be                                                               
valuable to use it for future discussions.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:06:43 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. ATWATER said  recently Senator Bishop brought  up how Finland                                                               
views their teacher profession.  He commented that teacher growth                                                               
is not a university issue, but society's issue.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY commented on the  fact that freshmen are coming to                                                               
the university unprepared. He said K-12  was not designed to be a                                                               
feeder program to  the university, but that has  changed. He said                                                               
that  the University  of Alaska  has one  of the  best university                                                               
systems in the  world. He said he was  opposed to standardization                                                               
in  the university  system. He  maintained that  lack of  revenue                                                               
will  deepen the  discussion.  He concluded  that  some of  these                                                               
issues are not new.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He thanked the presenters.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:10:50 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:11:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY noted  the next presentation would  be on Citizens                                                               
for the Educational Advancement of Alaska's Children (CEAAC).                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
JERRY  COVEY, Consultant,  JSC Consulting  on behalf  of Citizens                                                               
for the  Educational Advancement of Alaska's  Children, presented                                                               
information  on  Educator  Quality and  Quantity.  He  introduced                                                               
himself.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
BARBARA  ADAMS,  Ph.D.,  Consultant,  Adams  Analytic  Solutions,                                                               
presented  information  on  Educator Quality  and  Quantity.  She                                                               
introduced herself.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  asked if CEAAC hired  Mr. Covey and Ms.  Adams to                                                               
do research on teacher quality and quantity.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY said  yes. He  explained  that CEAAC  is a  non-profit                                                               
organization comprised  of urban and rural  school districts that                                                               
advocate for educational  issues. One of their goals  was to look                                                               
into and address issues related  to educator quality and quantity                                                               
in  Alaska. He  related that  the  state turns  over about  1,000                                                               
teachers  annually and  about 65  percent of  teachers come  from                                                               
outside  of the  state.  That  has a  detrimental  impact to  the                                                               
state's educational system and to students.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:14:39 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. ADAMS turned to some  of the issues facing Alaska's education                                                               
workforce. She  said, on average,  64 percent of teachers  in the                                                               
last five years were hired  from outside Alaska. District teacher                                                               
turnover ranged  from 7 percent  to 52 percent in  2012. Turnover                                                               
rate  for teachers  prepared  outside Alaska  is  double that  of                                                               
teachers prepared in Alaska. Half  of Alaska's K-12 are minority,                                                               
but over 90 percent of  teachers are white. Currently, 85 percent                                                               
of all applicants  to the UA teacher training  program fall short                                                               
of  minimum  qualification  contained in  the  new  accreditation                                                               
standards planned for implementation in 2020.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY asked  for  clarification  of the  qualifications                                                               
required.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. ADAMS  said they  are based  on SAT  scores, test  scores, or                                                               
GPA.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  asked if it  is assumed that the  candidates will                                                               
not be able to deal with the rigor of the program.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. ADAMS countered  that the candidates may not be  at the level                                                               
of  the starting  point of  the program;  not that  they couldn't                                                               
deal with it.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY  spoke  of  a  model they  developed  based  on  their                                                               
research,  with  goals  for  a  systemic  change.  He  said  they                                                               
interviewed various groups  and gathered data to  create a model.                                                               
The research resulted  in 16 recommendations. He  said their work                                                               
had a  systemic approach. He  recalled the lack  of collaboration                                                               
and  cooperation  between  various educational  entities  in  the                                                               
past, but  that now there are  joint efforts with an  issue whose                                                               
time  has come.  He  said the  model is  a  systems approach  and                                                               
contains  measurable outcomes  and  cultural relevance.  Teachers                                                               
must be prepared to adapt to the culture they are teaching in.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:20:34 PM                                                                                                                    
He  addressed  the  overriding goal  of  strengthening  the  K-12                                                               
certificated  workforce by  training 60  percent of  Alaska's new                                                               
hires by  2025. He  recommended an  assessment of  the university                                                               
system to  determine how  many new teachers  they are  capable of                                                               
turning out.  Another goal is  to develop and keep  the workforce                                                               
Alaska has,  with a  goal of  a 90  percent proficiency  level by                                                               
2025.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. ADAMS related  that the model came from  common thinking from                                                               
various   educational  leaders   and  the   recommendations  have                                                               
different backing  at different  levels. She reiterated  that the                                                               
ensuing goals are part of a  systemic approach. Under the goal to                                                               
expand the Alaska-grown workforce,  there are several commitments                                                               
needed. The first is to raise  standards for entry into, and exit                                                               
from,  Alaska's  educator  programs.  Another  commitment  is  to                                                               
increase  and  strengthen  bridge programs  to  attract  minority                                                               
groups into  education careers,  by looking  at models  that have                                                               
worked.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY pointed out that in  rural areas 95 percent of students                                                               
are  Alaska Native  and  about  4 percent  to  5  percent of  all                                                               
teachers are Native.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:24:05 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. ADAMS said  that another commitment would be  to increase the                                                               
university's  capacity  for  educator  preparation  in  order  to                                                               
produce   60  percent   of  Alaska   educators  hired   annually.                                                               
University  leaders  say  they  might be  able  to  increase  the                                                               
capacity by 25 percent by structures that are already in place.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
She  said the  fourth commitment  is to  increase and  strengthen                                                               
pre-service field experience.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARDNER  asked for  the  dropout  rate from  pre-service                                                               
training. She  assumed that those  who completed  the pre-service                                                               
requirements might stay in the field long term.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY  said  he  didn't   know.  The  pre-service  has  been                                                               
identified as  inadequate systemically.  The plan  is to  get the                                                               
students   into  the   field  much   earlier  and   provide  more                                                               
opportunities  to learn  about  the  teaching profession.  School                                                               
districts do have some data on  the impact of pre-service on hire                                                               
and on retention.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:26:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  ADAMS  related  that  a fifth  commitment  is  to  establish                                                               
laboratory schools in  urban and rural hub  communities. They can                                                               
be used  for teacher training  and for pre-service  experience. A                                                               
sixth  commitment   is  to  provide  a   systematic  process  for                                                               
improving  educator  preparation  using stakeholder  and  outcome                                                               
feedback. This involves building partnerships.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked what a laboratory school looks like.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. ADAMS  explained that it  is usually a partnership  between a                                                               
university and  a K-12  system in  a district.  Often there  is a                                                               
mission  and built-in  research  with  fluidity and  interaction.                                                               
They usually target different ideas.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said  lab schools partner with  the university and                                                               
often   have   practice   teachers,  counselors,   and   research                                                               
curriculum.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. ADAMS said Hawaii has model lab schools.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY  added  that  lab  schools  also  address  pre-service                                                               
education and professional development.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:29:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked  if they have presented their  report to the                                                               
university.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY  said they are  scheduled to present to  the university                                                               
and to the State Board of Education.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER  asked if student  teaching is  pre-service field                                                               
experience and whether the plan  is to increase and strengthen it                                                               
by extending the duration of student teaching.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY  said it  may include  that and  it may  include having                                                               
university  students  in  schools  with K-12  students  prior  to                                                               
student teaching.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARDNER asked  if there  has been  discussion of  having                                                               
longer student teaching requirements.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ADAMS said  yes,  and also  discussion  about more  frequent                                                               
student contact early on.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:31:44 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGGINS  recalled  a  goal  in  Texas  to  have  student                                                               
teachers  spend  more  time  in   the  school  instead  of  in  a                                                               
classroom. He asked if there is data on that.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY said no.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS gave  an example of a teacher that  does not look                                                               
like  the  students.  He  wondered  if  education  standards  are                                                               
lowered by using teachers that look like the students.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY said  the opposite is happening and there  is value and                                                               
documentation regarding placing Alaska  Native teachers in Alaska                                                               
schools. The goal is to have teachers be of high caliber.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS talked about role models.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:35:20 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY   noted  that  the  Alaska   Native  Science  and                                                               
Engineering Program (ANSEP) is a  good example of Native teachers                                                               
and Native students in a rigorous program.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY addressed  the goal  of recruitment.  He spoke  of the                                                               
commitment to expand the FEA  program into every school district,                                                               
which has  been underutilized in  the past.  The plan is  to work                                                               
with the  university to increase  the program so it  is available                                                               
to  students  throughout the  state.  It  is  a low-cost  way  to                                                               
increase the number of teachers.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He said another commitment is  to revisit the salary and benefits                                                               
package for  teachers. He referenced HB  278 and a study  that is                                                               
reviewing  the  impact of  salary  and  benefits on  the  teacher                                                               
workforce.  He mentioned  alternative certification  programs and                                                               
loan forgiveness as strategies.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.   ADAMS   turned   to  recommendations   under   professional                                                               
development.  The first  is to  increase the  time of  the school                                                               
year by 10 days for the purpose of professional development.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY noted the cost to  upgrade the K-12 program and said it                                                               
may not be  feasible in the foreseeable future, but  said it is a                                                               
good idea.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:40:55 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  ADAMS   related  the   commitment  to   implement  voluntary                                                               
statewide curricula in order to  pull together resources, such as                                                               
with the core content areas.  Training and support for this would                                                               
come out  of the  Department of  Education and  Early Development                                                               
(DEED) and relieve the districts from those responsibilities.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER asked if curricula is recommended now.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY said  each school district develops  its own curricula.                                                               
There are state standards, but  the curricula is developed by the                                                               
district. Not all small districts  have the ability and resources                                                               
to do this.  He suggested that professional  development would be                                                               
more  focused  with  a  unified  curriculum,  there  would  be  a                                                               
positive  impact on  the workforce,  and it  would be  easier for                                                               
students who move between districts.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER assumed that districts  talk with each other. She                                                               
questioned if there is really that much variety in curricula.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY said they  do talk to each other, but  there is quite a                                                               
variety.  He noted  a survey  being conducted  to determine  what                                                               
that variety is.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:44:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  said it  is law that  districts select  their own                                                               
curriculum, but there are probably similarities.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ADAMS talked  about expanding  the  Alaska Statewide  Mentor                                                               
Project.  She  said  they  are  in  the  middle  of  research  to                                                               
determine its  impact on teacher retention,  quality, and student                                                               
achievement. Another  recommendation is  to develop  UA curricula                                                               
to address Alaska's unique needs.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:46:06 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. COVEY said  the final item is on teacher  retention. There is                                                               
a  commitment  to  continue district  teacher  retention  grants,                                                               
which started through the Moore settlement.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked about the  retiree hire concept for teachers                                                               
and administrators. He suggested advantages of the program.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. COVEY  said that strategy  is included under  the recruitment                                                               
section. There is  a plan to bring retirees back  into the system                                                               
to  work  in  hard-to-fill  jobs,  especially  in  low-performing                                                               
schools.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  brought up ANSEP program  expansion and suggested                                                               
it  should be  part of  teacher training.  He pointed  out it  is                                                               
often hard  to take a  look at what is  good for children  and he                                                               
hoped that would happen now.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:50:39 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR   HUGGINS  asked   about  professional   development  for                                                               
administrators and targeting  professional development for gifted                                                               
educators.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  COVEY related  his meeting  with the  Alaska Superintendents                                                               
Association  where they  all reported  having a  mentor. He  said                                                               
there  was  a  high  turnover of  superintendents  who  were  not                                                               
mentored.  He suggested  a need  to move  forward with  mentoring                                                               
programs.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS used  a football  analogy to  describe how  good                                                               
schools attract good teachers.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY announced  that  the next  presentation would  be                                                               
from the Lake and Peninsula School District.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:57:43 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:00:12 PM                                                                                                                    
TY  MASE,  Superintendent,  Lake   &  Peninsula  School  District                                                               
(LPSD),  presented  information   on  Targeting  Student  Success                                                               
through  University Collaboration  and Tutoring  Intervention. He                                                               
said he would share innovative  practices in the Lake & Peninsula                                                               
School District.  He described his  collaborative work  with Bill                                                               
Hill  from the  Bristol Bay  School District  (BBSD) regarding  a                                                               
science  camp,  professional  development, career  and  technical                                                               
education,  short-term  residential programs,  federal  programs,                                                               
student  activities  and  travel,  staff,  grants,  instructional                                                               
leadership, and facilities.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:01:29 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  MASE discussed  the grant  funded tutoring  program at  LPSD                                                               
that is  shared with BBSD. He  showed a video about  the tutoring                                                               
program. He provided a story about  how the first tutor was hired                                                               
and said  there are currently nine  tutors. There is also  an on-                                                               
line tutoring program.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:06:52 PM                                                                                                                    
He talked  about the on-site  tutoring program which  costs about                                                               
$10,000 per  tutor and  how nine  tutors equals  the cost  of one                                                               
full-time teacher. He  emphasized the impact nine  tutors have on                                                               
their districts.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked how much they work.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. MASE  said they work January  through May and some  come back                                                               
to work in the classroom the following year.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  asked if tutors  are under a  classified contract                                                               
and if they work out, can be hired to stay on as teachers.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MASE said  it is  a three-month-long  interview. Right  now,                                                               
one-third  of the  staff  has  come from  this  program. He  said                                                               
academic achievement has  increased due to the  program. He spoke                                                               
of the  advantage of  recruiting and  training an  "academic swat                                                               
team".  Staff retention  has increased;  eight  tutors have  been                                                               
with the school for five  years. The tutoring program also brings                                                               
wonderful energy to the schools.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
5:09:47 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. MASE  described the on-line  tutoring program which  is lower                                                               
cost, but labor  intensive. There is a .5 FTE  position in charge                                                               
of the  program and the  subscription is about $15,000  per year.                                                               
He said  54 students  from LPSD  and 10  students from  BBSC have                                                               
distance-delivered  individual  tutors  from  the  University  of                                                               
Alaska - Anchorage, Kutztown University  of PA, Centenary College                                                               
in  New  Jersey,  and Western  Oregon  University.  Students  are                                                               
identified by  diagnostic assessment  and tutors are  juniors and                                                               
seniors in  university education.  He gave an  example of  an on-                                                               
line tutor  who was recently  hired by  LPSD as an  on-site tutor                                                               
and then as a teacher.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He noted  university professors do  a great job with  the tutors.                                                               
He  listed  the  advantages  of  the  on-line  tutoring  program;                                                               
academics have increased,  it is a live learning  lab for college                                                               
students,  and the  tutors are  like "Big  Brothers/Big Sisters."                                                               
The  program  works great  for  advanced  academic work  and  for                                                               
providing role models.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:12:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GARDNER  noted that the Big  Brothers/Big Sisters program                                                               
has  a  difficult time  finding  volunteers.  She asked  how  the                                                               
university students  are recruited  and vetted,  especially those                                                               
from out of state.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MASE  said it  is  different  at  every university.  UAA  is                                                               
struggling  to recruit  tutors and  is looking  at embedding  the                                                               
program in  methods courses. In  Pennsylvania the  program serves                                                               
as exciting  reality TV  and tutors have  to apply  and interview                                                               
for the job. Students there are turned away every year.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARDNER  asked  about  classroom  "flipping"  where  the                                                               
instructor records a  lesson and students do the  lesson at home;                                                               
students do homework in the classroom.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. MASE  said that  idea could  work in  several sites.  In some                                                               
sites it would difficult with a  lack of bandwidth and support at                                                               
home.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:15:20 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GARDNER  noted  the advantages  of  working  with  other                                                               
districts  and suggested  that  there might  be  some benefit  in                                                               
reducing the number of districts.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MASE opined  that  the model  LPSD and  BBSD  have can  work                                                               
without  the consolidation  of  districts.  Most districts  would                                                               
like to  have their own  identity, so the collaboration  model is                                                               
trying to  bring districts as  close together as possible,  be as                                                               
fiscally responsible as possible,  and provide a better education                                                               
for students.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY thanked Mr. Mase. He said more discussion is                                                                     
needed about the future of education.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:17:58 PM                                                                                                                    
There being nothing further to come before the committee, Chair                                                                 
Dunleavy adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee at                                                                   
5:17 p.m.                                                                                                                       

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
UA Board of Regents Report.pdf SEDC 3/10/2015 3:30:00 PM
Teacher Quality and Quantity Report.pdf SEDC 3/10/2015 3:30:00 PM
L&P Overview.pdf SEDC 3/10/2015 3:30:00 PM
L&P University Collaboration.pdf SEDC 3/10/2015 3:30:00 PM
SB 64 - Legislation.pdf SEDC 3/10/2015 3:30:00 PM
SB 64