Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 106

01/20/2016 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

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Audio Topic
08:01:39 AM Start
08:02:04 AM Presentation: Alaska Measures of Progress Testing; Every Student Succeeds Act
10:03:23 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Joint with House Education
Discussion on Alaska Measures of Progress Testing
Lee Posey, NCSL
-Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Presentation
Mike Hanley, DEED Commissioner
-Alaska Measures of Progress
+ -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- TELECONFERENCED
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
                         JOINT MEETING                                                                                        
              SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
               HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                        January 20, 2016                                                                                        
                           8:01 a.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
 Senator Mike Dunleavy, Chair                                                                                                   
 Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair                                                                                            
 Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                          
 Senator Gary Stevens                                                                                                           
 Senator Berta Gardner                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
 Representative Wes Keller, Chair                                                                                               
 Representative Liz Vazquez, Vice Chair                                                                                         
 Representative Jim Colver                                                                                                      
 Representative Paul Seaton                                                                                                     
 Representative David Talerico                                                                                                  
 Representative Harriet Drummond                                                                                                
 Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
 All members present                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
 All members present                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Lynn Gattis                                                                                                      
Representative Lora Reinbold                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
PRESENTATION: ALASKA MEASURES OF  PROGRESS TESTING; EVERY STUDENT                                                               
SUCCEEDS ACT                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
LEE POSEY, Federal Affairs Counsel                                                                                              
Education Committee                                                                                                             
National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL)                                                                                 
Washington, D.C.                                                                                                                
POSITION  STATEMENT: Provided  information on  the Every  Student                                                             
Succeeds Act (ESSA).                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
LISA SKILES PARADY, Executive Director                                                                                          
Alaska Council of School Administrators                                                                                         
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION   STATEMENT:  Related   information  about   the  Alaska                                                             
Measures of Progress (AMP).                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner                                                                                                       
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)                                                                            
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided information on the  Alaska Measures                                                             
of Progress (AMP).                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MARGARET MACKINNON, Director                                                                                                    
Assessment and Accountability                                                                                                   
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)                                                                            
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Provided information on the  Alaska Measures                                                             
of Progress (AMP).                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:01:39 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MIKE  DUNLEAVY called the  joint meeting of the  Senate and                                                             
House  Education  Standing  Committees  to  order  at  8:01  a.m.                                                               
Present  at the  call to  order were  Senators Huggins,  Giessel,                                                               
Stevens,  Gardner,   and  Chair  Dunleavy,   and  Representatives                                                               
Seaton, Vazquez, Colver,  Drummond, Kreiss-Tomkins, Talerico, and                                                               
Chair Keller.                                                                                                                   
^PRESENTATION:  Alaska   MEASURES  OF  PROGRESS   TESTING;  EVERY                                                               
STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT                                                                                                            
 PRESENTATION: ALASKA MEASURES OF PROGRESS TESTING; EVERY STUDENT                                                           
                          SUCCEEDS ACT                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:02:04 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be  a presentation  on  the Every  Student  Succeeds Act  (ESSA),                                                               
followed by  a presentation on  the Alaska Measures  of Progress.                                                               
He introduced  the members of  the committees. He noted  that the                                                               
meeting was informational only.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER introduced  the first  presenter,  Lee Posey,  from                                                               
NCSL, a bipartisan  group. Chair Keller opined that  ESSA is part                                                               
of  the problem,  not  part  of the  solution  due  to the  ever-                                                               
increasing  control of  education by  the federal  government. He                                                               
said  he was  especially interested  in hearing  how the  state's                                                               
rights have increased. He said ESSA goes into effect in August.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY noted the arrival of Representative Drummond.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  commented that today's  topics are  important and                                                               
it is Alaska's  responsibility to provide the  best education for                                                               
its students.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:06:31 AM                                                                                                                    
LEE   POSEY,  Federal   Affairs  Counsel,   Education  Committee,                                                               
National  Conference   of  State  Legislature   (NCSL),  provided                                                               
information on the  Every Student Succeeds Act  (ESSA). She began                                                               
by  informing  the  committee  about  the  reauthorizing  of  the                                                               
Elementary and  Secondary Education Act  (ESEA) to No  Child Left                                                               
Behind (NCLB), in  2002. She said it is NCSL's  opinion that NCLB                                                               
pushed  the   pendulum  of  control   too  far  to   the  federal                                                               
government. There were many problems from a state perspective.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
She listed  some of  the problems  with NCLB:  federally mandated                                                               
targets  for  school  achievements   and  interventions  for  not                                                               
meeting those  requirements and mandated 100  percent proficiency                                                               
in  reading and  math by  2014  measured by  the Adequate  Yearly                                                               
Progress  requirement. She  said  in  order to  get  out of  NCLB                                                               
requirements, states  had to seek  onerous waivers from  the U.S.                                                               
Department of Education. In addition,  the Race to the Top grants                                                               
tied  funding to  common academic  standards and  assessments and                                                               
other federally mandated policies.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:10:20 AM                                                                                                                    
MS. POSEY continued  to describe the path  of the reauthorization                                                               
of   NCLB   to  ESEA.   The   U.S.   House  and   Senate   passed                                                               
reauthorization bills  the summer of  2015 and then  a conference                                                               
committee adopted  a conference report  on November 19,  2015. It                                                               
was signed into law on December 10, 2015.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
She read a  quote from the Wall Street Journal  referring to ESSA                                                               
as "... the  largest devolution of federal control  to the states                                                               
in a quarter century."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:13:12 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY recognized Representatives  Reinbold and Gattis in                                                               
attendance.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY  described what  was in  the bill  for the  states. The                                                               
bill provided for state  legislative involvement, prohibitions on                                                               
federal authority, and a new  approach for accountability with no                                                               
more  Adequate Yearly  Progress (AYP).  Each state  department of                                                               
education   must  now   consult  with   its  legislature   before                                                               
submitting a Title I plan to the U.S. Department of Education.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
She listed what  the federal government is  prohibited from doing                                                               
under ESSA. It cannot dictate  standards or assessments. She said                                                               
there is a new approach for accountability and no more AYP.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:16:48 AM                                                                                                                    
She detailed the implementation timeline  from ESEA to ESSA. ESEA                                                               
flexibility waivers  ended as  of 8/1/2016.  State plans  will be                                                               
developed  in  the  2016-2017  school  year  and  will  be  fully                                                               
implementation  in  the  2017-2018  school year.  There  will  be                                                               
continuing regulation  and guidance  from the U.S.  Department of                                                               
Education regarding  ESSA. Competitive  funding for FY  2016 will                                                               
flow under  current law; FY  2017 dollars will flow  through ESSA                                                               
provisions.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:20:43 AM                                                                                                                    
MS.   POSEY  described   a   new   approach  for   state-designed                                                               
accountability.  There  are  some required  indicators,  such  as                                                               
academic   achievement   measured   by  proficiency   on   annual                                                               
assessments or by another measure  such as academic growth. Other                                                               
required  indicators   are  the  progress  of   English  Language                                                               
Learners and  a measure  of school  quality and  student success.                                                               
For high schools, graduation rates are also indicators.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
States must  now weigh  the academic  measures more  heavily than                                                               
the  other indicators  and  will also  need  to incorporate  test                                                               
participation in their accountability system.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She  commented  on   the  new  role  of   assessments.  The  NCLB                                                               
assessment schedule remains. There is  hope that if the tests are                                                               
less "high stakes",  there should be less concern.  She said that                                                               
a statement  of parental  "opting out"  is included;  however, 95                                                               
percent of  all students must  be tested.  There is still  a risk                                                               
that Title  I funds could be  withheld if that percentage  is not                                                               
met.  Alaska's  Department  of Education  and  Early  Development                                                               
(DEED)  is  going   to  continue  to  look  at   the  95  percent                                                               
requirement.  Local education  authorities  may choose  to use  a                                                               
nationally recognized high school assessment,  such as the SAT or                                                               
ACT. States may also seek to  form a consortia with other states.                                                               
She  added  that  Alaska  may   take  advantage  of  the  federal                                                               
assessment grant and do an audit of test data.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:27:48 AM                                                                                                                    
MS. POSEY  turned attention to  the issue of equity  in education                                                               
for all  students. She listed the  provisions regarding subgroups                                                               
of  students.  States  must  continue  to  disaggregate  data  by                                                               
student subgroup. State accountability  systems must identify any                                                               
school  in   which  a  subgroup   of  students   is  consistently                                                               
underperforming for target support and improvement.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She addressed  which schools  require intervention:  schools that                                                               
are  in the  bottom  five  percent, any  high  school failing  to                                                               
graduate one-third or  more of their students, and  any school in                                                               
which  a subgroup  of students  is consistently  underperforming.                                                               
Under ESSA, local education authorities  will design an evidence-                                                               
based plan  to turn those schools  around and the effort  will be                                                               
monitored  by the  state. The  schools will  be identified  every                                                               
three years and  exit criteria can be included in  the plans. The                                                               
state would  step in  after four  years of  no progress,  but are                                                               
given no mandates regarding solutions.  She noted this area was a                                                               
place of compromise when ESSA was written.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:31:35 AM                                                                                                                    
MS. POSEY related the kind of  support states have under ESSA for                                                               
schools and students. There are  new Student Support and Academic                                                               
Enrichment (SSAE)  grants. These  grants have three  purposes: to                                                               
provide  all students  with access  to a  well-rounded education,                                                               
improve school  conditions for student learning,  and improve the                                                               
use of  technology in order  to improve the  academic achievement                                                               
and digital literacy of all  students. She suggested that this is                                                               
an  area that  Alaska can  make use  of. Alaska  is estimated  to                                                               
receive $8,003,000  in FY  2017 (source:  FFIS). This  amounts to                                                               
0.5 percent of total available SSAE funding.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:34:29 AM                                                                                                                    
She addressed Title I issues.  Portability is not included in the                                                               
bill, but  there's a  weighted student  funding pilot  that could                                                               
allow some  districts to experiment.  There is no  formula change                                                               
to date. Accountability provisions  for English Language Learners                                                               
were moved to Title I from Title III.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:35:51 AM                                                                                                                    
She described  Title II  changes: the formula  for Part  A grants                                                               
were amended  and the hold  harmless allotment will  be gradually                                                               
eliminated by  FY 2023.  She shared how  the change  would affect                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
She  described  other programs  in  ESSA,  such as  Education  of                                                               
Migrant   Children,   Education   of  Neglected,   Homeless,   or                                                               
Delinquent  Youth,  language  instruction  for  English  Language                                                               
Learner and Immigrant Students,  Impact Aid, Rural Education, and                                                               
others.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:37:40 AM                                                                                                                    
MS. POSEY  talked about Early Education  Provisions and Preschool                                                               
Development  Grants totaling  $250,000,000  per  year. She  noted                                                               
there are also some permissive uses for various Title programs.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
She concluded by offering to answer questions.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:39:36 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked why a state would want to accept ESSA.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY explained  what would happen if a state  did not accept                                                               
the  provisions  in  ESSA.  Some  states  have  looked  into  the                                                               
implications of  not accepting federal funding  for education and                                                               
all the  programs that  would be affected.  No state  has decided                                                               
not to accept federal funding.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:41:24 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  pointed to a  conflict between the  allowance of                                                               
parents being  able to opt their  student out of testing  and the                                                               
mandate to test  95 percent of students. He asked  whether the 95                                                               
percent is calculated by school, district, or whole state.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  POSEY clarified  that the  calculations are  done for  local                                                               
education agencies and  the whole state. She thought  that at the                                                               
high school level it might be  hard to get 95 percent of students                                                               
tested. She agreed there was a  conflict. The state would have to                                                               
come up with  a plan should the 95 percent  not be reached. There                                                               
was a big  push to get students whose parents  did not allow them                                                               
to take the test, to not be  included in the 95 percent, but that                                                               
did not happen.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked which rate  would be used, the school's, the                                                               
school district's, or the state's.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY said the district's rate and the state's rate.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY  gave  an  example  of a  school  that  had  zero                                                               
participation, but the district met the 95 percent goal.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY reiterated that the  department is monitoring the local                                                               
education authority rate and the state rate.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY gave an example of  a school where many parents do                                                               
not  want their  students to  take the  test. He  asked what  the                                                               
federal reaction would be.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY replied  that the federal government's goal  is to test                                                               
all students in  order for the test to be  valid. She agreed that                                                               
there is a conflict in the two policies.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:46:46 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON  referred  to examples  of  indicators  of                                                               
accountability, such as advanced courses  in place of testing. He                                                               
asked if  a program  like Alaska  Native Science  and Engineering                                                               
Program (ANSEP) would qualify.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY said  it could. Other courses such as  AP courses could                                                               
be included in a plan as an indicator.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER  pointed  out that  the  accountability  system  in                                                               
Alaska is as  a result of NCLB and is  run by federal regulation.                                                               
He asked if most states are  the same. He suggested that deleting                                                               
accountability laws would be a daunting task.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:50:12 AM                                                                                                                    
MS.  POSEY related  that some  states  feel that  few changes  to                                                               
their regulations  will be  needed, whereas,  some states  do not                                                               
agree  with  that.  There  is   flexibility  in  ESSA,  but  also                                                               
expectations   of  standards   and  statewide   assessments.  She                                                               
concluded that there is time for states to review statutes.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER   referenced  the  grants  which   go  directly  to                                                               
districts,  bypassing the  legislature. He  wondered if  there is                                                               
room for changing that process.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY  noted that it  was difficult  on the federal  level to                                                               
get recognition that legislators have  a role in looking at Title                                                               
I  grants.  It is  a  choice  that  state legislatures  can  make                                                               
because  ESSA recognizes  the state's  role in  the process.  She                                                               
said  every  state is  different  and  has  its own  rules  about                                                               
federal funding.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:54:58 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  pointed out  that Alaska's  Constitution requires                                                               
that the  legislature establish and  maintain a system  of public                                                               
schools.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
He asked if,  under ESSA, the state has to  base its standards on                                                               
the Common Core model.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY said  no; ESSA states that standards do  not have to be                                                               
a particular kind, but must be "challenging academic standards."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY restated  that Alaska  is not  compelled to  have                                                               
standards based upon the Common Core model.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY agreed.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:56:23 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  COLVER asked  how  much  flexibility states  have                                                               
when creating  assessment models  and whether  they can  use "off                                                               
the shelf" tests.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY  said the  state is  not required  to use  a particular                                                               
assessment,  but it  must  be  used statewide.  There  is a  peer                                                               
review  process  at  the  department  level  that  will  look  at                                                               
assessment models.  There is flexibility  to look  at alternative                                                               
methods of  assessments, such  as portfolios  or competency-based                                                               
models.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY requested that DEED  and the Alaska State Board of                                                               
Education work  closely with the  legislature on ESSA.  He handed                                                               
the gavel over to Chair Keller.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:59:03 AM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:59:08 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KELLER followed  up by  noting the  significance regarding                                                               
the difference  between federal guidance and  federal regulation.                                                               
He requested  that Ms. Posey  keep in  contact with the  state on                                                               
that topic. He  said the Alaska State Board of  Education will be                                                               
monitoring the  reform of the state's  accountability under ESSA,                                                               
if that is the direction the state chooses to go.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He noted  since the  beginning of ESEA  in 1965,  expenditures in                                                               
education have  doubled and graduation  rates are flat.  He asked                                                               
Ms. Posey what she sees in ESSA that gives her hope.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. POSEY  said she looks  at ESSA as  a reform effort  to reduce                                                               
federal overreach and for the state  to look for new ideas and to                                                               
have the flexibility and responsibility to improve education.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:02:46 AM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:04:09 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KELLER introduced the topic  of Alaska Measures of Progress                                                               
(AMP) and Lisa Skiles Parady to present it.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:05:08 AM                                                                                                                    
LISA SKILES PARADY, Executive Director,  Alaska Council of School                                                               
Administrators (ACSA), related  information about Alaska Measures                                                               
of  Progress  (AMP).  She  reported  on  the  ACSA/superintendent                                                               
working group's  meetings regarding  its position  on assessments                                                               
and AMP, and  the need to work closely with  districts on the AMP                                                               
process.  She  read   the  Alaska  Superintendents  Association's                                                               
statement:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska  Superintendents  demand  and support  a  strong                                                                    
     system  of  accountability.  We  will  not  support  an                                                                    
     assessment program that is  developed without our input                                                                    
     or  that  does  not  inform  student  instruction.  The                                                                    
     Alaska  Superintendent Association  (ASA) has  been and                                                                    
     continues  to   be  ready  to  share   its  educational                                                                    
     assessment  expertise  to  collaboratively  develop  an                                                                    
     effective,  comprehensive   assessment  framework  that                                                                    
     accurately reflects student learning  that is useful in                                                                    
     guiding and informing student instruction.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     The  credibility  of  the Alaska  Measure  of  Progress                                                                    
     (AMP)  has been  called into  question because  it does                                                                    
     not  meet this  criteria. More  specifically, "The  AMP                                                                    
     information  is  not  intended   to  be  used  to  make                                                                    
     instructional  decisions…" (Achievement  and Assessment                                                                    
     Institute, University of Kansas, 2015).                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     A  state level  assessment is  a condition  of Alaska's                                                                    
     waiver from  the requirements of No  Child Left Behind.                                                                    
     Due  to   the  testing  vendor's  failure   to  provide                                                                    
     credible  reports, it  is necessary  for  the state  to                                                                    
     pause its implementation  of the current accountability                                                                    
     system, including  the 2016  administration of  AMP. It                                                                    
     is  in the  best  interests of  Alaska's students  that                                                                    
     DEED initiate a  comprehensive and collaborative review                                                                    
     of  the  entire  system. Alaska's  students  deserve  a                                                                    
     system of  accountability that accurately  informs both                                                                    
     classroom  instruction  and   public  understanding  of                                                                    
     student achievement.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
She noted  that Commissioner Hanley  has reached out to  ACSB and                                                               
the  Department of  Education and  Early  Development (DEED)  has                                                               
been working on this difficult issue.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
She reported  that during the  first working group  meeting, they                                                               
addressed  questions   about  assessment,  data   and  reporting,                                                               
process, and the need for  district input. The second meeting was                                                               
on January 4 and a timeline was set and outcomes developed.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:11:10 AM                                                                                                                    
MS.  SKILES  PARADY  reported  on   feedback  from  a  survey  of                                                               
superintendents regarding  AMP. She  shared the questions  on the                                                               
survey  and preliminary  results.  She read  several comments  by                                                               
superintendents,   which  varied.   She   reported  that   eleven                                                               
districts requested to testify before  the legislature on AMP and                                                               
she noted that ACSB is aware of test scores and trends.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:17:35 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KELLER thanked  Ms. Skiles  Parady for  her organization's                                                               
work.  He introduced  Commissioner Hanley  and requested  a brief                                                               
overview of the challenges AMP has had so far.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:18:04 AM                                                                                                                    
MIKE  HANLEY, Commissioner,  Department  of  Education and  Early                                                               
Development (DEED),  provided information on the  Alaska Measures                                                               
of Progress (AMP).                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MARGARET  MACKINNON,  Director,  Assessment  and  Accountability,                                                               
Department of  Education and  Early Development  (DEED), provided                                                               
information on the Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP).                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
COMMISIONER  HANLEY agreed  with Ms.  Parady's assessment  of AMP                                                               
and  ESSA. He  noted  challenges of  Every  Student Succeeds  Act                                                               
(ESSA)  and  agreed  it  was "a  necessary  adjustment,  but  not                                                               
sufficient."  He  said  ESSA  has   some  flexibility,  but  also                                                               
requires  significant accountability  measures in  order for  the                                                               
state to receive federal funding.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:22:18 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  provided the background of  AMP. He referred                                                               
to the process  that led up to the new  state assessment. He said                                                               
it began  in 2009  at an education  summit where  Alaskans called                                                               
for a review  of reading, writing, and math  standards. Those new                                                               
standards  were  adopted in  2012  and  were the  impetus  behind                                                               
requiring a  new assessment. The  new standards are  very similar                                                               
to Common Core standards and have high expectations.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He explained  that the purpose  of an  assessment is to  show how                                                               
students  are progressing.  The shift  to new  standards requires                                                               
time, training, and  new curriculum. After three  years the state                                                               
implemented a new assessment. The  state procurement law dictates                                                               
how  an  assessment  vendor  is  chosen.  He  described  how  the                                                               
Achievement and  Assessment Institute (AAI) of  the University of                                                               
Kansas  Research  Center  was  selected   by  an  RFP  evaluation                                                               
committee as the assessment vendor.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:24:48 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER HANELY related that the  RFP had to meet federal and                                                               
state  requirements  and  he   described  the  assessment  system                                                               
components. AMP was designed to be  a summative test for grades 3                                                               
through 10, and to be phased  in, resulting in a wholly computer-                                                               
based  test. Performance  tasks were  removed, and  the state  is                                                               
moving toward  an adaptive test  - which changes  questions based                                                               
on  a  student's skills.  It  allows  a  better assessment  of  a                                                               
student's achievement  level. That  test will be  fully developed                                                               
by spring 2018.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:27:42 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER   HANLEY  described   the  optional   testing  tools                                                               
available  to  districts.  An interim  assessment  can  be  given                                                               
several times  a year  to check  student progress,  and formative                                                               
resources or instructional tools will be available to teachers.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He  spoke of  the first  administration of  AMP, which  was given                                                               
during a  5-week window from March  30 to May 1,  2015. The first                                                               
on-line administration  of AMP was generally  successful. He said                                                               
95.9 percent of students participated.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He  related  how  the  score   ranges  were  established.  Alaska                                                               
educators met  in Anchorage to  make recommendations on  how well                                                               
students  must do  to  meet  the standards.  The  four levels  of                                                               
standards are now  eight levels and the State  Board of Education                                                               
and Early Development adopted the  test score range on October 9,                                                               
2015.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:32:27 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER HANELY  discussed the reports  for AMP and  the data                                                               
release.  The  reports  include  a student  report,  a  school  &                                                               
district  report, and  a  school &  district  summary report.  He                                                               
addressed the  concerns related  to the  reports. He  pointed out                                                               
the  issues related  to the  test results,  included distribution                                                               
delays and reports lacking sufficient level of detail.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He  explained  the  State Board  of  Education's  involvement  in                                                               
December of 2015  regarding the process of AMP  testing. They are                                                               
working  with superintendents  and  the vendor  on resolving  the                                                               
issues  of  concern.  He  detailed   the  actions  and  steps  to                                                               
resolution. He  commented on  the positives of  AMP, such  as the                                                               
end of working under a NCLB waiver.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:36:38 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER HANELY  shared the plan  for 2016. He said  AMP will                                                               
be used for the spring 2016  assessment. The issues of timely and                                                               
accurate reporting  for 2016 tests  will be resolved  through the                                                               
use of  a high  quality subcontractor  with reports  delivered by                                                               
late   June.  Reports   will  be   redesigned  to   provide  more                                                               
information.  Improvements  have  been  made  to  the  logistical                                                               
administration of  the test,  and any  changes to  the assessment                                                               
system for  2017 will  be considered as  part of  the stakeholder                                                               
discussions.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANELY stressed the  importance of fixing AMP. There                                                               
is a  federal and state  requirement to have a  state assessment.                                                               
There are  no other options to  meeting federal and state  law if                                                               
the state dumps  AMP. It would take  six months to put  out a new                                                               
RFP.  He stated  that he  is determined  to make  AMP as  good as                                                               
possible,  beginning now,  taking  into  account the  flexibility                                                               
within ESSA.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:38:46 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER  HANELY read  from  a  letter he  wrote  to the  U.S                                                               
Department of Education:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska is a  state of extremes; our  districts are both                                                                    
     urban  and rural,  most  are not  connected  to a  road                                                                    
     system,   the  ethnic   diversity  is   enormous,  many                                                                    
     families  still  live   a  subsistence  lifestyle,  and                                                                    
     indigenous languages are sometimes the first language.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     "One size fits  all" does not work for  Alaska. This is                                                                    
     particularly true  for student assessment.  We strongly                                                                    
     encourage  allowing states  maximum flexibility  to use                                                                    
     multiple assessment  tools with local  school districts                                                                    
     having the  option to select  the best tool  to measure                                                                    
     the progress of their students.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:39:45 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KELLER requested a copy of the letter.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He asked if there would be  new money required to get through the                                                               
contract with the vendor.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  HANLEY  said  no.  The contract  is  five  one-year                                                               
contracts and is renewable on June 30 every year.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:40:50 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  KREISS-TOMKINS asked  what happens  if the  state                                                               
does not have an assessment and fails to meet federal law.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  spoke of financial sanctions  including loss                                                               
of $93  million in Title monies  and about $300 million  in total                                                               
federal money for Education Alaska.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER requested  a report on the total amount  of money at                                                               
risk.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:42:14 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  COLVER questioned  the idea  of being  stuck with                                                               
AMP and the  statement that there was  superintendent support for                                                               
AMP. He wondered  why the state has to stick  with the vendor and                                                               
AMP.  He stressed  that  the legislature  should  look for  other                                                               
options that  would have the  confidence of school  districts. He                                                               
suggested implementing  Measures of  Academic Progress  (MAP). He                                                               
expressed  an  interest  in  looking  for  solutions  and  moving                                                               
forward.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  said he is  looking for solutions,  as well.                                                               
He clarified that he does not  feel he can ignore or unilaterally                                                               
not follow state  and federal law. He pointed out  that the state                                                               
is "stuck"  only because there  is no time to  change assessments                                                               
and  still follow  the law.  He emphasized  that he  is going  to                                                               
follow the law.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER  asked why  the department is  resistant to                                                               
using the test 37 districts are already using - MAP.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  HANLEY   explained  that  state   procurement  laws                                                               
require  the department  to  put  out an  RFP  and  go through  a                                                               
process.  He said  he does  not have  a resistance  to MAP:  ESSA                                                               
allows for  an interim assessment  and he is seeking  feedback to                                                               
move in that direction.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:46:15 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KELLER suggested  that under ESSA an audit can  be paid for                                                               
by the federal government.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VAZQUEZ wished  to see  an example  of a  student                                                               
report and  a link to  test questions. She noted  Alaska students                                                               
are not performing  to the standards and asked  why the standards                                                               
need  to be  changed. She  suggested  more training  to meet  the                                                               
standards.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:48:13 AM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  pointed out that the  National Assessment of                                                               
Educational Progress  (NAEP) allows  Alaska to compare  itself to                                                               
other states. The NAEP expectations  are much higher, which gives                                                               
the  impression  that Alaska  scores  were  low. He  agreed  that                                                               
Alaska standards  were low,  or missing.  However, 80  percent of                                                               
Alaska students  were meeting Alaska  standards; only  35 percent                                                               
of Alaska  students were  meeting NAEP  standards. He  shared the                                                               
need to  change local expectations. He  said he would be  glad to                                                               
provide student reports and scores.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:49:20 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS shared  his sympathy  for the  enormous problems                                                               
facing Commissioner Hanley.  He opined that the  department is on                                                               
the right track and should not  get rid of AMP. He suggested that                                                               
the assessment be audited.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY agreed.  He said the vendor  has been audited                                                               
at every  step and  will continue  to be  audited. He  added that                                                               
there is a need to audit at the local level, as well.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:50:32 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  drew attention  to the the  main complaint                                                               
he  has heard  -  teachers do  not  receive adequate,  meaningful                                                               
data.  He asked  if that  would change  and adaptive  tests would                                                               
provide accountability.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  explained that  the adaptive tests  will not                                                               
be  available  until  the 2017-2018  school  year.  However,  the                                                               
vendor  has committed  to adding  more questions  to the  current                                                               
test which  would lead to  better data on specific  standards and                                                               
questions for teachers to use within their classrooms.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON suggested  communicating  to teachers  the                                                               
plan to have  adaptive tests in order to provide  useful data. He                                                               
noted  there are  interim assessments  available and  wondered if                                                               
they would be costly to the district.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY explained that they  are part of the contract                                                               
and have no additional cost.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  suggested that those tests  may be helpful                                                               
to teachers.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY  said those tests are  still being developed.                                                               
He agreed  that it is  important to communicate with  schools and                                                               
districts regarding all assessment tools.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:54:35 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  DRUMMOND voiced  appreciation for  computer-based                                                               
testing, but  noted concern about  the availability  of computers                                                               
in some  schools. She asked  what is  being done to  ensure equal                                                               
access to the computer-based test.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY responded that  using computers has been left                                                               
up to  local districts  and paper and  pencil tests  are allowed.                                                               
The goal  is to  move toward all  computer-based testing.  It has                                                               
been  a challenge  because funding  for technology  has not  been                                                               
included in AMP.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:56:24 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GARDNER asked  why the  state did  not go  with the  MAP                                                               
vendor.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER HANLEY said  Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)                                                               
that  owns  MAP did  respond  and  came  in  second out  of  five                                                               
applicants. However,  NWEA did not  propose the MAP  test because                                                               
ESSA  requires  an annual  summative  test,  which they  had  not                                                               
developed.  He  said AAI  had  a  test  available that  could  be                                                               
modified for Alaska.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARDNER understood  that the  problem was  not with  the                                                               
test content,  but with  the administration of  the test  and the                                                               
reporting of the results with useful data.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  HANLEY agreed.  He said  the content  has not  been                                                               
questioned, just the use of reporting data.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ summarized that  the concerns involved the                                                               
administration and not the content.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  HANLEY  clarified  that   there  were  only  a  few                                                               
glitches  in administration.  The  problems related  to the  data                                                               
reporting after the test.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:59:24 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  COLVER  referred  to  a  parent  report  of  test                                                               
results. He  asked when formative  resources would  be available,                                                               
what they are, and when they will be available.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  HANLEY said  those resources  are only  used within                                                               
classrooms and  are not  included in the  test report.  This year                                                               
the  goal  is  to  have  the best  test  data  available  without                                                               
changing the test.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:01:29 AM                                                                                                                   
MS.  MACKINNON related  that several  of the  formative resources                                                               
have  been  developed and  are  available.  Those "testlets"  are                                                               
aligned to the standards. The  bank of testlets is being expanded                                                               
and  will provide  data to  the vendor  with a  goal of  enabling                                                               
teachers  to  know  how  to  group  those  testlets  and  to  see                                                               
immediately  how  students perform.  She  offered  to make  those                                                               
available to the committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:02:22 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR KELLER thanked the presenters.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:03:23 AM                                                                                                                   
There being  no further business  to come before  the committees,                                                               
Chair  Dunleavy  adjourned  the   joint  meeting  of  the  Senate                                                               
Education  Standing Committee  and the  House Education  Standing                                                               
Committee at 10:03 a.m.                                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
NCSL ESSA Presentation.pdf SEDC 1/20/2016 8:00:00 AM
NCSL ESSA School Supports.pdf SEDC 1/20/2016 8:00:00 AM
NCSL Lee Posey Bio.pdf SEDC 1/20/2016 8:00:00 AM
S&H Joint EDC 1-20-16 AMP Hearing.pdf SEDC 1/20/2016 8:00:00 AM