Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/12/2020 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing: | |
| SB113 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 113 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 149 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 12, 2020
9:01 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Shelley Hughes, Vice Chair
Senator John Coghill
Senator Tom Begich
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Mia Costello
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Lem Wheeles - Anchorage
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
SENATE BILL NO. 113
"An Act relating to national board certification for public
school teachers."
- MOVED SB 113 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 149
"An Act relating to the start time of a day in session for
public high schools."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 113
SHORT TITLE: TEACHERS: NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) HUGHES
04/15/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/15/19 (S) EDC
02/18/20 (S) EDC AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
02/18/20 (S) Heard & Held
02/18/20 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
03/12/20 (S) EDC AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
LEM WHEELES, Governor's Appointee
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:01:45 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Begich, Hughes, Coghill, and Chair Stevens.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING:
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
9:02:04 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced the confirmation hearing of Lem Wheeles,
the governor's appointee to the Professional Teaching Practices
Commission. He asked Mr. Wheeles to introduce himself.
9:02:29 AM
LEM WHEELES, Governor's Appointee, Professional Teaching
Practices Commission, Anchorage, Alaska, said he was born and
raised in Anchorage. He graduated from Dimond High School and
received degrees from the University of Alaska Anchorage,
including a Master of Arts in teaching. He taught social studies
at Dimond High School for his entire 16-year teaching career.
For the past decade he has also taught U.S. history and
government online. He was the 2018 Alaska History Teacher of the
Year, a BP Teacher of Excellence, the Alaska World Affairs
Council Teacher of the Year, and the Alaska Model United Nations
Advisor of the Year two times.
MR. WHEELES said he is the sponsor of Model United Nations Club
and Christian Club. He has been the student government advisor
for a decade. He related that Dimond student government was
awarded the National Gold Council of Excellence Award, currently
the only school in Alaska with this distinction. He has also
served on the Anchorage School District Assessment Inventory
Steering Committee, as the Elections Chair for the Anchorage
Education Association, and parliamentarian for the NEA-Alaska
Delegate Assembly. For the past year, he has served as a subject
matter expert for the U.S. Census Statistics in Schools program
and he is currently a Statistics in Schools ambassador.
MR. WHEELES said his mission as an educator is to inspire
students to be engaged citizens. His ultimate objective is to
challenge his students to not just learn about their government,
but to be an active part of it. As a government teacher, he is
often asked about his political views. He said that he does not
share his political views with students because it would be
unethical to do so, but it could also potentially sway them.
What is important is that students form political views and have
the ability to articulate them. He teaches a wide variety of
political beliefs and ideologies so students can form an
educated opinion and engage in civic discourse with each other.
He noted that members on this committee come from different
political parties, but that the committee meets regularly,
members respect one another, engage in thoughtful discourse to
achieve the goal of doing what is best for Alaska. His goal as a
teacher is to prepare his students for those same conversations,
whether in their homes, social media, their workplace, or in the
state Capitol.
MR. WHEELES said that his goal as a teacher leader and member of
the Professional Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC) is to hold
his colleagues to high standards. As a recent appointee to the
commission, he has attended the last two commission meetings. At
the last meeting, he proposed putting reminders in the PTPC
newsletter to inform educators about appropriate ways to handle
politics in the classroom. He emphasized his goal, which is to
be proactive and address the issue before it becomes a complaint
before the PTPC. However, if it reaches that level, then he is
prepared to act appropriately.
MR. WHEELES explained that as a quasi-judicial body, the PTPC is
asked to adjudicate complaints against certificated educators.
He said he appreciates that the legislature created the PTPC
over 50 years ago to allow educators a means to hold their
colleagues accountable, but also so that a jury of their peers
can judge educators. If he were ever the subject of a complaint
with the PTPC, he would want to be judged by his peers since
educators understand what it means to be a teacher or
administrator in 2020. The PTPC is made up of five teachers, a
principal, a superintendent, a representative from higher
education, and a representative from the Department of Education
and Early Development. This is a group of educational
professionals who understand the challenges of teaching and want
public education to be esteemed throughout Alaska. As a body,
the PTCP works to promote professional and ethical behavior by
all Alaskan educators through proactive education and outreach
and by responding to complaints when a violation has occurred.
The current state budget crisis has hampered Alaska's school
districts from attracting and retaining quality educators. This
makes the PTPC's role all the more important. As districts hire
new-to-the-profession and new-to-Alaska educators, these
teachers must be educated on the professional teaching code of
ethics and the potential consequences for violations. He said
his goal is to increase PTPC outreach and education efforts to
ensure that all educators are familiar with the code of ethics
for their professional practice. He offered his view that he is
an excellent candidate for the PTCP since he is a lifelong
Alaskan, a career educator, with statewide connections. He stays
well informed on current education issues in the state and
believes he is respected by educators throughout Alaska.
CHAIR STEVENS said that he appreciates him putting his name
forward. Chair Stevens said that civics education has always
been important to him. He said appreciated Mr. Wheeles creating
citizens in his classrooms. He asked how successful school
districts are in teaching responsibilities of citizenship.
MR. WHEELES replied that is beyond the purview of the PTPC. He
agrees that it is an important mission of schools. The state
requires students to complete a government course to graduate.
In education, there is always room for improvement, that the
state is doing a good job, but it could always improve.
9:10:58 AM
SENATOR BEGICH observed that Mr. Wheeles had explained his
background so thoroughly that he had no questions for him.
CHAIR STEVENS shared that Senator Costello is listening online.
9:11:39 AM
At ease
9:11:45 AM
CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony and after determining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation of Mr. Wheeles.
He solicited a motion.
9:12:45 AM
SENATOR HUGHES stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Education Standing Committee reviewed the following and
recommends the appointment be forwarded to a joint session for
consideration:
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Lem Wheeles - Anchorage
Signing the reports regarding appointments to boards and
commissions in no way reflects individual members' approval or
disapproval of the appointees; the nominations are merely
forwarded to the full legislature for confirmation or rejection.
9:13:20 AM
At ease
SB 113-TEACHERS: NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
9:14:17 AM
CHAIR STEVENS reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 113, "An Act relating to
national board certification for public school teachers."
He noted that this is the second hearing on this bill.
9:14:28 AM
SENATOR HUGHES, speaking as sponsor of SB 113, said high-quality
teachers can improve student outcomes. That is what the
committee wants to see, so she appreciates the committee
support.
CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony, ascertained there was
none, and closed public testimony on SB 113.
He noted that there was one fiscal note from the Department of
Education and Early Development.
He solicited a motion.
9:15:16 AM
SENATOR HUGHES moved to report SB 113, work order 31-LS0869/A,
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note. Chair Stevens found no objection and SB 113 was
reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee.
9:15:27 AM
At ease
9:17:14 AM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and reviewed the upcoming
committee schedule.
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stevens adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
at 9:17 a.m.