02/16/2011 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB43 | |
| SB83 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| = | SB 43 | ||
| = | SB 83 | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 16, 2011
8:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair
Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair
Senator Bettye Davis, Vice Chair
Senator Hollis French
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Gary Stevens
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Cathy Giessel
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 43
"An Act renaming the Alaska performance scholarship and relating
to the scholarship and tax credits applicable to contributions
to the scholarship; establishing the Alaska performance
scholarship investment fund and the Alaska performance
scholarship award fund and relating to the funds; making
conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB 43(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 83
"An Act providing for payment and loan incentives to public
school teachers for national board certification."
- HEARD AND HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 8
"An Act relating to questionnaires and surveys administered in
the public schools."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 43
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
01/19/11 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/19/11 (S) EDC, FIN
02/02/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/02/11 (S) Heard & Held
02/02/11 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/04/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/04/11 (S) Heard & Held
02/04/11 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/07/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/07/11 (S) Heard & Held
02/07/11 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/09/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/09/11 (S) Heard & Held
02/09/11 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/11/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/11/11 (S) Heard & Held
02/11/11 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
02/14/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/14/11 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
02/16/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: SB 83
SHORT TITLE: TEACHER BOARD CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES
SPONSOR(s): EDUCATION
02/04/11 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/04/11 (S) EDC, FIN
02/14/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/14/11 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
02/16/11 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff
Senator Joe Thomas
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the changes to CSSB 43( ), version
D, on behalf of the Senate Education Standing Committee. Gave an
overview of SB 83 on behalf of the Senate Education Standing
Committee, sponsor of the bill.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on distance education in
Alaska as related to SB 43.
JOHN ALCANTRA, Lobbyist
National Education Association-Alaska (NEA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 83 and provided
suggestions for amendments to the bill.
MARTHA FLEMMING, representing herself
Seward, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 83.
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director
Division of Teaching & Learning Support
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions and provided information
on the process a teacher must take in order to be nationally
certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards as related to SB 83.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:00:46 AM
CO-CHAIR KEVIN MEYER called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Davis, French, Co-Chair Thomas and Co-Chair
Meyer.
SB 43-ALASKA PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
8:01:27 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of SB 43. [CSSB 43,
version M, was before the committee.]
8:01:56 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for
SB 43, labeled 27-GS1893\D as the working document.
CO-CHAIR MEYER objected for the purposes of discussion.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS said version D is a culmination of the work done
by the administration, the legislature from both this session
and last, and two legislative task forces. He explained that
most of the changes have already been discussed by the
committee.
8:03:41 AM
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff to Senator Joe Thomas, explained the
changes to version D begin on page 3, line 30. The change would
make both colleges and universities and certified career and
technical programs subject to an advisory program and would
require them to make credits and courses available in order to
issue a degree or certificate in a customary time period.
Page 4, line 12 deleted the word "customary" and replaced it
with "a period of time customary".
He noted that because all institutions will be required to have
some kind of counseling, the part on "personal challenges" was
removed. This means that while academic and career advising is
mandatory at any participating institution psychological
counseling does not need to be provided. He explained that this
was done because some career and technical institutions may not
have the resources to provide this.
He explained that most of the other changes in version D refined
the language of how the funds work. He referred to the funding
diagram [included in the document packet] which shows the basic
breakdown of where the funds for the program come from and where
they go.
Page 5, lines 15-21, included language that sharpens-up where
the funds go. Subsection (1) [lines 15-17] included the two
types of awards that are subject to this funding and subsections
(2), (3) and (4) [lines 18-21] discussed where these funds go.
Page 5, line 28 deleted "awarded by" and replaced it with
"available"; and deleted "available" and replaced it with
"awarded" on line 29.
He explained that the previous CS, version M, had repealed the
Alaska Capital Income Fund. However, it was brought to light
that there may be issues with the single subject title in
repealing a fund that is supposed to establish a scholarship.
Page 7, lines 16-20 changed the language so that, rather than
repealing the income fund, the money would go directly to the
Alaska Performance Scholarship Investment Fund.
Page 8, lines 25-27 sharpened the language on where the Amerada
Hess Fund money can be distributed. It also made the money an
appropriation, rather than a deposit, which would go to the
investment fund.
Page 14, lines 24-25, changed the date of the money transfer
from the Alaska Capital Income Fund to the Alaska Performance
Scholarship Investment Fund to occur before the end of the
fiscal year, rather the beginning of a new one.
Subsection (b) [of Section 24 on pages 14-15] included
transition language that gives the Alaska Commission on
Postsecondary Education (ACPE) the ability to makes awards to
students during the first two years of the program, based on an
annual average and monthly average.
Page 15, line 28 changed the effective date for subsection (2)
and (3) on page 4 [lines 9-13] to July 1, 2012.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked for confirmation that he worked with Jerry
Burnett [Deputy Commissioner for the Treasury Division,
Department of Revenue] in creating the funding diagram included
in the committee members' packet.
MR. RICHMOND replied yes.
8:11:55 AM
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED), introduced himself.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked him to make some brief comments on the
ability for rural schools to have access to the curriculum
required for qualifying for this scholarship.
MR. MORSE replied that the department is doing two things.
First, for more than a year, it has been looking at what the
districts currently offer (which is what's in state regulation)
in comparison to the curriculum requirements necessary for the
Alaska Performance Scholarship eligibility. Second, the
department has been looking at the capacity of correspondence
schools in individual districts and on a statewide level. They
are also looking into a statewide virtual school that will offer
correspondence courses. He said the department is moving forward
to make sure that these offerings exist and are available to all
students.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS commented that this is not a simple task.
SENATOR FRENCH asked for more information on the correspondence
course offerings: what content is included, who designs the
curriculum, and what the success rate is in regards to students
finishing a course on time.
MR. MORSE answered that he could not speak to the success rate
of students finishing correspondence courses on time. In regards
to the content and curriculum of these courses, he explained
that there are about 14 school districts that offer
correspondence education to anyone in the state, which includes
both remedial and advanced courses. Last year DEED brought on an
additional correspondence school that runs a statewide program.
There are also numerous programs within individual districts.
The courses are developed independently, using commercial text
books to supplement the course or there are particular
curriculums that parents can purchase for students. The district
is responsible for making sure these courses align with state
standards. He assured the committee that within all of those
programs there are advanced level courses available.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if the bill, as it has been re-crafted by
the committee, is workable for the administration.
MR. MORSE answered that he thinks DEED can make this piece of
legislation work.
CO-CHAIR MEYER explained that the committee is finished with its
work on the scholarship program and are putting the final
touches on it.
SENATOR FRENCH asked for confirmation that the amendment
proposed by Senator Stevens was included in version D.
CO-CHAIR MEYER replied yes. He added that there are also three
fiscal notes included with version D, which have not changed.
8:20:14 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS moved to report CSSB 43( ), version D, from the
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note(s). There being no objections, CSSB 43(EDC) moved from the
Senate Education Standing Committee. [The assumption was that
Co-Chair Meyer removed his objection.]
8:20:38 AM
At ease at 8:20 a.m. to 8:23 a.m.
SB 83-TEACHER BOARD CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES
8:23:24 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of SB 83.
8:23:57 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS moved to adopt the work draft for CSSB 83( ),
labeled 27-LS0425\I, as the working document.
CO-CHAIR MEYER objected for the purposes of discussion.
MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff to Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair of the
Senate Education Standing Committee, sponsor of SB 83, said
teachers have a difficult job. SB 83 provides incentives for
teachers to improve their teaching skills by becoming nationally
certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS). If a teacher gets certified they would
receive an extra $1,000 per year as an incentive. For teachers
working in a high poverty, low performing area they would
receive an additional $500 per year. Finally, for teachers
working in a rural area they would receive an additional $1,000
in order to become certified. He explained that the
certification process is rigorous and is equivalent to a
master's degree in education.
Section 2 of version I would allocate interest free loans, run
by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE), to
the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) for
teachers who are employed by either the department or public
school districts. This section would also ask the commission to
develop an application process to define who is eligible for the
loan.
He noted that NBPTS is the only recognized board for national
certification. A list of the 25 different areas for
certification is included in the document packet [labeled NBPTS:
Field of Certification].
8:28:54 AM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS concurred; the national certification process is
very comprehensive. He added that the attached information in
the document packet is very informational and complimentary to
the bill.
CO-CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony.
8:30:38 AM
JOHN ALCANTRA, Lobbyist, National Education Association-Alaska
(NEA-Alaska), stated support for SB 83. He said that the members
of NEA had some suggested changes to the CS that he would review
with the committee.
He turned to page 3, line 4, of version I where the current
language used could possibly deny funding to professionals
working in preschool or special education. Members of NEA-Alaska
suggested that the CS be amended to include preschool, at a
minimum.
He explained that some of the larger school districts that
already pay a supplemental incentive are concerned that this
will supplant any additional incentives. He said that the
members of NEA-Alaska hope that an additional income incentive
will supplement what these teachers are already receiving.
Page 2, lines 2-5, discusses the loan amount that a teacher can
receive to become certified. He explained that while the process
to achieve certification is a $2,565 process, teachers often
retake individual sections at an additional cost of $350 per
section. The members of NEA-Alaska asked that this section be
more specific, by reading: "$1,000 paid toward the cost of
initial certification and no more than $1,000 annually for
teachers retaking one or more components".
Finally, he explained that the quarterly payment system used by
the commission to pay NBPTS on behalf of teachers could prove
difficult for applicants.
He mentioned that NEA-Alaska has a jumpstart program held at the
University of Anchorage (UAA) in the summer. This lays out the
national board certification program and encourages individuals
to become certified. He said that similar funding and loan
programs have worked well in other states to encourage
individuals to become certified.
8:36:13 AM
SENATOR FRENCH asked how many members of NEA-Alaska are
currently certified.
MR. ALCANTRA answered that about 110-120 individuals are
certified out of the 8,000 teachers who are members of NEA-
Alaska. He said that the fiscal note for SB 83 speaks to about
20 individuals going through this certification per year. He
said that NEA-Alaska is trying to assert that, as a minimum,
this number remain at 20.
SENATOR FRENCH asked for clarification that certification is
equivalent to a master's degree.
MR. ALCANTRA replied yes.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the Anchorage School District pays extra
for a master's degree and by how much.
MR. ALCANTRA answered that they get paid about $1,500 extra per
year.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the Anchorage School District pays the
same amount extra for national certification.
MR. ALCANTRA replied that the annual addendum in Anchorage is
$2,000.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if this varies by school district.
MR. ALCANTRA replied yes.
CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked whether a teacher who has both a master's
degree and is nationally certified would receive both amounts.
MR. ALCANTRA replied that he believes this is correct but would
need to confirm.
8:39:31 AM
MARTHA FLEMMING, representing herself, stated support for SB 83.
She said she is a counselor in the Seward School District and
while she is speaking for herself today, she believes that the
Seward PTSA [Parent Teacher Student Association] would support
this bill as well. She explained that there is a huge difference
between having a master's degree and being nationally certified.
There are many watered down versions of a master's degree. The
practice of going through this certification is so in depth that
it would help to have some incentive to get through the process.
Those who go through this certification improve their teaching
style and their communication with parents and the public.
8:43:18 AM
CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director, Division of Teaching & Learning
Support, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED),
said she is a former NBPTS certified teacher.
SENATOR FRENCH asked what the process is like for teachers to
become certified.
MS. CURRAN answered that the process is very rigorous and gives
teachers the opportunity to look at their practice. She
explained that there are five core propositions in national
board certification; on top of this each of the 25 areas of
focus has additional set standards. She explained that she
looked at how children's language develops, math, social studies
as building a community, and science. Within each focus she had
to create a portfolio showing how particular lessons fit into
the district's curriculum and standards. After turning in her
portfolio she took an assessment exercise to show what she knew
about each of her chosen topics and how she incorporated these
into her teaching practice using the standards and core
propositions. The certification occurred while she was teaching
and it gave her an opportunity to look at what she was doing in
the classroom. It changed the way that she looked at the
classroom and the patterns she had as a teacher.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if every teacher who embarks on this
certification can finish it.
MS. CURRAN answered no, at the time that she was nationally
certified the pass rate was 67 percent.
SENATOR DAVIS asked when she completed her certification.
MS. CURRAN answered that she was nationally board certified in
1998. She explained that she chose not to be recertified when
she moved to DEED and was no longer a classroom teacher.
SENATOR DAVIS asked if a teacher must recertify every year.
MS. CURRAN replied every 10 years.
CO-CHAIR MEYER said the bill addresses additional incentive
payments for teachers employed in a high poverty area that has
received a low performance rating. He asked if it is fairly easy
to tell which schools are in high poverty areas.
MS. CURRAN answered the AYP [Adequate Yearly Progress]
calculations go to the school level. She said that she believed
low performance is what the bill is addressing.
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if this only pertains to public schools.
MS. CURRAN replied that a teacher can teach in a private or
charter school and become nationally certified.
8:52:03 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if teachers in private or religious schools
would be eligible for the proposed incentive program. He said he
believed the answer was no.
MS. CURRAN replied in order to become certified a teacher must
"hold a bachelor's degree, have completed three full years of
teaching/counseling, possess a valid state teaching/counseling
license for that period of time, or if teaching where a license
is not required (which is not in the state of Alaska) have
taught in schools recognized and approved to operate by the
state."
CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if schools in high poverty areas can easily
be identified or if it is solely based on academic performance.
MS. CURRAN answered yes, Title I schools are considered high
poverty through NBPTS.
SENATOR FRENCH said it seems the committee is getting
conflicting answers from the aides and the department in regards
to teacher eligibility.
SENATOR DAVIS asked what her connection is, through the
department, to nationally certified teachers in the state.
MS. CURRAN replied that she is currently the director for the
Division of Teaching & Learning Support for DEED, which oversees
the office for Teacher Certification.
SENATOR DAVIS asked what she does to oversee this office.
MS. CURRAN answered that the office for Teacher Certification
receives approximately $20,000 per year from the federal
government to allow teachers to defray some of the costs
involved with national certification. This funding is allotted
to teachers according to the criteria set by the NBPTS. Only
$1,000 of the certification process is covered by this funding,
which leaves $1500 for the teacher to pay.
SENATOR DAVIS asked for confirmation that they receive $20,000
per year from federal funding.
Ms. CURRAN replied yes.
SENATOR DAVIS asked whether a teacher, in a school district that
gives a monetary incentive for certification already, would also
be eligible to receive money from the department.
MS. CURRAN answered that the $2,000 paid by certain districts is
the incentive a teacher would receive after they are nationally
certified.
SENATOR DAVIS said she would like to get clarification from the
school districts that offer this incentive. She explained that,
to her knowledge, these districts also give teachers money
towards certification.
8:57:30 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony.
MR. RICHMOND explained that SB 83 provides incentives only to
public school teachers employed by state districts or the
department. He explained that NBPTS has different standards for
certification.
He noted that the CS reflects Mr. Alcantra's concern about the
quarterly payment system [page 3, lines 11-12].
CO-CHAIR MEYER added that public schools also include charter
and alternative schools.
8:58:59 AM
CO-CHAIR MEYER announced he would hold SB 83 in committee.
8:59:30 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Co-Chair Meyer adjourned the meeting at 8:59 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB83-EED-ACPE-2-11-11 Teacher Board Certification Incentives.pdf |
SEDC 2/16/2011 8:00:00 AM |
|
| CSSB 43 Work Draft 2-16-11.pdf |
SEDC 2/16/2011 8:00:00 AM |
SB 43 |
| Meeting Packet 2-16-11.pdf |
SEDC 2/16/2011 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Funding Mechanism Diagram.pdf |
SEDC 2/16/2011 8:00:00 AM |