04/08/2013 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB15 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 15 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 8, 2013
8:01 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Mike Dunleavy, Vice Chair
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Berta Gardner
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Charlie Huggins
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 15
"An Act relating to prekindergarten programs within a school
district; relating to pre- elementary students and pre-
elementary schools; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SB 15 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 15
SHORT TITLE: PREKINDERGARTEN SCHOOL PROGRAMS/PLANS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) FRENCH
01/16/13 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/13 (S) EDC, FIN
04/03/13 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/03/13 (S) Heard & Held
04/03/13 (S) MINUTE(EDC)
04/08/13 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR HOLLIS FRENCH
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 15.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Education & Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided departmental input for SB 15.
MIKE COONS, representing himself
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against SB 15.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:01:05 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Stedman, Gardner, Dunleavy, and Chair
Stevens.
SB 15-PREKINDERGARTEN SCHOOL PROGRAMS/PLANS
8:01:24 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of SB 15. He noted the
committee has previously heard the bill.
SENATOR HOLLIS FRENCH, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB
15, shared Carol Como's exit interview after she retired as
Superintendent of the Anchorage School District. When asked if
she had any regrets, she said the following:
The biggest regret, I feel, is more of a statewide
issue. We worked really hard over the last twelve
years to get legislators and governors to understand
how important preschool is, especially for kids who
are in Title I schools. Families who are struggling
just don't have the money to send their kids to an
excellent preschool. They don't have a lot of books in
their homes. We have a large number of our kids who
come to us very far behind in kindergarten every year
compared to kids who come from what I call 'enriched
backgrounds.' The discrepancy of kids coming in the
door in kindergarten is huge. So many little kids
never catch up.
8:02:56 AM
CHAIR STEVENS requested a run-through on the funding issue.
SENATOR FRENCH explained that SB 15 proposes a half-day program
for pre-kindergarteners. He opined that the fiscal note was on
the high side, given that the fiscal note anticipates that every
eligible child will attend the first day. He expected the actual
expense to be much lower. He suggested the program could also be
made available to only a third of the kids one year, two-thirds
the second year, and all of them the third year.
8:03:54 AM
SENATOR GARDNER asked if Senator French considered having the
program offered by Title I schools or having a needs-based
approach.
SENATOR FRENCH replied that they did think about that. He said
there is a lot of discussion about whether to aim the program at
lower income kids. He noted that Head Start serves that
population. He believed that it should be available to everyone.
SENATOR GARDNER responded that she agreed, but said funding may
not be available.
SENATOR FRENCH replied that it was a great policy discussion,
but he reiterated that preschool should be available to
everyone.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY stated that he applauded Senator French's
desire to include all preschool Alaskans. He said he was working
working on a K-12 bill. He noted that inclusion will cost money.
He did not want to choose one group over another to receive an
education opportunity.
SENATOR FRENCH agreed. He said it is a difficult policy choice.
8:06:52 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked about the pre-kindergarten pilot program.
SENATOR FRENCH showed a graph that depicts the vocabulary of
children from different economic levels as they age from zero to
36 months. Lower income children had 300 vocabulary words by 36
months; working class kids had a 600-word vocabulary, and
children of college educated families had a 1,200-word
vocabulary.
He addressed test results that show that 77 percent of children
enter school in the bottom two quartiles in the fall. By spring,
28 percent have moved up to the top two quartiles. He said the
numbers were powerful and accurate. He stressed that the numbers
from the November 2012 report show the same growth pattern.
8:10:15 AM
SENATOR DUNLEAVY asked if the fiscal note is about $46 million.
SENATOR FRENCH answered yes.
LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education & Early
Development, offered to answer questions.
CHAIR STEVENS asked Mr. Morse to comment on the pilot program.
MR. MORSE replied that the data on the pre-K program shows that
it is successful so far. He offered to forward the report to the
committee.
SENATOR GARDNER said she wished to see the report.
CHAIR STEVENS asked Mr. Morse to give the report to the staff.
MR. MORSE agreed.
8:12:41 AM
MIKE COONS, representing himself, testified in opposition to SB
15. He questioned the motives, cost, and results of the program.
8:16:23 AM
CHAIR STEVENS closed public testimony.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY asked if the next committee of referral is
finance.
CHAIR STEVENS said yes.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY said he was not sure it would pass finance.
CHAIR STEVENS suspected that Senator Dunleavy was correct, but
stressed the issue warrants considerable discussion.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to report SB 15 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There being
no objection, SB 15 was reported from the Senate Education
Standing Committee.
8:17:57 AM
There being no further business to come before the Senate
Education Committee, Chair Stevens adjourned the meeting at 8:17
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 04032013_SB15_BillText_VersionA.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |
| 04032013_SB15_FiscalNote_DEED1.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |
| 04032013_SB15_PreK_Impact_of_High_Quality_Early_Childhood.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |
| 04032013_SB15_PreK_ISER Cost of Crime.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |
| 04032013_SB15_PreK_Presentation.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |
| 04032013_SB15_SponsorStatement.pdf |
SEDC 4/8/2013 8:00:00 AM |
SB 15 |