04/06/2018 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB102 | |
| SB188 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 188 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | HB 102 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 6, 2018
7:59 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator John Coghill
Senator Tom Begich
Senator Shelley Hughes
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 102(EDC)
"An Act relating to instruction in a language other than
English; and relating to limited teacher certificates."
- HEARD & HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 188
"An Act providing for payment and loan incentives to public
school teachers for national board certification."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 102
SHORT TITLE: LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS
02/03/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/03/17 (H) EDC
03/01/17 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/01/17 (H) Heard & Held
03/01/17 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/15/17 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/15/17 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
03/20/17 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/20/17 (H) Heard & Held
03/20/17 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/27/17 (H) EDC RPT CS(EDC) 4DP 1NR 1AM
03/27/17 (H) DP: TALERICO, PARISH, SPOHNHOLZ, KOPP
03/27/17 (H) NR: DRUMMOND
03/27/17 (H) AM: FANSLER
03/27/17 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/27/17 (H) Moved CSHB 102(EDC) Out of Committee
03/27/17 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/05/17 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/05/17 (H) VERSION: CSHB 102(EDC)
04/06/17 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/06/17 (S) L&C, EDC
04/11/17 (S) L&C AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/11/17 (S) Heard & Held
04/11/17 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
01/30/18 (S) L&C AT 1:00 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/30/18 (S) Moved CSHB 102(EDC) Out of Committee
01/30/18 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
01/31/18 (S) L&C RPT 2DP 2NR
01/31/18 (S) DP: COSTELLO, GARDNER
01/31/18 (S) NR: MICCICHE, MEYER
04/04/18 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
04/04/18 (S) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/06/18 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 188
SHORT TITLE: TEACHERS: BOARD CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI
02/19/18 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/19/18 (S) EDC, FIN
04/06/18 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
REID MAGDANZ, Staff
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 102 on behalf of the sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 102.
BRANDON LOCKE, Senior Director
World Languages
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 102.
JENNIFER SCHMIDT-HUTCHINS, Principal
Fronteras Charter School
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 102.
ALICE TAFF, Affiliate Assistant Professor of Alaska Native
Languages
University of Alaska Southeast
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 102.
PEGGY AZUYAK, Representing Self
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 102.
BOB WILLIAMS, Director
Educator and School Excellence
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 102.
SONDRA MEREDITH, Administrator
Teacher Education and Certification
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 102.
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 188.
ELISE SORUM-BIRK, Intern
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SB 188 on behalf of the sponsor.
TARA BIVENS, Representing Self
Jump Start toward National Board Certification
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 188.
STEVE ATWATER, Representing Self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 188.
LISA SKILES PARADY, Ph.D., Executive Director
Alaska Council of School Administrators
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 188.
JESSE BJORKMAN, Representing Self
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 188.
ACTION NARRATIVE
7:59:41 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 7:59 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Begich, Hughes, and Chair Stevens. Senators
Coghill and Giessel arrived shortly thereafter.
HB 102-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of HB 102. [Version
30-LS0237\J was before the committee.]
8:00:23 AM
REID MAGDANZ, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 102 on behalf of the
sponsor. He said the bill grew out of discussions that
Representative Kreiss-Tomkins and he have had with language
immersion programs across the state about how to help with their
missions. They heard that one of the largest barriers to
successful immersion programs, especially for Alaska Native
languages, is the limited pool of certified teachers with the
necessary language abilities. The language immersion programs
are quality programs, well-liked by parents, in demand, and they
produce solid academic results. Learning other languages
prepares Alaska students for jobs around the country and the
world. HB 102 helps the programs continue to grow to continue to
meet parent and student demand.
8:02:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, sponsor of HB 102 said the bill is very much a
response to a problem they've identified in conversations with
different language programs around Alaska, either in rural
Alaska with Native language programs or world languages in the
Mat-Su and Anchorage. It is an exciting solution because it
bridges both worlds in terms of the rural/urban divide in
Alaska.
8:03:04 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said he is confused about the bill. The testimony
for HB 102 shows it seeks to correct the problem with Alaska
Native language, but statute exists that allows for Alaska
Native language and culture to be taught with a limited teaching
certificate. That part of the legislation is already addressed
under the law. This goes beyond this to include other languages.
He asked why this is relevant and why the current law doesn't
work for indigenous languages.
8:03:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS answered that the Type M
certificate does what Senator Begich describes. HB 102 is in
response to immersion language programs, which are a growing
phenomenon in Alaska. All subject matter is taught in a certain
language. In the Native language it could be Yupik, like at
Ayaprun Elitnaurvik School in Bethel. Having a teacher teaching
not just Yupik but math and other basic subject is important in
an immersion language environment. This bill is responsive to
that broader scope of instruction.
8:05:13 AM
MR. MAGDANZ said that when the original limited certificate
statutes were put on the books, immersion programs were
uncommon. In the last couple of decades, they have become the
gold standard for language education, in particular Native
language revitalization. HB 102 meets the needs of those
programs that have developed since then.
8:05:42 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said that Mr. Magdanz is saying that the current
law allowing for a limited teaching certificate for Native
language and culture wouldn't include the vast array of things
happening in immersion programs.
8:06:05 AM
MR. MAGDANZ said that is the interpretation they have from
Legislative Legal. Current statutes would only allow someone,
for example, to teach an Inupiaq language class. A kindergarten
teacher could not teach science or social studies.
SENATOR BEGICH said the other issue for him is the foreign
language requirement. A concern of his is that they continue to
find ways to limit the specialties taught by teachers. It is not
necessarily an advantage. They might prepare students
inadequately because they haven't been taught by teachers who
have gone through teacher preparation. He himself went through
teacher training. There are skill sets taught to educate
students. He asked if Mr. Magdanz can reassure him that this
won't lead to a slippery slope of dumbing down teacher
requirements instead of trying to recruit quality teachers
instead.
8:08:27 AM
MR. MAGDANZ said HB 102 fully allows for the State Board of
Education to require a teacher preparation program for anyone
issued a certificate under the bill. He expects that the State
Board would. The State Board currently does not require that for
Type M but does for Type I. Having spent time immersed in a
culture and language is what makes immersion teachers most
effective. It is not dumbing down of a certificate. It is
allowing the people most qualified to be in the immersion
language programs to be there.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS said all things are relative in a
situation. In previous committees he was struck by testimony
from immersion schools that are so desperate for fluent speakers
that long-term substitutes are marshalled into classrooms
because they need to have fluent speakers. If that is the
starting point, this bill is a big step up from that. The Board
of Education backstops all of this with approval. He agrees that
in the long term the ideal is that they want fully certificated
teachers. This is a stepping stone to get there. Right now
there's such a need that this is an improvement from where they
are.
8:11:14 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said that is his concern. There is a crying need
for these teachers. They don't have the supply because they
don't have the incentives for teachers to come teach in Alaska.
He's not certain that this bill gets them an incentive. It
provides a stopgap. That is part of his concern. That said, he
is reassured by Mr. Magdanz's comments.
8:11:51 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said she assumed that immersion programs like
Fronteras Charter School in Mat-Su would have certified teachers
who could make sure skills needed for going further in education
are covered. She asked if they can be reassured that other
teachers in the program or building will be certified.
8:12:43 AM
MR. MAGDANZ responded that the State Board would have complete
authority under the bill to require any level of mentorship from
a Type A certificated teacher. That is how the Type I
certificate works. Persons allowed to have their own classrooms
in an immersion would be subject to supervision, guidance, and
mentorship from more experienced teachers.
8:13:32 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said her concern is about teachers who have not
gone through training to teach other content areas. Someone with
a Type M certificate who is great at conversing may not be
trained for teaching math, earth sciences. She asked that if
these certificates are issued, would it make sense to require
these teachers to be working toward their certificates in the
same way that those with Type I certificates are working toward
bachelor's degrees.
8:14:52 AM
MR. MAGDANZ responded that the bill requires that any person
issued a limited teaching certificate has to demonstrate subject
area expertise. The bill mandates that; the State Board sets
regulations for what constitutes subject area expertise. A
certificate written under this bill would not be a blanket,
someone can teach anything in Spanish. Someone holding a
certificate under this bill would be qualified to teach a
specific subject in a specific language. They would have to
demonstrate subject area expertise under regulations that would
be set by the Board of Education.
8:16:07 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL arrived.
8:16:10 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said she appreciates that subject area expertise
would be required separate from the language itself. She asked
for the sponsor's view for some sort of requirement because she
understands what Senator Begich said about the slippery slope.
They want the best qualified teachers for their students. She
asked if the bill sponsor would object to requiring Type M
certified teachers to begin training to move on to the I
certificate and eventually full certificate.
8:17:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS answered that he agreed and
pointed to subsection (e). The one-year probationary period may
partly speak to that. It is not for any period of time for any
subject. It is a narrow band of subjects that someone with a
Type M certificate would teach. It is a one-year certificate. It
would be in everyone's interest, the certificate holder, the
charter school, for someone to work toward full certification.
8:18:30 AM
MR. MAGDANZ presented the sectional. He noted that the bill is a
repeal and reenactment of an existing section of law, so
although it looks like new law, most of this is already in law.
It has been reorganized with some new language added. Subsection
(a) adds paragraph four, which allows the limited certificate to
be issued to teachers in immersion programs.
HB 102 repeals and re-enacts AS 14.20.025.
Sec. 14.20.025(a)
The Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
may issue limited teacher certificates in certain specialty
areas:
• Alaska Native culture; Military science;
• Vocational or technical education;
• Classes taught in non-English languages.
Under current law, limited certificates may be issued
for teaching Alaska Native languages or culture,
military science, and vocational or technical
education. HB 102 adds classes taught in non-English
languages to the existing list.
Certificates issued under this section in one of these
specialty areas are subject to the provisions of AS
14.20.025 and exempt from certain requirements of AS
14.20.020 or AS 14.20.022.
Sec. 14.20.025(b)
Limited certificates can only be issued to a person if the
school board of the district in which the person will
teach has requested a limited certificate for that
specific person. The limited certificate is valid only in
the district that makes the request.
A person may only receive a limited certificate if they
demonstrate "instructional skills and subject matter
expertise sufficient to assure the public that the person
is competent as a teacher." This language is used in
current law, and like in current law, the state board of
education is empowered to write regulations interpreting
it.
The state board of education's regulations may require that
a limited certificate holder undertake additional academic
training.
8:19:39 AM
Sec. 14.20.025(c)
A limited teacher certificate must specify the language(s)
and subject(s) for which it is valid.
Restates that limited certificates can only be issued to a
person if the school board of the district in which the
person will teach has requested a limited certificate for
that specific person. The limited certificate is valid
only in the district that makes the request.
8:20:19 AM
Sec. 14.20.025(d)
Gives the state board of education authority to write
regulations implementing AS 14.20.025. Provides that
the regulations can't require a certificate applicant
to achieve a minimum score on an exam unless that exam
in given in the instructional language the certificate
will be valid for (e.g., a teacher who will be
teaching only in German or Inupiaq cannot be required
to pass an exam given in English).
8:21:16 AM
Sec. 14.20.25(e)
Limited certificates are initially valid for one year.
Terms and lengths of extension and renewal shall be set by
the state board of education. In order for a limited
certificate to be extended or renewed, the school board
that initially requested the certificate must certify that
the certificate holder has demonstrated skills in classroom
instruction and student assessment.
8:21:48 AM
BRANDON LOCKE, Senior Director, World Languages, Anchorage
School District, supported HB 102. He said the Anchorage School
District has a long history of immersion programs dating back to
the late 80s. They have 2,500 students in language immersion
programs, which include Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish, and
Russian. They are launching a Yupik immersion program for the
first time this fall. In immersion, teachers are teaching
content in the language. It's about teaching content through the
language and by doing so, students are learning language, just
like they do their first language. He recognizes that the
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) has heard
some of this testimony and now has a world language expert
limited certificate, which is beneficial for high school
language teachers. It does not speak to the need of having an
elementary certification, which is what language immersion
teachers need to have. In Anchorage it is always a huge
challenge to find qualified teachers. Right now they have five
or six Spanish immersion positions available for next year.
Finding people who are dually qualified, fluent in a language
and fully endorsed in a content area, is challenging.
8:24:37 AM
MR. LOCKE said he heard the concerns about letting anyone in the
classroom. He would say on behalf of the Anchorage School
District that they would use this carefully. This would not open
the floodgates to let anyone in the classroom. They would use
this in a situation where they have tried all other avenues.
This will help in those extremely hard-to-fill situations.
SENATOR BEGICH asked what is the barrier to recruiting teachers
for unfilled positions.
8:25:47 AM
MR. LOCKE said that is a tough question to answer. It is hard to
recruit teachers to Alaska in general. Finding someone to teach
second grade in Japanese is not an easy task. The Anchorage
School District is constantly trying to recruit nationwide and
in other countries. It is an ongoing struggle and challenge.
8:27:16 AM
JENNIFER SCHMIDT-HUTCHINS, Principal, Fronteras Charter School,
supported HB 102. She said the biggest difficulty when trying to
find qualified applicants is simply the limited number of
native-Spanish speaker candidates, not only locally but
nationally and internationally. The lack of interest in moving
to Alaska is key. It's the climate, the pay is a deterrent. The
competition is quite high. The most significant barrier they
experience is the process of Alaska's certification. One teacher
from Colombia and one from Puerto Rico came to Fronteras fully
certified with numerous years of teaching. Even though they are
fully certified in their home countries and their credits have
been vetted and accepted by the state Department of Education,
they must pass the reading, writing, and mathematics sections of
Praxis, which is only offered in English. She highlighted the
difficulty this presents to native-Spanish speakers.
8:29:14 AM
MS. SCHMIDT-HUTCHINS said first the native speaker must read
everything in English and translate it into Spanish in the time
allotted for every single question. They have to write all their
responses in English. They can apply for a modification of an
additional 20 minutes, which is not much help. Because Praxis is
only offered in English, the two Spanish teachers were reduced
to substitute pay with benefits removed, but they continued to
do the full-time job of a certified teacher. This is wrong.
Native speakers bring that rich culture that is such a huge
component of their immersion program. Because of the quality of
their native-Spanish speaking staff, they are requested more as
homeroom teachers than English-speaking teachers because their
parents want their children immersed in the target language. She
asked them to please consider the gift they would give to every
immersion students by voting in favor of HB 102.
8:31:15 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked what her solution is to the Praxis issue.
8:31:21 AM
MS. SCHMIDT-HUTCHINS suggested the first thing is to offer the
Praxis in other languages. If the Praxis remains only in
English, it's critical to have HB 102.
8:31:51 AM
ALICE TAFF, Affiliate Assistant Professor of Alaska Native
Languages, University of Alaska Southeast, supported HB 102. She
said she is a linguist affiliated with both the University of
Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Southeast. People
have better executive function if they are bilingual or
multilingual. They have less dementia and suicide. Native
communities which have 50 percent or more conversational use of
their ancestral language are healthier. Students will be
healthier and smarter if bilingual. They become bilingual
through significant immersion in the language. She asked them to
give Alaska students a chance to become healthier and smarter.
HB 102 will be a gleaming legacy, especially for Alaska Native
students.
8:37:16 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said he doesn't oppose bilingualism. He wants to
assure quality of instruction.
8:37:46 AM
MS. TAFF said that is her concern also. With HB 102, they can be
assured that that will be quality education.
8:37:59 AM
PEGGY AZUYAK, Representing Self, supported HB 102. She said she
is the Director of Rural Schools for Kodiak Island Borough
School District and teaches Alutiiq language at Kodiak College.
Kodiak has worked hard over several decades to grow Alutiiq
speakers. They have their first immersion program. Immersion is
so important to their community as they work to grow Alutiiq
speakers and strengthen the identity of their youth. Their pool
of language speakers and experts is so small. HB 102 will allow
them to continue their momentum and build their immersion
teaching capacity and move beyond preschool into elementary
schools as they work to build their teaching capacity within
their language community. They have teachers teaching Alutiiq
through Type M certificates, which has been so helpful to them
to get the language to their students. HB 102 is instrumental in
allowing them to broaden their immersion practices. In all of
their language programs, they have language experts work hand-
in-hand with teaching experts. HB 102 would allow them to honor
the expertise of their cultural and language knowledge and use
community resources while building capacity and strengthening
language teachers. The pool is so small that those with Type A
certificates are working full time to support language programs
in addition to other jobs.
CHAIR STEVENS asked DEED to provide a response.
8:41:37 AM
BOB WILLIAMS, Director, Educator and School Excellence,
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), testified
on HB 102. He said DEED supports immersion schools and efforts
to revitalize Alaska Native languages. HB 102 does raise some
concerns. It changes the specific nature of the subject matter
expert certificate into a certificate that makes a teacher a
subject matter expert at any grade level and subject by speaking
a different language without providing DEED a mechanism for
checking the competency of the teaching in that subject or grade
level unless the competency exam is in the world language. The
bill does say that the State Board can require academic training
for the limited teaching certificate by regulation but in their
conversations, it seems to preclude the requirement of
completion or enrollment of a teacher preparation program.
8:43:05 AM
MR. WILLIAMS said they have mechanisms in place to meet many of
these needs. The Type M allows individuals with specific skills
to teach specific skill areas and does not require a bachelor's
degree. Applicants must document expertise, be sponsored by a
school district, complete the mandatory trainings, and pass a
background check. The renewable certificate is valid for five
years. Those skills currently are military science, Junior ROTC,
Alaska Native language or culture, and career and technical
education. That can get Native speakers into the classroom. The
Type I, the instructional aide or the associate teacher, allows
individuals with skills in Alaska Native language and who are
also enrolled in a teacher preparation program that will lead to
a bachelor's degree, to teach Alaska Native language and the
content covered in the teacher preparation program.
MR. WILLIAMS said that applicants must be sponsored by a school
district, be enrolled in a teacher preparation program, be
supervised and mentored by a certified teacher, complete the
mandatory trainings, and pass a background check. It is valid
for one year and is renewable. The Type I can be extended when
the applicant documents the progress made to complete the
teacher preparation program and bachelor's degree. Lower
Kuskokwim School District is doing this with many of their
immersion schools. Those mechanisms can help meet those needs.
Sondra Meredith will testify about how the State Board has
responded to immersion schools with a Type W limited
certificate.
8:45:22 AM
SONDRA MEREDITH, Administrator, Teacher Education and
Certification, Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED), testified on HB 102. She said the Type W, which was just
adopted and will go into effect next year, will address those
native speakers from outside of the United States who were able
to qualify for an initial certification but did not pass the
Praxis 1 basic competency exam at the end of year. The limited
Type W will remedy that kind of situation. The basic competency
exam will be broken into three areas. Those individuals with
expertise in language must still take the math in English but
can substitute a language-specific exam for the writing and
reading. Those individuals must have or be enrolled in a teacher
preparation program and have a bachelor's degree. It is a step
to remedy a situation by bringing more native speakers into
classrooms.
8:46:59 AM
CHAIR STEVENS said the committee needs more time with the
sponsor and the department to fully vet the bill. He held HB 102
in committee.
8:47:54 AM
At ease.
SB 188-TEACHERS: BOARD CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES
8:47:59 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of SB 188.
8:48:41 AM
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of
SB 188, said the bill provides incentives for teachers to become
nationally certified. One of the goals of the Educator
Excellence Committee [for the Department of Education and Early
Development's Alaska Education Challenge] was to triple the
number of nationally certified teachers in Alaska, specifically
in hard-to-staff schools. The studies show that students of
nationally certified teachers do better and the teachers have
lower burnout rates. The fiscal note is modest. Twenty-seven
other states have similar programs. Most of them are
significantly higher than this. Many are $5,000 a year with
$5,000 more for challenging districts. His aide, Elise Sorum-
Birk, researched this and it has good return on the dollars.
8:50:14 AM
ELISE SORUM-BIRK, Intern, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska
State Legislature, presented SB 188 on behalf of the sponsor.
National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are a major asset in
classrooms. Many of the most successful educational systems
around the world focus on and emphasize the professionalism of
their teacher workforce. NBCTs are unique in that they are
challenging themselves to be the best possible educators they
can be. The closely examine their work and observe themselves
scientifically. They are trying to actively better their work.
National Board Certification is provided by the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards. Research throughout the
years has shown this is a good investment for education.
8:51:55 AM
MS. SORUM-BIRK referenced the list of studies about the impact
of NBCTs on pages 8 and 9 of the publication about NBCTs from
the National Conference of State Legislators. A 2015 study from
Washington state indicated that students taught by NBCTs had up
to six weeks of additional learning gains in middle school math
and across the board, NBCTs were statistically more impactful on
student learning outcomes. A 2012 study from the Los Angeles
School District showed that in math, students had up to two
months of learning gains and in language arts, up to one month.
In Florida, a 2012 showed NBCTs were among the top 25 percent of
teachers in their subject area. Evidence also indicates that
NBCTs are less likely to suffer burnout and be retained at
higher rates. NBCTs are found to be more fulfilled in their
work.
8:54:02 AM
MS. SORUM-BIRK said financial support for NBCTs is not a new
idea. Currently, 26 states have financial incentives for NBCTs.
They are proposing a modest number compared to many of those
states. Some school districts in Alaska, including Anchorage and
Kenai, also provide incentives. Washington state implemented
their program in 1999. They now have largest proportion of NBCTs
in the nation. They invest heavily in NBCTs. They provide $5,000
stipends to NBCTs and an additional $5,000 for teachers in low-
income areas. One goal of the Alaska Education Challenge is to
triple the number of NBCTs in the state, especially in hard-to-
staff schools. This could be important in addressing the
difficulty of recruiting and retaining quality teachers in
Alaska.
8:56:09 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL asked what the prerequisites are for taking the
exam.
8:56:41 AM
MS. SORUM-BIRK responded that it is actually a training process,
not an exam. Candidates must be a certified teacher with three
years of experience to apply for the program.
8:57:06 AM
TARA BIVENS, Representing Self, Jump Start toward National Board
Certification, supported SB 188. The National Board
Certification process can last one to five years. Teachers
complete four components of a peer-reviewed process. One
component is a six-hour exam. The other three are based on work
directly in the classroom. In each of those components they
analyze their work in a very specific, targeted way.
9:00:30 AM
MS. SORUM-BIRK presented the sectional for SB 188.
Section 1:
Sec. 14.20.225. Establishes incentive and stipend payments
for national board certification. Establishes amount for
stipend payment to be paid to eligible teachers by school
district or department. Outlines additional incentives for
teachers in high poverty areas with low performance rates.
Establishes the responsibility of DEED to provide
sufficient funding for these incentives, in addition to
existing state aid, and allows DEED to establish a
procedure for school districts to request stipend funds.
Allows school districts to offer additional incentives.
Provides definitions for "district" and "national board
certification."
9:01:42 AM
Section 2:
Sec. 14.43.550 Establishes a loan program to provide
funding for teachers pursuing national board certification.
Sec. 14.43.555 Describes administration of and eligibility
for the loan program. States that the loan program will be
administered by the Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary
Education. Establishes the award amount, repayment period
and interest of the loan. Establishes the responsibilities
of the commission for oversight of the loan application
process and allocation of loan funds. Establishes
eligibility requirement for the loan program. Outlines
duties of the commission relating to payment and repayment
of the loan. Sec. 14.43.590 Provides definitions for the
terms "department" and "district."
9:02:38 AM
STEVE ATWATER, PhD., Representing Self, supported SB 188. He
said he is the Dean of the University of Alaska Southeast School
of Education, but he was presenting his own views, not an
official position. His support for SB 188 comes from two
perspectives, one from his work on the Alaska Education
Challenge and one from his experience as a teacher and
superintendent in Alaska. While the bill is about supporting
teachers, it is ultimately about improving the K-12 student
learning experience. This bill is one way to do that. The Alaska
Education Challenge was an inclusive process designed to
generate recommendations that would lead to systemic coherence
for the K-12 system. He was part of the committee on Educator
Excellence. Chair Stevens was on that committee, which was
facilitated by Dr. Lisa Parady. They spent a lot of time
reviewing best practices and exploring how to improve and
support teachers. The committee set three goals, including
tripling the number of NBCTs, especially in hard-to-staff
schools, through salary incentives. Alaska has fewer than 200
NBCTs out of more than 8,000 teachers.
DR. ATWATER said that as a superintendent, he noticed that NCBTs
are often the best teachers in a building. The Teacher of the
Year often has this certification. A challenge for teaching is
that the career trajectory, excluding becoming an administrator,
for teachers is limited. This bill provides an incentive to
teachers to take a career step that will rejuvenate their
practice. All NBCTs will claim that their certification process
is the best experience they've ever had. The turnover rate in
Alaska is higher than the national average. NCBTs are more
likely to stay in their schools and in the teaching profession.
He asked them to agree than an incentive for teachers to become
NBCTs is important. Consider the fiscal notes with the
understood benefits of an increase in student learning and
creating a more stable teacher workforce.
9:06:38 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL said the certification process sounds like the
engineering licensure process, where an engineer graduates and
works three years under the supervision of a professional
engineer, receives approval from the supervising engineer, and
then takes an exam to become a professional engineer. The
teacher profession has not gone to that level of certification.
She thinks of the highest performing schools in the world in
Finland, where teachers are highly regarded, the highest
educated people, revered and highly paid. This certification
process is important and long overdue. She asked how does this
fit in with what other countries in the world are doing.
9:08:23 AM
DR. ATWATER answered that the need to establish a hierarchy of
professional development is important. School districts provide
professional development and teachers are required to recertify
with coursework. The process is not as formalized as in other
countries or in other professions. He agrees the formality of
that process would be of benefit to the K-12 system. This bill
would begin to make that happen.
9:09:12 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said he appreciated Dr. Atwater's connection of
the bill to the Alaska Education Challenge. That was the point
of the challenge, to come up with innovative ways to improve
education.
9:10:01 AM
MS. BIVENS said she is a teacher in Anchorage and a candidate
support provider, meaning that she works with teachers across
the state with the certification process. She is 100 percent
certain that this will transform education in Alaska. It has
been proven in other states. She was teaching sixth grade in
Anchorage in 2000 when she was certified. She could not believe
how much the process impacted her as a teacher. She has worked
to get information about National Board Certification out to
other teachers through grass roots advocacy. Alaska has 187
board certified teachers. They need help in boosting this
number. NBCT candidates tend to be involved in wide aspects of
their school communities.
9:13:10 AM
MS. BIVENS said so sometimes teachers have to limit what they
participate in. One thing that helps in making the process
accessible is helping financially. Washington state had 23 NBCTs
when their stipend was introduced in 2000. Now they have 10,000,
18 to 20 percent of their teachers. An incentive makes it easier
to make it a priority when trying to make ends meet. Alaska
needs the next level of advocacy. Grassroots advocacy is
reaching its limits. Teachers pay for their own classes, but
this is not so much about expenses as priority. More people need
to do this. She thought she understood so many things about
teaching, but after the process of analysis and reflective
thinking--something rare because of the lack of time for
teachers---her level of professionalism and confidence was
raised. Her teaching was transformed because of this process and
twenty years later she asks herself the same questions she did
when she went through the process. This will push education
forward in the state. It is affordable. It increases student
learning.
9:19:17 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL asked about the cost of the process. Multiple
professions in this state require national certification. She
doesn't know that any of them have stipend or loan programs. She
asked if she could justify that by explaining the cost of the
exam.
9:19:46 AM
MS. BIVENS said there are teacher certification programs, of
course. Some universities are moving toward the evidence-based
learning required by the national certification. National
certification is a voluntary system based on national standards.
The cost is $2,500 to $5,000 to go through the process.
9:22:55 AM
LISA SKILES PARADY, Ph.D., Executive Director, Alaska Council of
School Administrators, supported SB 188. She chaired the Alaska
Education Challenge Educator Excellence Committee. Senator
Stevens, his aide Timothy Lamkin, Dr. Atwater and many other
citizens sat on that committee. The charge was to come up with
something transformative. Of the three recommendations, this
rose to the top. The research is compelling. There is a fiscal
note in tight times, but they need to avail themselves of every
good strategy to assist school districts in a time of shortage
and they are struggling to retain quality staff. This goes
directly to the goals of the Alaska Education Challenge, as well
to the greatest needs in school districts. This is a proven idea
they need to capitalize on.
9:25:21 AM
SENATOR HUGHES asked what districts spend on professional
development. She asked if this could be the professional
development, what the funds for professional development could
be used for, and whether every single teacher could be required
to be nationally certified.
9:26:03 AM
ACTING CHAIR COGHILL said that is a broad question that Dr.
Parady wouldn't immediately have the answer to. That is
something they can get back to.
9:26:27 AM
JESSE BJORKMAN, Representing Self, supported SB 188. He said to
speak to Senator Hughes' question, the standards of National
Board Certification could stand in for much of the professional
development programs and strategies that districts are using.
His local school district spends a lot of money on professional
development and targets one or two areas of the five core
propositions that National Board Certification uses. With NEA-
Alaska and other organizations that support National Board
Certification, a large network of support exists for teachers
who wants this. He doesn't know that this certification is for
everyone as it is intensive and requires a lot of effort in
looking at practice that may not be appropriate for everyone,
but it is immensely helpful for multiple teachers in a building
to gain that certification. They can pass on strategies and
methods of pedagogy on to their colleagues. Having a teacher-
based professional development system can transform schools.
They can have a professional development system from the bottom
up, not top down, with more intrinsic teacher buy-in. It is
better use of state dollars than going Outside to hire
consulting firms. They already have the structures to educate
themselves as teachers and pass that information on to
colleagues. That is the most valuable part of National Board
Certification. Being halfway through the in-depth and detailed
process has transformed the way he teaches. It is the best
professional development he's ever had.
ACTING CHAIR COGHILL held SB 188 in committee.
9:29:46 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Acting Chair Coghill adjourned the Senate Education Standing
Committee at 9:29 a.m.