Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/03/2020 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development | |
| HB109 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | HB 109 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 3, 2020
9:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Shelley Hughes, Vice Chair
Senator Tom Begich
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator John Coghill
Senator Mia Costello
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development
Lorri Van Diest - Palmer
Keith Hamilton - Soldotna
- CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 109(EDC) AM
"An Act relating to residency requirements for public school
enrollment for certain children of active duty military and
National Guard members."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 109
SHORT TITLE: MILITARY CHILDREN SCHOOL RESIDENCY WAIVER
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) LEDOUX
03/25/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/25/19 (H) MLV, EDC
04/09/19 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/09/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/11/19 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/11/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/16/19 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/16/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/16/19 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
04/18/19 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/18/19 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/23/19 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/23/19 (H) Moved CSHB 109(MLV) Out of Committee
04/23/19 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
04/24/19 (H) MLV RPT CS(MLV) NT 6DP
04/24/19 (H) DP: KOPP, THOMPSON, JACKSON, TARR,
TUCK, LEDOUX
05/08/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
05/08/19 (H) Heard & Held
05/08/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
05/10/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
05/10/19 (H) Moved CSHB 109(EDC) Out of Committee
05/10/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
05/11/19 (H) EDC RPT CS(EDC) NT 3DP 1NR 1AM
05/11/19 (H) DP: TUCK, DRUMMOND, STORY
05/11/19 (H) NR: HOPKINS
05/11/19 (H) AM: REVAK
02/03/20 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/03/20 (H) VERSION: CSHB 109(EDC) AM
02/05/20 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/05/20 (S) STA, EDC
02/18/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/18/20 (S) Heard & Held
02/18/20 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/25/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/25/20 (S) Moved CSHB 109(EDC) AM Out of Committee
02/25/20 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/26/20 (S) STA RPT 3DP
02/26/20 (S) DP: COGHILL, WILSON, KAWASAKI
03/03/20 (S) EDC AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
LORRI VAN DIEST, Governor's Appointee
Alaska Board of Education and Early Development
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Alaska Board
of Education and Early Development.
KEITH HAMILTON, D.Min., Governor's Appointee
Alaska Board of Education and Early Development
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Alaska Board
of Education and Early Development.
REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE LEDOUX
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as sponsor of HB 109.
DENEEN TUCK, Staff
Representative Gabrielle LeDoux
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered question about HB 109.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:00:08 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Begich, Hughes, and Chair Stevens.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Alaska State Board of Education and
Early Development
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development
9:00:53 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced the confirmation hearing for two of the
governor's appointees to the Alaska State Board of Education and
Early Development.
9:01:29 AM
At ease
9:01:33 AM
CHAIR STEVENS reconvened the meeting and asked appointee Lorri
Van Diest to introduce herself.
9:02:52 AM
LORRI VAN DIEST, Governor's Appointee, Alaska Board of Education
and Early Development, Palmer, Alaska, said she was reappointed
by the governor. She had served the remaining two years of Mr.
Harmon's term after being appointed by Governor Walker. She said
she is a life-long Alaskan who grew up in Seward and followed
her father's footsteps by joining the teaching profession. She
began her career at Seward High School. It was rewarding to
teach students that she had babysat in her earlier years. After
getting married, she moved to the Mat-Su Valley. She was part of
the original staff of Colony High School where she taught math
and became a secondary guidance counselor. She transferred to
Teeland Middle School and has spent her last six years in the
Mat-Su School District office working as the curriculum
coordinator.
MS. VAN DIEST said she retired from the Mat-Su Borough School
District in 2010 to become a full-time teacher to her three
children. Four years ago she became a substitute guidance
counselor and is currently an elementary counselor at a Title I,
high-needs school. Having boots on the ground at a local school
gives her direct insight into the daily workings of a school.
She brings this perspective to the board. She has spent the
majority of her career in public education as a classroom
teacher, guidance counselor, coach, and curriculum coordinator.
Her focus has been and continues to be the safety, health, well-
being of students. The state's children must feel safe in their
school environment and have a connection to their school.
Establishing relationships and building connections between
students and staff is a critical component to the safety and
well-being of students. When students do not feel safe and
connected, the learning of reading, writing, and mathematics
does not go very well.
MS. VAN DIEST said that after she was seated on the board, she
learned about the Alaska Education Challenge. She was pleasantly
surprised to find that one of the five trajectories of the
challenge is to "improve the safety and well-being of students
through school partnerships with families, communities, and
tribes." The board has adopted the Alaska Education Challenge
and this framework has guided its work. The board has directed
the commissioner of Department of Education and Early
Development (DEED) to focus on the components of the Alaska
Education Challenge. Current legislation corresponds to the
goals of Alaska Education Challenge, including SB 6, the Alaska
Reads Act, sponsored by Senator Begich, which has given all
Alaskans hope that children can achieve the goal of reading by
the end of third grade. SB 13, related to tribal compacting,
sponsored by Senator Stevens, is a clear conversation starter on
the priorities that many Alaskans want to see in the education
system. These bills show direct ties to the strategic priorities
of the Alaska Education Challenge.
9:07:38 AM
MS. VAN DIEST shared that as she thinks about the opportunity to
serve on the Board of Education another term, she wants to
continue the strategic work the board has adopted. She serves as
the Regulations Committee chair. The committee has been
reviewing each of the education regulations. The committee works
with DEED's staff to determine where a regulation needs to
remain as is, be revised, or be removed. When stakeholders
express a need for regulation change, the committee reviews it
and makes recommendations to the board. The revised regulation
then goes through the review process by all stakeholders prior
to being considered for adoption.
MS. VAN DIEST said her goals for the future of the state are
aligned with the framework of the Alaska Education Challenge and
the state's school system. The indicators in Every Student
Succeeds Act dovetail nicely with the Alaska Education
Challenge. She would like to see the state's proficiency rate
increase in grade three language arts and continued academic
growth and achievement in English language arts and mathematics.
The components in the Alaska Reads Act are geared toward
increasing student reading achievement and performance,
particularly at pre-K through grade three. She wants to see the
graduation rate increase from 80 percent and wants to see
chronic absenteeism decrease from 29 percent.
MS. VAN DIEST said in addition to student goals, she wants to
see the university system graduate more Alaskan teachers. The
state needs more teachers and once the state gets them, it must
work to keep them.
MS. VAN DIEST said that in addition to supporting the goals and
indicators of the Alaska Education Challenge, she wants to see
stable and affordable funding of education with fiscal
discipline for those funds. For example, the Board of Education
regulation committee is working to reduce regulatory restraints
on districts to allow more flexibility within state and federal
laws in spending practices. The board will continue to use the
Alaska Education Challenge strategic plan to focus efforts and
navigate this challenging time in the state.
She said the board is committed to DEED's vision of ensuring all
students succeed in their education and work, shape satisfying
and worthwhile lives for themselves, exemplify the best values
of society, and be effective in improving the character and
quality of the world about them.
CHAIR STEVENS said the committee appreciates her years of
dedicated service to the children and schools of Alaska. She
answered his questions about what she intended to do to improve
education in Alaska.
9:11:27 AM
SENATOR BEGICH pointed out that SB 6, the Alaska Reads Act, is
in partnership with the governor and the work of Senator Hughes,
Senator Stevens, and Senator Costello. He asked for more detail
about the regulatory changes the committee is reviewing.
MS. VAN DIEST replied the regulation committee has been working
with the DEED director of teaching certification on Chapter 12,
the certification of teachers to find alternative pathways for
certification that also meet the needs of students and teachers.
One regulatory change is coming before the board for the first
reading, so the board can hear from stakeholders, at the end of
March. The board is trying to decrease regulations that seem to
be prohibitive to school districts as well as to make changes to
give school districts more flexibility in hiring teachers.
SENATOR BEGICH responded that finding alternative pathways to
certification raises a red flag because he does not want the
state to lower the standards for certification. He asked her to
elaborate on that effort.
MS. VAN DIEST replied the board and regulation committee is
cognizant of maintaining standards for certification, but
understands that the state has a teacher shortage and retention
difficulties. She offered to provide her notes from the last
regulatory committee meeting to speak about the emergency
certification.
SENATOR BEGICH said that isn't necessary; the committee will see
that information later. He referenced disturbing presentations
about the university's ability to produce teachers and the
spirited conversations the committee has had about what it takes
to produce more teachers in the state of Alaska. He asked what
the board is looking at to address the teacher shortage more
directly with the university.
MS. VAN DIEST replied it would help for the Alaska Board of
Education and Early Development to be more connected with the
University of Alaska Board of Regents. In the past, the State
Board had meetings with the Board of Regents to talk about
university issues.
MS. VAN DIEST shared that she recently completed a week in
Juneau with her daughter for Close Up. Many students were from
rural villages. These students talked about how many of their
teachers did not even finish teaching the whole school year. It
is important that students decide to become teachers and go back
and teach in their villages. She said she thinks that SB 136 can
help.
SENATOR BEGICH said he agrees with the suggestion that the
Alaska Board of Education and the Board of Regents meet.
9:19:29 AM
SENATOR HUGHES offered her understanding that the Alaska Board
of Education has reached out to the Board of Regents to have a
joint meeting but it has been difficult to achieve. She
suggested that if there is any hesitation or pushback about
joint meetings, the legislature could consider making that a
requirement.
CHAIR STEVENS added that the legislature and educators know the
future is not bright when there is a teacher shortage throughout
the United States. He noted that many teachers come to Alaska
for two or three years and then go elsewhere because of the
retirement system and asked for her thoughts about the
retirement system.
MS. VAN DIEST replied that she was fortunate when she began
teaching in 1988 because she was part of the Tier I system and
many of her colleagues are in Tier II. From what she has heard
from the young teachers in the building she is in, the
retirement system is not good. There have been conversations
with NEA about Social Security. She does not know all the ins
and outs of that and is not particularly knowledgeable about the
Tier III retirement system but younger teachers are concerned
about it. Alaska salaries used to be the highest, but no longer.
Alaska is a tough area, especially if people are away from
family and need to travel down south at Christmas and summer
holidays, especially for teachers in rural Alaska and not on the
road system. She does not have a direct answer, but those are
some thoughts off the top of her head.
CHAIR STEVENS said he appreciated her thoughts.
9:23:33 AM
SENATOR BEGICH agreed that the joint meetings should be pursued.
Noting that the Alaska Reads Act will require a lot in
regulations, he asked if the board is doing any preliminary work
on what regulations the act would require, should the bill pass.
MS. VAN DIEST responded that DEED has formed teams to consider
how to quickly implement the bill should it pass. A tremendous
amount of work will have to happen and drafts are being started.
Superintendents, principals, teachers, and reading specialists
are fully committed to implementing the bill but must be on
board to help draft the regulations and give feedback about what
each school district can implement.
SENATOR BEGICH said he appreciated her candor and answers.
9:27:25 AM
KEITH HAMILTON, D.Min, Governor's Appointee, Alaska Board of
Education and Early Development, Soldotna, Alaska, said he is
the current vice chair of the State Board of Education. He has
been the president of Alaska Christian College for almost 20
years. The college serves Alaska Natives and is a postsecondary,
accredited college that reaches out to the farther edges of
Alaska to allow students to have a shot at higher education. The
college just passed more than 100 students the past year, 90
percent of them Alaska Native, 5 percent American Indian from
the Lower 48, and the rest Caucasian. The college has a lot of
experience with students from rural Alaska and the challenges
and barriers rural students have experienced in their
educational pursuits. Many of the issues related to the Alaska
Education Challenge and the state's educational pursuits are
close to the hearts of those at the college. He reported that 90
percent of their students walk through the door unprepared
academically for college. The college has a strong team and
student success center that helps them get there. The college is
graduating its largest class of 15 students this year with the
college's four different associate arts degrees. His wife Debbie
is the executive director of New Hope Counseling Center. It
supports Alaska Native students with Adverse Childhood
Experiences (ACEs) scores. The college takes a whole life
approach to students from rural Alaska.
DR. HAMILTON said he has been a commissioner for five years for
the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) and was
just renewed. His role as a college president is to connect K-12
with what is happening at ACPE. He was asked to join the State
Board of Education to be a liaison between those two large,
important educational groups in the state. As part of the
subcommittee of the State Board to the University of Alaska for
a couple of years, he has participated in joint meetings. When
the subcommittee held in-person meetings, he was able to be a
point of contact between the Board of Education and Board of
Regents. He has been on the state personnel committee for eight
years. He is committed to a healthy, educated state that reaches
out to all Alaskans. He is involved in various faith-based
community organizations and social service organization on the
Kenai Peninsula.
DR. HAMILTON said his hope is to be consistently helping the
Alaska Education Challenge to be all that it can be. DEED staff
and the Board of Education use it every day for the specific
things it brings to the overall picture of education in Alaska.
It is critical and he continues to work toward that.
DR. HAMILTON informed the committee that the department has
turned around a horrible situation with its testing company from
three years ago. He was part of the safety and well-being
subcommittee for Alaska Education Challenge and was involved in
the process of the state getting approved for Every Student
Succeeds Act. He hopes that SB 6 will become law and that the
state graduation rate will continue to climb.
9:33:57 AM
DR. HAMILTON shared that his students take an ACEs test because
trauma-informed practices are critical in the state. He
expressed hope that the state continues to make that a priority
through SB 6. He said the current team on the state board is
solid and he believes it is critical that it continue. He hopes
that the critical nature of having momentum with the board is
part of the discussion today. It is difficult to do business as
a board when the board members meet once or twice a year and
have so much on their plates. Two meetings are not enough. There
is not enough time for dreaming and scheming. He hopes that is
part of their near future so the board can work more
collaboratively.
DR. HAMILTON said educators and legislators all know that the
challenges in Alaska are enormous. He is a local control guy and
hopes the state can continue to give as much as possible back to
local school districts and perhaps to tribal compacting.
CHAIR STEVENS said it is always great to have a chance to talk
to Dr. Hamilton and learn what he has been doing. The committee
appreciates his service to Alaska and the board.
9:37:17 AM
SENATOR BEGICH noted that Dr. Hamilton's documents do not show
that he is serving on the ACPE board or the personnel board. He
asked Dr. Hamilton to please make sure those things are listed
in the future.
CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony and after ascertaining
there was none, closed public testimony on the confirmation
hearings.
9:38:20 AM
SENATOR HUGHES stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Education Committee reviewed the following and recommends
the appointments be forwarded to a joint session for
consideration:
Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development
Lorri Van Diest - Palmer
Keith Hamilton - Soldotna
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.
9:38:57 AM
At ease
HB 109-MILITARY CHILDREN SCHOOL RESIDENCY WAIVER
9:39:48 AM
CHAIR STEVENS reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO.
109(EDC) AM, "An Act relating to residency requirements for
public school enrollment for certain children of active duty
military and National Guard members."
He stated his intention to hear the introduction of the bill and
hold it for further review.
9:40:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE LEDOUX, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, speaking as sponsor, said that HB 109 is a
residency waiver for military children. If people in the
military are given orders to transfer to Alaska, but are not
transferred before registration for school, then these students
could be registered on the basis of the transfer papers. The
Department of the Defense (DOD) is trying to get all the state
legislatures to pass this bill or something similar. It is
important to the military. If students have to wait until the
families are in the state to register, some high school classes
needed for graduation and electives are closed. Charter school
lotteries can also be closed. It makes sense to allow people who
are coming to Alaska to register their kids before the family
arrives.
CHAIR STEVENS asked if this is a problem in Alaska and whether
she had any anecdotal information that students have been denied
entrance to classes.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX replied she cannot say it has happened,
but it will be nice to make sure that it does not. She noted the
letter of support from Superintendent Deena Bishop.
9:42:46 AM
SENATOR HUGHES cited the 10-day proof of residency requirement
and noted that some students might arrive before their parents
and be staying with a relative or another military family. She
asked if that could be a problem and whether place of residency
should be the principal dwelling place of the student rather
than the parents. She acknowledged that she did not know if this
has come up.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX replied she had not heard that concern
before. Under the bill the students will be able to register
where parents are going to live, but she does not view it as a
problem. If a student came early and stays with a family in
Eagle River, but once the parents arrive the family will live in
Muldoon, the student should be able to enroll in the Muldoon
area at Bartlett High School because that is the principal
resident of the parents.
CHAIR STEVENS asked Ms. Tuck if she had a response to that.
9:45:08 AM
DENEEN TUCK, Staff, Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Alaska
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said that after discussion in
Military and Veterans Affairs, the term "guardian" was inserted
into the bill in case students came up early and were staying
with someone else.
SENATOR HUGHES said that would probably take care of it.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX added that proof of residence must be
provided once the family is in Alaska.
SENATOR BEGICH, after receiving confirmation from the sponsor
that there is no data on the number of students who might be
affected, said it is good policy and should be supported. He
asked if the definition of residency would qualify a student who
came early to receive a dividend check.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX answered no.
9:47:05 AM
CHAIR STEVENS commented that the committee expected testimony
from Tammie Perreault but she was not with the committee yet.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX advised that Ms. Perreault called to say
that she would not be able to call in to this meeting.
CHAIR STEVENS added that Ms. Perreault is the Northwest region
liaison for the Department of Defense. He expressed hope that
the committee would have an opportunity to hear from her. He
opened public testimony and ascertained there was none.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX shared that the committee had a letter
from Ms. Perreault.
9:47:44 AM
CHAIR STEVENS held public testimony open and noted that written
testimony could be sent to [email protected]. He held
HB 109 in committee.
9:48:03 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stevens adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
at 9:48 a.m.