Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/03/1993 01:45 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
March 3, 1993
1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Steve Rieger, Chairman
Senator Loren Leman
Senator Mike Miller
Senator Bert Sharp, Vice Chairman
Senator Jim Duncan
Senator Johnny Ellis
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Judy Salo
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 61
"An Act implementing certain recommendations of Alaska 2000
to improve the state's education system; and providing for
an effective date."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 61 - See HESS minutes dated 2/8/93, 2/10/93, 2/17/93,
2/24/93.
WITNESS REGISTER
Vernon Marshall, Executive Director
National Education Association-Alaska, Inc.
114 Second Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61
Steve McPheters, Executive Director
Alaska Council of School Administrators
326 4th Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
Vince Barry, Director
Education Program Support
Department of Education
801 W. 10 St., Suite 200
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1894
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
Bob Silverman
Department of Education
801 W. 10 St., Suite 200
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1894
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
Claudia Douglas, President
NEA
114 Second Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
Earl Clark, Professor
University of Alaska Juneau
9163 Parkwood
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
Marla Huss, Aide
%Senator Salo
Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1802
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
John Gillespie
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 61.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-18, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN RIEGER called the Senate Health, Education, and
Social Services Committee (HESS) to order at 1:45 p.m. and
announced SB 61 IMPLEMENT ALASKA 2000 RECOMMENDATIONS to be
up for consideration.
VERNON MARSHALL, Executive Director, NEA/AK, said they had
two meetings with the representatives from the School Board
Association and administrators discussing proposed amendment
him. They supported the current practice of offering
someone tenure who has performed well for two years. In the
third year, if a non-tenured teacher is making progress (
with an individual improvement plan), the district can
extend the probationary period one additional year.
MR. MARSHALL pointed out language they inserted which says
that the district must provide a non-tenured teacher during
each year of the teacher's non-tenure with a minimum of two
formal observations and two evaluation sessions.
Number 199
SENATOR RIEGER asked what was the method of evaluating
tenured teachers. MR. MARSHALL said there is a provision in
place that does require tenured teachers to be evaluated at
least one time annually. Each school district has its own
method of evaluation. NEA encourages good staff development
programs.
Number 252
STEVE MCPHETERS, Executive Director, Alaska Council of
School Administrators, said the issue of tenure is a very
sensitive one across the state. The basis of the extension
of the probationary third year is to help those teachers who
have the potential of being good educators. From his
experience the first year teacher always has a very
difficult time. By their second year they begin to develop
their own style of teaching. In their third year they can
carry on more independently. The third year is a very
important time for the non-tenured teacher, he reiterated.
MR. MCPHETERS said they are not in total agreement with the
language Mr. Marshall has.
Number 369
SENATOR SHARP asked how many tenured teachers were
undergoing reevaluation.
VINCE BARRY, Director, Education Program Support, asked Bob
Silverman, DOE, if he knew the figure. MR. SILVERMAN said
he didn't have that data.
MR. BARRY added that the Department was very happy to see
the length of time issue being discussed.
Number 391
SENATOR DUNCAN moved to withdraw amendment #6. There were
no objections and it was so ordered.
Number 419
SENATOR ELLIS moved amendment #7. There were no objections
and it was so ordered. SENATOR ELLIS said he was concerned
with the number of allowable charter schools which is
currently 40. He is going to propose to reduce that to a
pilot project. He was concerned with the vagueness of the
language.
MR. BARRY commented one concern he had was with the
application being made by teachers only. The majority of
the advisory committee could be teachers, but public
involvement is needed.
MR. BARRY personally thought that 40 charter schools would
be easy to track through recording mechanisms.
Number 496
MR. MCPHETERS said he wasn't that afraid of the charter
schools issue. There are currently avenues where a school
can be created within a school. One concern they do have is
with creating an elitist population.
SENATOR DUNCAN commented that it seemed they could do what
they wanted to do under present statute.
MR. MCPHETERS said they wouldn't look too favorably on
Senator Ellis' amendment. They would have to look at what
the current restrictions public schools have and compare
that to what restrictions there would be for a body to be
created within a public school structure.
Number 560
CLAUDIA DOUGLAS said that they could support the amendment
for a charter school program, because it might provide an
opportunity for some people to get together and add reform
in a different way. She said that mostly parents don't want
to send their children to a separate school; they would like
to improve the school they have in their community.
TAPE 93-18, SIDE A
Number 583
SENATOR LEMAN commented to Ms. Douglas that she was
concerned that this would take public dollars and divert it
to another program. He personally didn't see any problem
with diverting public dollars to other public schools in the
school district.
MS. DOUGLAS said the way the bill is written there wouldn't
be any additional funding to hire more teachers for the kids
that are left. If 50 kids and three teachers leave, those
kids that are left will have to be placed in other classes
making the class sizes go up.
Number 534
SENATOR RIEGER asked SENATOR ELLIS to explain the purpose of
the fourth part of his amendment. SENATOR ELLIS said he had
asked the drafter to address his concerns about governance
in that section.
Number 467
EARL CLARK, part-time faculty, University of Alaska
Southeast, said it is well known that the most crucial year
for a teacher is the first year. He likes the idea of the
third year. He thought the committee should consider an
internship for the first year of teaching and then allow the
teacher to earn tenure in the next two years.
He thought charter schools was a very clever idea for
getting a specialized group of people to have their own
school. Instead of breaking up the public school system, he
would like to see the purposes of this bill spelled out
beautifully by saying "any public school in Alaska that
wishes to become a charter school may do so by making
application." This would give every public school in Alaska
the opportunity to develop their own program, justify it,
and run it for three years, and then assess the results.
Number 412
SENATOR LEMAN asked who the specialized interests were that
everyone was worried about taking over the schools. MR.
CLARK said they are the same ones that take advantage of any
special program.
SENATOR SHARP asked him the difference between special needs
and special interests. MR. CLARK said that special interest
groups have an agenda. He explained that a separate
interest school run outside of the regular program would
take away from the public school. He thought the public
school system needed to be strengthened, not weakened.
MR. CLARK explained that 50% of gifted children (defined as
an I.Q. of 130 or over) quit school before they graduate
from high school. Many of them go on to college, but many
of them don't because they are lost. Special programs are
needed for these people.
Number 328
MR. MARSHALL pointed out lines 17-23 on page 7 described the
organization of the charter school. He felt that the
initial group would be parents who understand the rules and
procedures for going about acquiring opportunities for their
kids. He cautioned the committee against creating
opportunities for those who have the good fortune and time
to take advantage of them to the detriment of those who may
not have the good fortune or means.
Number 280
SENATOR DUNCAN said that charter schools do impact the
public school system without reducing the cost.
Number 157
SENATOR ELLIS withdrew amendment #7 and said he would offer
a revised amendment based on comments that he had heard
today. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
Number 96
SENATOR DUNCAN offered SENATOR SALO's amendment #8.
MARLA HUSS, Aide for Senator Salo, said this amendment is a
result of concerns raised by the Advisory School Boards that
the parent advisory groups at schools would be supplanted.
SENATOR LEMAN said he thought that school districts could do
this now.
MS. HUSS said that statute currently allows REAAs to advise
School Boards. SENATOR DUNCAN said there is also an
exemption provision which is being deleted by SENATOR SALO's
amendment. Her amendment spells things out in detail which
present statute doesn't do.
TAPE 93-19, SIDE A
Number 001
VINCE BARRY said every time the parents and the public
participate, the schools are improved.
SENATOR DUNCAN said he thought they had public input through
election of the School Board members. He asked why Mr.
Barry is recommending an exemption for a district that has
only one school.
MR. BARRY replied it is simply because they are single sites
and have a School Board.
SENATOR LEMAN asked how many single sites there were in
Alaska. MR. BARRY answered 22 and just a few dual sites.
Number 040
STEVE MCPHETERS, Alaska Council of School Administrators,
supported amendment #8 in changing the "shall" to "may."
They hoped this legislation could focus on using existing
PTA's for the Advisory Board for that school.
Number 070
JOHN GILLESPIE reaffirmed that the parents do have a
mechanism for input into the school which is the PTA. Its
purpose is to get parental input and to organize that into
the school system.
The Committee voted on the amendment: SENATOR RIEGER: yes;
SENATOR SHARP: no; SENATOR DUNCAN: yes; SENATOR ELLIS: yes,
SENATOR LEMAN: no; SENATOR MILLER: no; and the motion
failed.
Number 087
SENATOR SHARP moved to adopt the amendment #9 on page 3,
line 21 after the word "board" delete "at each school."
SENATOR LEMAN said he objected to amendment #9. SENATOR
LEMAN objected for purposes of discussion.
Number 100
SENATOR SHARP withdrew his motion for further consideration.
There were no objections and it was so ordered.
SENATOR RIEGER adjourned the meeting at 3:33 p.m.
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