ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE  April 5, 2019 8:01 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair Representative Grier Hopkins Representative Chris Tuck Representative Tiffany Zulkosky Representative Josh Revak Representative DeLena Johnson MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 24 "An Act relating to instruction in a language other than English; and relating to limited teacher certificates." - MOVED HB 24 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 67 "An Act relating to the duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; and providing for an effective date." - HEARD & HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 24 SHORT TITLE: LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS 02/20/19 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/7/19 02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/20/19 (H) EDC, L&C 03/29/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 03/29/19 (H) Heard & Held 03/29/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 04/01/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 04/01/19 (H) Heard & Held 04/01/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 04/03/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 04/03/19 (H) Heard & Held 04/03/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 04/05/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 BILL: HB 67 SHORT TITLE: DEPT. OF LABOR: TECHNICAL ED. PROGRAMS SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR 02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/20/19 (H) EDC, L&C, FIN 04/05/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 WITNESS REGISTER TAMIKA LEDBETTER, Ph.D., Commissioner Designee Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD) Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 67, sponsored by House Rules by the request of the governor. LOUISE DEAN Executive Director Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD) Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions pertaining to HB 67. DEBORAH RIDDLE, Division Operations Manager Student Learning Division Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB 67. PAUL LAYER, Vice President Academic Students in Research University of Alaska - Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Provided his testimony and made himself available to answer questions during the hearing on HB 67. JOEY CRUM, President and CEO Northern Industrial Training Palmer, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 67. ACTION NARRATIVE 8:01:02 AM CO-CHAIR HARRIET DRUMMOND called the House Education Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. Representatives Revak, Tuck, Johnson, Hopkins, Story, and Drummond were present at the call to order. Representative Zulkosky arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 24-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES  8:01:53 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 24, "An Act relating to instruction in a language other than English; and relating to limited teacher certificates." 8:02:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed her appreciation for HB 24. She said she thinks the proposed legislation would benefit immersion language programs such as those offered through the University of Alaska - Southeast, in Juneau. She indicated that HB 24 exemplifies the flexibility that Alaska needs. She said this is one of the ways in which the Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) and the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development can work to preserve and revitalize Alaska's languages. She said she supports HB 24. She noted that her daughter has gone through the language programs and is currently working in a Tlingit immersion pre-school program. 8:04:17 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to report HB 24 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 24 was reported out of the House Education Standing Committee. 8:04:36 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:05 a.m. to 8:06 a.m. HB 67-DEPT. OF LABOR: TECHNICAL ED. PROGRAMS  8:06:40 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 67, "An Act relating to the duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; and providing for an effective date." 8:07:31 AM TAMIKA LEDBETTER, Ph.D., Commissioner Designee, Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD), presented HB 67, sponsored by House Rules by the request of the governor. She relayed the goals of DLWD. She related that HB 67 would add language to accommodate vocational training. She said the primary focus of DLWD is to connect people in Alaska to training and jobs in their home regions throughout the state. The department works to identify partnerships with employers and training organizations that will prepare people for job opportunities. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that HB 67 would add language in Title 44, directing DLWD to coordinate and monitor state career and technical education programs. She said this would be accomplished in collaboration with DEED, the University of Alaska (UA), and other entities that provide career and technical education and training. She said federal legislation governing the use of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding, as well as Carl Perkins Career and Technical Education funding, requires agency coordination and collaboration. The language in HB 67 would formalize that requirement. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER said DLWD works to provide job seekers and workers with high quality training and education, as well as career services. She stated, "The department further helps employers find skilled workers and identifies education and training opportunities for the current workforce." She said Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB), located in the commissioner's office, is the lead state planning and coordinating entity for human resource programs in the state. She said, "Members represent a diverse cross-section of businesses and educational partners." 8:09:54 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that in 2010, AWIB worked with DLWD and UA to develop "the 2010 Alaska Career and Technical Education Plan, which called for strategy to improve career and technical education and prepare Alaskans with required skills needed for postsecondary training in careers in high-growth occupations in Alaska." Commissioner Ledbetter stated that the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Plan called for "increasing efforts to develop career pathways, career counseling, standards for training programs, coordination, and program delivery." She said the plan addresses individual needs for career preparedness, as well as the broader needs for a training and education system that is efficient, effective, and coordinated with workforce needs, both current and future. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER related that in 2018, the same partners created an addendum to the 2010 plan "to reenergize the conversation around CTE, reexamine CTE plan strategies, and help ensure that our broad spectrum of education and training opportunities are communicated to Alaskans." She said a coordinator located in DLWD implements these strategies. She said the Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) is the premier state training school for training directed at specific employers, and it provides longer-term training, averaging nine months, in the study of maritime, applied technology, culinary arts, energy and building technology, and information technology. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER related that another role of the department is in the dissemination of career and technical training funds through the State Training and Employment Program (STEP) and the Technical and Vocational Education Program (TVEP), and numerous federal grant programs. She said HB 67 would "formalize the role of DLWD as the lead agency in coordinating and monitoring state career and technical education." 8:12:27 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked whether state career and technical education implies any in the state of Alaska or just those that have received state funding. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that it includes all state career and technical education. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK mentioned a career school in mid-town Anchorage, as well as a Baptist college in the east side of Anchorage. He asked if, under HB 67, DLWD would have oversight of those two private institutions. He then rephrased his question to ask what the intent of the department would be for those two organizations. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that the department's intention in coordinating and monitoring is to ensure people are not being over-trained for jobs that do not exist or under-trained for jobs that do exist. She further stated the intent is not "a hostile takeover of every program" but rather to ensure collaboration and coordination in meeting the needs of employers to establish a qualified workforce. She described a streamlined focus for training of Alaskans for work both now and for that which is anticipated for the future. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK referred to the phrase "any other entities  involved in providing or funding the programs" on page 2, line 11, of HB 67, and asked whether that means "you'll be looking at some of these institutions and their sources of funding, as well." COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER relayed that a grant unit within the department's Division of Employment and Training Services administers federal and state grant funds to training providers, including the university and private entities. The proposed legislation, she said, would add "a strengthening to the language" for the purpose of better coordination. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked if that included entities that do not receive government funding whatsoever. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER said she would return with a specific response. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK clarified he wanted to know what the intent was. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER said, "The intent is simply monitoring and coordinating." REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked, "No matter where the funding comes from; no matter what they train; just any ... institution, regardless of funding?" COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered yes. 8:15:47 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY inquired as to "who is coordinating this now" and whether Commissioner Ledbetter had spoken with representatives of DEED and UA. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that there is a current plan developed by DLWD, DEED, and UA. She continued: Under the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, this language is already written ... in legislation to have mandatory partners in coordination so that services and programs are administered in a way that our common customers can be served better. And so, this language is just helpful to us to strengthen that partnership and strengthen that relationship. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER noted that currently DLWD has a career and technical education coordinator on staff to ensure this collaboration. REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked whether the reason for the proposed legislation is that the agencies are "having trouble communicating." COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated her belief that "the formalization of the language" helps in strengthening the partnership by ensuring it happens at the desired level. REPRESENTATIVE STORY inquired about the conversation between DEED, UA, and DLWD. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER relayed that she has had multiple conversations with the commissioner of DEED, who is supportive of HB 67. She stated her intent to have "further conversation with the president of the university." She recommended the committee hear from Louise Dean, the Executive Director of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board. 8:18:25 AM LOUISE DEAN, Executive Director, Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB), Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD), stated that AWIB is a 26-member board appointed by the governor. Board members communicate on a regular basis and work closely with DEED, as well as with the workforce program at UA. She said one thing that [DLWD] has is a connection to employers and industry that brings about an understanding of what is needed in terms of training and the future workforce. 8:20:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked a series of questions regarding the frequency of board meetings and the identity of the chair. MS. DEAN responded that the full board meets three times a year, and committees meet throughout the year. She indicated the committees cover the topics of workforce readiness, employment placement, assessment and evaluation, policy and planning, and legislation. The executive committee meets monthly, which she opined is adequate. She said the executive committee is made up of the board chair and vice chair, as well as "the chairs of the standing committee." She said statute requires them to meet three times a year; due to budget cuts, two of those meetings are done virtually, while one is face to face. She said Larry Bell is the current chair of AWIB and is a business and industry representative. She said Brenda Pacarro is vice chair and a business and industry representative. She explained that statute requires the chair and vice chair to be from the business an industry sector. The board also has private sector members. 8:23:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY relayed that she has some experience working for non-profits focused on workforce readiness in rural Western Alaska. She inquired as to how HB 67 may change existing private/public partnerships. She said many of those entities operate through user fees - scholarships that are paid for by various regional entities or Native corporations - and they operate based on local employment needs. She asked how HB 67 might impact STEP or TVEP funds that are "passed through to those programs." 8:24:39 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that it would "require all of us to come to the table." She said HB 67 would allow for greater outreach to private entities, training providers, and nonprofit agencies; it would help to coordinate across the state, to expand opportunity to rural areas. She said there is data focused on "job development numbers" that demonstrate the need for a strategic workforce development plan. She said the department has the information to be able to show what the need is and say where funding dollars are for which members can compete. She opined that that coordination is better suited in DLWD because of the amount of services the department provides for the state. REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY inquired whether the intention [of HB 67] is to expand the state's ability to coordinate those services "but not necessarily to assume them from private entities that are doing that work." COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered yes. 8:26:27 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked whether it would be possible to get a list of schools and entities that are being overseen currently. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered yes. 8:27:16 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked for clarification regarding DEED's role in overseeing the career and technical program. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER replied that every school, the university, and oftentimes private industry have career and technical education programs. The goal of HB 67 is to create a single plan with a single focus. REPRESENTATIVE STORY said it would be good to know the resources that the department has at its disposal to assist with implementation of the program. 8:28:39 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND suggested the question would be better asked of Ms. Riddle of DEED. 8:28:48 AM DEBORAH RIDDLE, Division Operations Manager, Student Learning Division, Department of Education & Early Development (DEED), said currently DEED, DLWD, and UA meet monthly. She indicated that DEED funds career and technical education at the secondary level via federal funding. Districts must coordinate with "their local industry and workforce." She mentioned the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act and a provision wherein a needs assessment must be done every two years, in which there is a component that addresses workforce needs. She said she has initiated conversation with DLWD to have that department "do that piece for our districts." She characterized such coordination as helpful and expressed appreciation for the ability to "cross over through the different departments to get what the districts need." 8:30:33 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked how many staff cover the technical education aspect. MS. RIDDLE answered that DEED has two program managers, a data manager, and herself. 8:30:52 AM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked whether the staff just listed by Ms. Riddle would continue to work on the same effort if HB 67 passed. 8:31:09 AM MS. RIDDLE answered yes, the division provides Carl Perkins funds and does outreach. Further, she said the division provides funds to post-secondary education and the Department of Corrections, as well as works with "nontraditional students." In response to a follow-up question, she said she serves as proxy to the commissioner on AWIB. To another question, she stated that specific requirements related to the Carl Perkins funds would not be changed under HB 67. 8:32:10 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND inquired as to "how much in total of Carl Perkins funds" the division currently administers in Alaska. MS. RIDDLE answered that the division handles all the funds; last year that amount was approximately $4.6 million. She anticipated that amount would raise next year. 8:32:43 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK said he is trying to figure out "how far this authority will go." He inquired what the ramifications would be if, for example, the [aforementioned] Baptist [college] decides it will not provide information or access to DLWD. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER reiterated that there would be no ramifications. She restated, "This is not a hostile takeover." She said this is just an opportunity for DLWD to coordinate workforce development in career and technical education. She opined that all training and education should lead to a good- paying job. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK inquired whether the focus is between state departments. He relayed that he is trying to establish the problem HB 67 is attempting to fix. He said he likes "the vision" and allowed perhaps "we should put this in the scope of the duties of the department." Nevertheless, he expressed his concern that there should be sidebars added so that future administrations do not misinterpret their roles and responsibilities. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER responded that there is not necessarily a problem to be fixed. She said the intent is to "form a discussion around career and technical education." She stated that having legislation that gives DLWD a lead role will help inform the discussion "that all training, all education, should lead to viable career opportunity." REPRESENTATIVE TUCK directed attention to language on page 2, lines 9-12, of HB 67, which read as follows: (8) coordinate and monitor state career  and technical education programs through a cooperative  effort with the Department of Education and Early  Development, the University of Alaska, and any other  entities involved in providing or funding the  programs. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK suggested changing the language on line 9 to "coordinate and monitor states provided career and technical education" and deleting "or funding" from the language on line 12. He explained that he is not sure that "we" want to keep track of every private organization and their funding sources, so he recommended limiting it to government funded programs. He expressed concern that there may be too much government overreach in some of the private institutions. He concluded, "So, I understand why we might want to have that oversight for state-funded or government-funded programs and why we'd want to coordinate and maybe even offer state assistance to some of the state entities; but I don't think that we should be required to go any further than that unless they do receive state grants or state funding." 8:37:06 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND noted that Paul Layer, from Fairbanks, was available telephonically. 8:37:31 AM PAUL LAYER, Vice President, Academic Students in Research, University of Alaska - Fairbanks, stated that that UA is proud to work with its partners to meet Alaska's future workforce needs. Career and technical education is at the heart of UA's mission; it has workforce programs on 14 campuses throughout the state, as well as at learning and workforce centers elsewhere in the state. MR. LAYER said UA suggests amending HB 67 to ensure continued collaborative relationships between UA, DEED, and DLWD. He said this can be accomplished through small changes that he said he would submit to the committee in writing. One change would involve "precluding the expansion of the department's authority from merging into monitoring and coordinating of program delivery for career and technical education." MR. LAYER stated the importance of preserving the distinct roles of UA, DEED, and DLWD in delivering career and technical programs. He indicated that under HB 67, DLWD would be given "more authority designating as Alaska's lead agencies in areas of CTE." He said this concerns UA. He said that as the state's largest career and technical education provider, UA has workforce training programs that serve thousands of Alaskans annually. He said UA has had a productive working relationship with DLWD for decades. He said one example of that is the Alaska CTE plan, as shown in an addendum. Both organizations serve on AWIB and deal with policy questions and elaborate on joint initiatives. He emphasized UA's desire to maintain the distinct roles through collaborations. For example, he said UA works with DEED and local school districts on a number of high school "dual enrollment programs." Further, UA collaborates with AVTEC on maritime training centers. He stated, "These are great existing partnerships that should not require additional facilitation by the Department of Labor [& Workforce Development]." 8:40:30 AM MR. LAYER said HB 67, as drafted, is interpreted as giving [DLWD] authority over career technical and education program delivery, and the proposed change could have "unintended consequences and potentially impede the strategic coordination that the department is seeking." He continued as follows: The university respects the department's desire to maximize its ability to advance the state's workforce and policy goals; however, we are concerned that the bill, as drafted, hinders the university's independent academic mission. We hope to work with the department and the committee on this legislation and the larger issue of advancing career and technical education in Alaska. MR. LAYER, to a point raised by Commissioner Ledbetter, said UA does its own industry outreach to ensure its CTE program meets needs and coordinates with AWIB on that assessment. He said currently UA has a good working relationship with DLWD and DEED, and it would like to see that continue into the future. 8:43:19 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked for clarification as to the intent behind the phrase "coordinate and monitor" in the aforementioned bill language. 8:43:47 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that it means ensuring that the programs in the plan coordinated with DEED and UA are meeting the needs of employers. In response to a second request from Representative Story to understand the intent behind the language, she emphasized that DLWD has no intention of approaching a public or private entity and asking them to hand over all their records. She reiterated that monitoring would be for the purpose of ensuring training is being offered for the jobs available. 8:44:43 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND proffered that not part of the consideration is the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE), whose board comprises 14 members. She said the commission does a lot of oversight of training programs, including consideration of fiscal status and certification. She stated, "It sounds like there's a lot of this 'monitoring' happening under their authority." She said there are members of the University of Alaska Board of Regents and the Alaska Board of Education that are members of the ACPE Board. She said ACPE also runs student loans, grants, and scholarship programs. She implored Commissioner Ledbetter to consider collaboration with ACPE "to make sure that we're not providing too many layers of oversight here." 8:46:03 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK inquired further about the intent of the bill, whether it is "to know what's going on" in order to "help" or to do that plus ensure that entities are "doing what they're supposed to be doing." 8:47:03 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER responded that the intent of DLWD is "to provide informed information that allows those entities to do better jobs, if needed, or continue doing the great job that they're doing." She reiterated that the department would not monitor with the intent of asking people to turn over records. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK stated that he thinks if DLWD had grants going out to training facilities, then the department "would want to have that." He said that explained his concern about "funding versus non-funding." He said he is also concerned about "private versus anything that's receiving government funds." He questioned "how this is not being met" with AWIB, UA, and ACPE. He further questioned why AWIB's Technical Education Program findings are not sufficient. 8:48:37 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND offered her understanding that ACPE had reviewed programs within the Waylon Baptist University, but she does not know whether the board has oversight in the area of training. She expressed concern there could be too many organizations overseeing the various schools and providers of training. She told Commissioner Ledbetter she would like to have a list of programs DLWD "is currently coordinating." She asked Mr. Layer to confirm that he had said he would provide an amendment for the committee's consideration. 8:49:45 AM MR. LAYER confirmed that UA would provide an amendment addressing the question regarding monitoring. 8:50:10 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked whether there is something similar that the department already monitors that could serve as an example. 8:50:58 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that there is STEP funding, as well other grant funding under WIOA, regarding "adult and dislocated worker." The department considers the amount of the grant being requested and the criteria surrounding the grant. Then it will look at how the funds are spent, which individuals are served, and whether the individuals actually got jobs. She stated, "There's nothing punitive, per se, that happens when they don't do what they say they're going to do, but that informs us to not award that grant the next year." She said DLWD already has entities that monitor and entities that work together, and she indicated that her expectation of [HB 67] is that it would "strengthen those relationships." It would not expand the scope of the department's role, because under WIOA, the department already has "the lead position in career and technical education." 8:52:52 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked for a list of the grants and organizations mentioned by Commissioner Ledbetter. She said she appreciates the intent of HB 67 in terms of "unsiloing" the work done in departments. She noted that the fiscal note is for one position within the department at a cost of approximately $140,000 annually. She asked whether the position already exists or would be new. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that the position is already filled, and the fiscal note will be amended. CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked if Commissioner Ledbetter was saying the fiscal note "would go away." COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that is correct. 8:54:08 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK inquired as to how long the individual has been in the position. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER offered her understanding that the position was filled in February or March [2019]. In response to a follow-up question, she related that the job existed previously but was just vacant for a time. 8:54:40 AM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS inquired whether the person in the position was assigned to AWIB. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered no. To follow-up questions, she said the person in the position is not responsible for staffing and overseeing AWIB; that job is done by the executive director of AWIB. She said there are two staff for the board. To another line of questioning from Representative Hopkins, she said it seems like there are a lot of programs that overlap, and it would be nice if there was better coordination so that training for jobs that do not exist does not occur. She said she could follow up later with a list of programs that illustrate the overlap. 8:56:47 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON sought to clarify the intent of monitoring a program that is not receiving state funding. She asked whether it was to know whether other programs were "out there" for the purpose of establishing state-funded programs or receiving grants. COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered yes. 8:58:16 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on HB 67. 8:58:39 AM JOEY CRUM, President and CEO, Northern Industrial Training, stated that he is testifying because he has been involved in many aspects of training and adult education, including public and private, as well as union and nonunion. He said he supports HB 67 to clarify the commissioner's role in helping "break down silos" and coordinate efforts related to career and technical education - especially those between state-funded entities. He continued as follows: It is frustrating enough to see the state compete with the private sector, but it is especially frustrating to see the state compete with itself. For example, on January 31, the university issued RFP Number 19-06 for work consisting of labor and materials and equipment necessary to renovate the University of Alaska - Anchorage welding lab located at the Kenai Peninsula College. AVTEC offers welding instruction two hours away in a new, multi-million dollar facility described as state-of-the-art. Why is UAA spending money to renovate this facility? So they can take the state dollars and compete with other state dollars given to AVTEC? Both are operating below capacity. MR. CRUM opined that HB 67 is needed so that the state can "strategically use its precious training dollars and prioritize Alaskans over facilities." He offered clarification that UA is statutorily exempt from ACPE oversight, even though it has three voting members on the board of commissioners. 9:00:58 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND expressed her appreciation for Mr. Crum's testimony. She said she is amazed to hear about the RFP and finds it curious that UA is exempt from ACPE oversight. She asked Mr. Crum for information regarding his position as chair on the ACPE Board. MR. CRUM stated that he was appointed by Governor Sean Parnell to the Board of Commissioners of ACPE in 2014 and served as vice chair for one year and chair for another year; he served again as chair "before he was not reappointed to the board." In total, both those positions he served for approximately two years and three months. 9:02:04 AM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked whether Mr. Crum thinks AWIB needs stronger oversight from the commissioner of DLWD. MR. CRUM relayed that AWIB's membership needs to be "statutorily cleaned up" in order to represent Alaska's current workforce composition. He said he thinks the commissioner of DLWD has adequate oversight of AWIB function; however, "when you're only able to coordinate a portion of state dollars, you are lacking incent from a broader group of people that help propel Alaska." 9:03:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK thanked Mr. Crum for telling the committee about the RFP redundancy issue. He asked Mr. Crum how HB 67 can solve any type of redundancy. MR. CRUM stated that he believes HB 67 would be the beginning of a coordination that would eliminate redundancies, the duplication of efforts using public dollars. He said DLWD funds not only AVTEC, but also regional training providers located in many of the same places in which there are UA facilities. He said, "Coordination clearly hasn't happened at this point; maybe this will force the discussion." REPRESENTATIVE TUCK referenced Mr. Crum's earlier statement that this isn't needed and inquired whether that is because AVTEC does not already have full enrollment in its welding program. MR. CRUM replied that he has not spoken directly with a representative of AVTEC; however, he said "past results" show that neither the Kenai Peninsula College nor AVTEC are operating their welding classes at full capacity. He opined that the state should determine what facilities are needed in order to operate them at full capacity. In response to a follow-up question, he indicated that the information he received was public information reported to the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee and House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee. He said UA information is much more difficult to get, but he said he has developed "significant relationships" growing up on the Kenai Peninsula, and that is where he got his information. 9:06:32 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON thanked Mr. Crum for his testimony and recognized his expertise in the area. 9:07:10 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND thanked Mr. Crum for being alert to the duplication of services. She said she had heard that AVTEC had a success rate such that every person who went through its program got a job. She asked Mr. Crum if he knew whether that success rate has been maintained or declined. MR. CRUM deferred the question to DLWD because he has not seen a report to be able to answer. 9:08:12 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER stated that the department would follow up and provide that information at a later time. CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND recommended committee members take a tour of AVTEC as she had done in the past. 9:09:05 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND, after ascertaining that there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 67. 9:09:14 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY referenced line[s] [9 and] 10 of HB 67, regarding career and technical programs. She said it would be interesting to hear from UA regarding the use of the word "programs". She said she hopes further conversations will continue. 9:10:30 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK stated that this appears as an almost two- part vision. One part is the coordinate of services, educational opportunities, and career paths that are desperately needed but without duplicating efforts; the second part is the ability for DLWD to monitor to ensure state dollars are being used as intended. He said that blending the parts together may be a problem, because it could allow for a future commissioner to have an overpowering role. He said he appreciates the vision [of HB 67] but wants it done "the right way." 9:11:55 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND shared that as a former Anchorage School Board member, she has watched how use of the career center has changed. It has transitioned from a half-day program to a full- time career program. There has been a suggestion considered to open the building to the public at night. Another school district brings rural students to Anchorage for classes. School districts around the state have focused "career tech efforts" in hub communities and have developed boarding school programs for career building. She said it would be great to have the departments and the university coordinating to ensure the appropriate services are being offered to Alaskans. She said she appreciates the intent of HB 67, but said the committee needs to carefully consider it to avoid "overdoing it." She recommended speaking with someone from ACPE to see what its role may be in this. She reiterated her response regarding Mr. Crum having stated that UA does not have oversight by ACPE, which she said seems odd. 9:13:38 AM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS drew attention to the fiscal analysis of the fiscal note from the Department of Labor & Workforce Development, and he paraphrased [the first three sentences of] the third paragraph, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: The Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) within the department is already the lead state planning and coordinating entity for the human resource programs in the state. The AWIB is responsible for the facilitation and development of an effective employment and training education system, which aligns workforce, education, and economic development. The AWIB's staff includes a position that serves as the department's CTE Coordinator. REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS then directed attention to language beginning on the second line of the next paragraph, which stated that "this position will shift focus slightly to help the department and the AWIB monitor and evaluate the state's CTE programs as well." He said it seems like the department already has the authority it is seeking under HB 67. 9:14:56 AM COMMISSIONER LEDBETTER answered that HB 67 would formalize "that requirement." 9:15:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK offered his understanding that a lot of these functions are already happening; HB 67 would amend AS 44.31.020, which relates to the duties of the department. He indicated that he notices when the word "strengthen" is used, but he thinks the intent of the proposed legislation is to "have one place and one person" to oversee the process and "coordinate these things" and then "monitor these things" when there are state funds involved. He emphasized the importance of properly crafting HB 67 "to make sure that we have that there." 9:16:54 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND remarked that House Bill 221, [passed during the Thirtieth Legislative Session], "reupped the workforce and education-related statistics program" run by ACPE. She said it is an extensive database that follows the delivery of programs from preschool through workforce development. She said she thinks it is called a "PK 20 Program." She said DLWD is one of the signatories. She said that database is intended to track investments in students in the state. She concluded, "So, I think this is an important ... factor and something that the [Alaska] Commission on Postsecondary Education would be happy to educate you on." 9:18:20 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that HB 67 was held over. 9:18:50 AM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:19 a.m.