01/26/2022 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

         HB  19-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:13:14 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   HOLLAND  reconvened   the  meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration of CS  FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 19(EDC)  "An Act relating                                                               
to   instruction  in   a  language   other   than  English;   and                                                               
establishing limited language immersion teacher certificates."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:13:32 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony  on HB 19; finding none, he                                                               
closed public  testimony and asked  if the committee  had further                                                               
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:14:29 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES stated  concern  about  limited certificates  for                                                               
high  school  teachers  because  they  teach  advanced  subjects.                                                               
However, she  does not feel  inclined to  add language to  HB 19,                                                               
knowing school boards, superintendents,  and DEED will be seeking                                                               
fully  certified high  school teachers.  She  mentioned that  the                                                               
committee  might explore  Commission Johnson's  teacher residency                                                               
program  idea.  It  may  be  a  way  for  teachers  with  limited                                                               
certification to become fully certified.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGHES  recalled  previous   testimony  from  Mr.  Locke                                                               
stating   the  science   scores   of   immersion  students   were                                                               
considerably  higher than  non-immersion students.  She asked  if                                                               
the  teachers  of the  immersion  language  students had  limited                                                               
certification.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE    JONATHAN     KREISS-TOMKINS,    Alaska    State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, deferred to Brandon Locke.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:17:20 AM                                                                                                                    
BRANDON LOCKE, Director, World  Languages and Immersion Programs,                                                               
Anchorage, Alaska,  stated the data  was taken from two  years of                                                               
science standard-based assessment results.  There may have been a                                                               
few teachers  with limited certificates,  but information  on the                                                               
certification of teachers was not known.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:18:04 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES stated  that it  would  be helpful  to track  the                                                               
performance  of  students  taught  by  teachers  holding  limited                                                               
certificates  to   ensure  student  learning  is   not  adversely                                                               
affected. Tracking would also provide  data on secondary benefits                                                               
of immersion language learning.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:19:01 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  stated that school  boards should be  trusted to                                                               
rightly apply HB 19 to the communities and students they serve.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BEGICH  opined  that  if  a  district  utilizes  limited                                                               
certificates, it should support  the teachers in deficient areas.                                                               
He  favors  the   commissioner's  idea  of  a   pathway  to  full                                                               
certification for teachers.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:20:40 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  Found no  amendments  or  further discussion  and                                                               
asked the sponsor of HB 19 for closing comments.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KREISS-TOMKINS   appreciates   the   committees                                                                
discussion and stated  his belief that all  entities involved are                                                               
aligned.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MICCICHE recalled  a study  from a  couple of  years ago                                                               
that stated the nation was  850,000 teachers short of meeting the                                                               
needed  requirement.  He  opined   that  the  number  has  likely                                                               
increased as societal  revere for the profession  has changed. He                                                               
said that  creativity is  required to  acquire people  willing to                                                               
teach  and  work towards  certification.  Alaska  must face  this                                                               
challenge  for children  to receive  an  adequate education.  The                                                               
legislature  is  working to  address  the  problem and  passed  a                                                               
retire-rehire bill.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:23:33 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND solicited a motion.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:23:41 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  to report  CSHB 19(EDC),  work order  32-                                                               
LS0169\I,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:23:53 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND found  no objection, and CSHB  19(EDC) was reported                                                               
from the Senate Education Standing Committee.