03/04/2022 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

         HB 48-AK PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP; ELIGIBILITY                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:06:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND announced  that  the first  order of  business                                                               
would  be SPONSOR  SUBSTITUTE  FOR  HOUSE BILL  NO.  48, "An  Act                                                               
relating to the Alaska performance scholarship program."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND reviewed  that when  the committee  last heard                                                               
SSHB  48 [on  4/12  and  4/28/21], it  heard  invited and  public                                                               
testimony.  [The  sponsor substitute was introduced  on the House                                                               
floor on 2/22/22.]                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:06:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY, as  prime sponsor of SSHB 48,  presented a letter                                                               
of support for  the bill [included in the  committee packet] from                                                               
Juneau  School District  member  Carin Smolin.    She stated  Ms.                                                               
Smolin's letter  summarizes the changes  the proposed  bill makes                                                               
to the  Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS)  as follows: creates                                                               
rigorous  courses for  career  and  technical education;  removes                                                               
college entry exams;  increases award amounts to  help APS remain                                                               
competitive; extends  APS to eight  years; and gives  junior year                                                               
students access to  information to keep them on  track to receive                                                               
scholarships.   She stated the  purpose of the legislation  is to                                                               
enable  students  to choose  education  in  Alaska and  grow  the                                                               
state's workforce.   She announced  that Sana Efird  is available                                                               
for questions.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:08:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SANA EFIRD, in response to  a question from Representative Cronk,                                                               
stated  that  current  statute  allows   six  years  for  an  APS                                                               
recipient  to utilize  the grant.    She continued  that SSHB  48                                                               
would change the time limit to eight years.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STORY  commented  that in  Alaska  many  nontraditional                                                               
students go  to work right  after high  school.  The  bill offers                                                               
students  [who were  granted an  APS] the  opportunities to  gain                                                               
work  experience  and  credentials   and  then  return  to  their                                                               
education.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:10:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that SSHB 48 was held over.