Legislature(2017 - 2018)CAPITOL 106
03/01/2017 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB102 | |
| HB86 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 102 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 86 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 102-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
8:08:27 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 102, "An Act relating to instruction in a
language other than English; and relating to limited teacher
certificates."
8:08:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, as prime sponsor, introduced HB 102. He explained
that the intent of HB 102 is to create fewer bureaucratic
pathways for hiring teachers with specific subject knowledge.
Language education is a major aspect to be considered,
particularly due to the language immersion schools that exist in
Alaska, where urban immersion schools primarily focus on foreign
languages, while rural schools seek a means to remain connected
to the Native tongues of Alaska. Requiring a fluent speaker to
be certified can present a major stumbling block in the effort
to bring unique, specific knowledge into the classroom.
8:10:48 AM
REID MAGDANZ, Staff, Representative Kreiss-Tomkins, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-Tomkins, prime
sponsor of HB 102, described the immersion system as an approach
widely used around the world that employs a model requiring at
least 50 percent of the instructional time, including content
areas, be presented in the target language, which in America
would be any other than English. Four of these programs operate
within Alaska's public school districts located in the
Matanuska-Susitna, Anchorage, and Bethel areas. One of the
primary challenges is to locate and staff qualified teachers,
for continuance of the programs. The proposed bill amends the
scope of teaching certificates. Under current regulation,
limited "Type I" and "Type M" certificates can be issued to a
person with expertise in specialty areas for vocational and
technical training. The proposed bill adds language to expand
the scope of coverage and provides districts and charter schools
the flexibility to hire on a case-by-case basis for instructors
in the areas of Alaska Native Culture; military science;
vocational or technical education; or any subject if the
language of instruction is not English. The State Board of
Education is empowered to pass regulations ensuring that anyone
issued a certificate will possess instructional skills and
expertise sufficient to be competent as a teacher. The
commissioner has the discretion whether or not to issue the
certificate, the school district has the authority to request it
be issued, and the certificate is only valid in the district of
request. He noted that in addition to local school boards, HB
102 also empowers the academic policy committees of charter
schools to make certification requests.
8:15:58 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND asked how HB 102 alters the status quo of the
Type I and M certificates.
8:16:10 AM
SONDRA MEREDITH, Administrator, Teacher Education and
Certification, Teaching and Learning Support, Department of
Education and Early Development (EED), replied that the proposed
bill allows an individual to be certified in areas outside of
their cultural and language expertise, as recommendation by the
district requiring no other evidence of their abilities to
assume a teaching position. For example, a community member who
is fluent/expert in Tlingit language/culture would be allowed to
teach mathematics. The department would be unable to test
someone's expertise on subject content unless the exam was
proctored in the target language.
8:17:32 AM
BOB WILLIAMS, Director, Division of School Finance and
Facilities, Department of Education and Early Development (EED),
interjected that the point of concern lay in the added verbiage:
"(4) any subject if the language of instruction is not English."
The agency focuses on three educational kingpins of quality,
capacity, and trust. The bill seeks to increase the capacity
and means for people to become certified. The department holds
a concern for ensuring a quality education, and if someone isn't
required to demonstrate expertise in the subject matter being
taught, the delivered content may be compromised.
8:20:38 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND referred to the bill page 1, line 6, and pointed
out the use of "may" versus "shall" and the resulting zero
fiscal note. She asked if there is a means to estimate "how
much it would cost to certify beyond the language."
MR. WILLIAMS said it would be difficult to estimate the cost;
however, creating valid tests in languages other than English
could prove to be expensive.
8:21:47 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON asked how student testing will be
handled in the third through eighth grades, in accordance with
the ESSA requirements, specifically whether statewide proctoring
will occur.
MS. MEREDITH replied that the grade school testing will be
continued, along with one grade in high school, as required by
ESSA.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON noted the department's interest in a
local control policy while ensuring a level of excellence in
learning and maintaining public trust. She asked how the
parents of a classroom of elementary students, being taught
mathematics by a Tlingit speaker who hasn't been state certified
to teach math, could be ensured that the class is receiving what
is expected; could access to specific testing show appropriate
academic performance.
MS. MEREDITH answered that the first statewide assessments
available for that type of review are initially proctored in the
third grade; however, many districts use other interim
assessments at earlier grades.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON clarified that the agency's concern is
to have some means to establish confidence that any teacher
conducting a class in a target language holds the appropriate
academic skills to impart the subject content.
MS. MEREDITH agreed.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON asked, "If this bill withdrew the
language aspect of the testing for the teacher, would the state
be more comfortable?"
MS. MEREDITH responded, "I believe we would."
8:24:33 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH queried how the bill addresses the
responsibility to provide students with a quality education, as
legally required. He theorized and asked, "If there were an
emersion school in which none of the teachers ... were required
to demonstrate competency in a subject unless that test were
given in the language of instruction - would that interfere with
the ability of the department to assure a quality education for
the students."
MR. WILLIAMS responded that the Type I certification provides a
mechanism for bi-lingual education in Native languages that can
probably attain the majority of the goals set out in HB 102.
The difference is opening inclusion of the wording: "any
subject if the language of instruction is not English." The
department lacks a mechanism to test the proficiency of the
depth of knowledge of the content area, the teacher is
instructing. These two items present unknowns that are crucial
to ensuring quality instruction and academic achievement. It
would require an expensive fiscal note to develop a means to
assuage these two points of concern.
8:27:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER asked how a Type I certificate contrasts
with a Type M, what each covers, and what is entailed in
receiving one.
MS. MEREDITH said the Type I certificate allows a
paraprofessional to instruct a class, under the oversight of a
certified teacher, while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree and
attending a teacher preparation program; not unlike a student
teacher position. It is understood that a competency test will
be part of the process. The Type M certificate is similar and
reviewed annually to ensure progress by the individual towards
receiving a teaching certificate.
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER asked about the existing immersion
schools, such as in Bethel, and how its quality of education is
being monitored.
MS. MEREDITH replied that the department relies heavily on the
district to vet the individuals involved and to keep a check on
the curriculum. She reported that there is regular
collaboration between the fully certified teachers and the Type
I certified instructors, at the existing immersion facilities.
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER noted the two causes for concern held by
EED: vetting of the content and quality of the curriculum being
taught in the target language. He asked how these concerns are
currently being allied in the existing immersion programs and
whether the department is vetting and approving the instructors.
MS. MEREDITH answered the vetting and approving is being handled
at the district level, and the department does not examine the
curriculum as offered in the target language. However, the
department has mechanisms in place to evaluate the teacher's
competency level over the subject matter.
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER surmised that the hesitation of the
department is due to the schools making decisions that EED has
historically made.
8:32:42 AM
MR. WILLIAMS interjected that allowing a charter school to
initialize a request for, or renewal of, an instructor's
certification, is a departure from the current practice of the
district making the request. The proposed action changes the
balance of influences and allows the school versus the district
champion the confidence in an individual's abilities.
MS. MEREDITH added, "The change that the bill allows is the
actual endorsement in math and science on a Type M certificate
in the language of instruction that hasn't been there before."
The bill will remove restrictions regarding content areas that
can be taught by the Type M certified teachers.
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER pointed out math is being taught in Yupik
language in Bethel and asked how the teachers/programs are being
vetted.
MR. WILLIAMS said the goals of the bill and those of the
department are similar, as both want to support revitalization
of languages and to maintain strong immersion programs. If a
district has a bi-lingual program and has instituted means for
checks and balances by utilizing the approved Type I
certification, EED can trust the established mechanisms.
However, when a school makes the request, EED does not have a
means to test the content and whether the teacher understands
the subject matter.
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER reviewed the major concern held by EED
for passage of HB 102, stating, "This allows, in an extreme
situation, schools within a district to go rogue and start to
authorize anybody teaching anything because they can teach in a
different language."
MR. WILLIAMS clarified that the agency understands the bill to
be an effort for increasing teacher capacity. The department
maintains a concern for ensuring that quality is not being lost
in the process. The bill poses an additional challenge by
shifting authority to a school facility versus the existing
district purview.
8:37:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ asked about the characteristics of a
Type M certificate.
MS. MEREDITH explained that a Type M certification allows an
individual, with a specific expertise, to instruct in one of
three areas: Alaska Native culture/language, military science,
and vocational/technical education (CTE).
8:39:08 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND recalled that the Type I and M certificates are
held in statute.
MS. MEREDITH said the certificates were adopted into statute,
and the State Board of Education promulgated regulation and to
refine the use and add competency requirements.
CHAIR DRUMMOND pondered whether it would be possible to revise
the regulations associated with these certificates versus
changing statute to accomplish the same intent.
MS. MEREDITH said current statute doesn't allow the issuance of
a Type M certificate for world languages. The quality checks
could be included in regulation, she opined.
CHAIR DRUMMOND noted that the Anchorage School District (ASD)
hosts several immersion programs and asked about the
qualifications/certification of the teachers at those
facilities.
MS. MEREDITH responded that the teachers at the charter schools
and public facilities are state certified and competency has
been tested appropriately for quality assurance.
MR. WILLIAMS reiterated that the majority of the goals presented
in the bill can be achieved through the use of the Type I
certification. However, not being able to proctor a competency
test, or having to develop new tests is what presents a
challenge to the department.
8:44:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP opined that the bill is responsive to
parental interests, many of whom may be the best judge of the
quality of any program, being the first to be aware of the end
result [via their child]. Instruction in a target language is
different than an immersion program, he observed, and said the
door should be open to accommodate this type of emphasis and the
districts given free rein.
8:47:56 AM
JENNIFER HUTCHINS, Principal, Fronteras Spanish Immersion
Charter School, stated support for HB 102 and said the public K-
8 immersion program at Fronteras is growing due to the benefits
that are understood from having bi-lingual skills. Immersion
constitutes teaching academic content in a target language, not
instructing the language per se. The enrollment has climbed in
six years from 207, in 2011, to the current 289, with a
projected fall enrollment of 312; close to maximum capacity.
The wide spread support in the Matanuska-Susitna area is
testament to the parental interest for the program and
manifested in various ways including the construction of the new
building which houses the facility. Culture is not taught
separately; it is woven into the subject matter of every lesson.
MS. HUTCHINS described the situation of two specific teachers at
the facility, one from Columbia and one from Puerto Rico.
Although their English is limited, they are fully qualified
teachers from the countries of their origin. Under the current
state requirements, one is paid the same as a substitute
teacher, $16.00 versus $21.00 per hour. The other was receiving
a teacher's salary while working towards receiving her highly
qualified status and certification with the state. However, due
to the difficulty of the process, the second teacher suffered a
wage reduction from $5,100.00 per month $2,600.00. The hurdles
for a non-English speaker taking a state certification test can
prove to be insurmountable. The test is proctored in English,
meaning that these individuals, with minimal English skills,
must first translate the directions and questions into Spanish
to formulate an answer, and then translate the answer into
English, while finishing the test within the time constraints.
The proctored test is expected to take four hours and a fifty-
minute extension can be requested. She said achieving a state
certificate in this manner is not beneficial.
MS. HUTCHINS opined that requiring a teacher who does not teach
content in other than his/her native tongue to take a test
proctored in English to prove that he/she can teach the subject
makes no sense, prohibits excellent teachers from being hired,
and causes challenges for immersion schools to maintain
qualified staff. The mission of Fronteras, to provide an
authentic immersion academic experience, is being hampered by
these unnecessary requirements. She urged passage of HB 102.
8:54:05 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND clarified that the exam is a national test and
proctored only in English. She asked whether translators are
allowed.
MS. HUTCHINS answered no.
CHAIR DRUMMOND asked if the principal is familiar with the
"alternative route practice."
MS. HUTCHINS replied no.
8:55:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON queried whether access to an electronic
device to assist in the translation process, is allowed during
the test.
MS. HUTCHINS answered no.
8:55:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked if immersion teachers generally hold
certificates from their country of origin, as prerequisite to
hire.
MS. HUTCHINS explained that Fronteras primarily hires
individuals who hold a teaching certificate from their home
country, as it can help to expedite the process of being
certified by the state. However, an individual identified in a
community as an excellent instructor would require a minimum of
four years to achieve a state certification.
8:57:01 AM
BRANDON LOCKE, Director, World Languages, Anchorage School
District (ASD), stated support for HB 102 and outlined the
immersion and traditional foreign language programs offered by
ASD, that serve 8,000, K-12 students of which 2,500 are enrolled
in immersion programs offered in Japanese, Russian, Spanish,
Mandarin Chinese, and German. Also, a charter facility provides
an Alaska Native Yupik program, and a wide variety of language
offerings are administered in American Sign Language (ASL). The
immersion programs have been very successful and popular, with
lengthy wait lists. Parents find that a bi-lingual ability is
important in today's society and to meet work force needs.
Requests are continually being received for the district to
expand into other languages. The bill does not specify
immersion only programs and should prove helpful to other
language needs, he said and provided an anecdote of a recent
situation that occurred when two language teachers were on
lengthy, unrelated but simultaneous medical leave. The district
managed to find a person in the community, with an engineering
degree from her home country, to take the class, paid as a
substitute at $100.00 per day, for the entire year despite
completing all the lesson plans and performing other duties
associated with a lead teacher. Another situation arose from a
new hire declining the post at the last minute. The director
covered the class, and finally located a community member
holding a teaching certificate from her home country; however,
she was not able to pass the test proctored in English to obtain
the state certificate. She substituted for the entire year,
also. Thus, despite qualifications and abilities the district
is not necessarily able to appropriately hire available
candidates. He said the bill does not preclude the district
from vetting candidates and ensuring abilities. He clarified
that the ASD offers partial immersion programs, with 50 percent
of the day in the target language and 50 percent in English.
Furthermore, an agency known as Language Proficiency
International (LPI) is available, offering proficiency tests in
hundreds of languages, and has long been used nationally to test
teachers, diplomats, and others that require a vetting process
to ensure skill levels. He stressed the challenges of filling
foreign language teacher positions and helping candidates secure
a state certificate.
9:06:14 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND asked for confirmation of her understanding,
stating, "So my concern that an academic policy committee would
override the local control of the school district, is not a
factor."
MR. LOCKE said correct, all of the teachers hired in the ADS go
through the same vetting and human resources process.
CHAIR DRUMMOND clarified, "The language of the bill, as it is
before [the committee] - the Anchorage School District would
override that, by your policies that are currently in place."
MR. LOCKE assured that district channels are followed for all
employees, save the hiring of principals, to allow fluidity in
staff transfer opportunities. The bill provides a one-year
renewable certificate, which is an excellent timeframe to work
within.
CHAIR DRUMMOND referred to the Praxis® Subject Assessments and
said that several states, including Maryland, New Jersey,
Mississippi, and New Hampshire, have alternative route Praxis
exams. She asked if the alternative route exams have been
considered.
MR. LOCKE said he would look into the possibility.
9:10:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FANSLER asked about practices of other districts
and whether they are similar to what ASD does to maintain
quality control.
MR. LOCKE said, "I'm not aware of that, no."
9:11:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS said every school district was
been visited, during the crafting of the bill.
9:12:24 AM
MR. MAGDANZ pointed out that quality schools and instructors are
important and local districts are relied on to a degree to
ensure vetting and quality control, which is currently practiced
under the existing certificates. A school would find it
difficult to go rogue, as was suggested, he opined. Addressing
another voiced concern, he said the bi-lingual programs,
referred to by EED, are aimed at improving English skills and
are not designed to improve world language skills. He said the
sponsor is not expecting, nor asking, the department to craft
competency exams in foreign languages, but rather to seek out
and accept creative means to ensure a teacher's abilities, such
as letters of recommendation and competency statements, versus
taking an exam proctored in English.
9:16:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO suggested that the conversation is
bogging down the intent of the bill, which isn't being
introduced to fill the staffing needs of a school, but rather to
allow the opportunity to hire where and when necessary to
address a vacancy and take advantage of local talent to benefit
the students.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS agreed and said the problem to be
solved by this legislation is to address situations in which
educators who are deemed a good fit can be appropriately hired
using local discretion. The ability to have a one-year
certificate issued would be adequate and allow schools the
flexibility to provide high quality educational experiences for
students.
9:20:54 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND announced HB 102 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB102 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |
| HB102.PDF |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |
| HB102 Supporting Document-ASD Resolution.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |
| HB102 Supporting Document-Language Immersion and Student Achievement.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |
| HB102 Supporting Document-Demand High for Immersion Programs.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |
| HB86 Support Document ACPE Loan Default Consequences.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 86 |
| HB86 Supporting Document NPR States Review.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 86 |
| HB86.PDF |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 86 |
| HB86 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 86 |
| HB86 Fiscal Note EED.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 86 |
| HB102 Fiscal Note EED.pdf |
HEDC 3/1/2017 8:00:00 AM |
HB 102 |