04/09/2021 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

           HB 108-CONCURRENT SECONDARY & TRADE SCHOOL                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:45:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 108,  "An Act relating to concurrent vocational                                                               
education,  training, and  on-the-job  trade experience  programs                                                               
for students  enrolled in public  secondary schools;  relating to                                                               
child labor; and providing for an effective date."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:45:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KEN  MCCARTY, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor, presented HB 108.   He said that in secondary education,                                                               
Alaska  offers concurrent  enrollment to  enter college  courses,                                                               
but the  state does  not offer  the same for  trade classes.   He                                                               
explained  that if  a student  wanted to  pursue a  trade format,                                                               
he/she  would  have  to  do   so  independent  of  the  secondary                                                               
education experience.   He  explained that  HB 108  would resolve                                                               
the issue  so a student  could do concurrent enrollment  in trade                                                               
and  recognize  that it  is  done  by industry  recognized  trade                                                               
experts.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:47:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:47 a.m. to 8:48 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:48:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY added that  the proposed legislation opens                                                               
up opportunities for the tactile learning process.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:49:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DENEEN  TUCK, Staff,  Representative  Ken  McCarty, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  the sectional  analysis  for  HB 108  on                                                               
behalf  of Representative  McCarty, prime  sponsor.   She stated,                                                               
"Going over  the sectional analysis,  there's one thing  that I'd                                                               
like to  point out, and  that will  come up in  the presentation.                                                               
We talk  about the Department of  Education in here, but  we have                                                               
learned since talking  with Mr. Anderson at  the Anchorage School                                                               
District that  districts are  already doing this.   So,  we would                                                               
like  to  replace  'The  Department   of  Education'  with  'each                                                               
district,' and  we'll talk  about that  as we  move along  in the                                                               
bill."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  TUCK  said  Section  1  adds  criminal  history  checks  for                                                               
instructors  of  students   in  trades,  on-the-job-training,  or                                                               
apprenticeship.  Section 2,  she explained, instructs DEED/school                                                               
districts to provide students CTE  opportunities.  Section 3 adds                                                               
six new sections to  AS 14.35.  First, it makes  it so those aged                                                               
14  years  or  older  may participate  in  concurrent  vocational                                                               
education programs, she shared.   Second, it instructs the school                                                               
district to contract with external  programs for on-the-job style                                                               
instruction,  requires a  published list  of available  programs,                                                               
allows  for  enrollment  in   the  program,  mandates  individual                                                               
learning   plans   for    students,   and   requires   instructor                                                               
certification.    Ms.  Tuck  said   that  Section  4  amends  the                                                               
requirements  for supervision  of  an employed  minor, Section  5                                                               
lowers  the employment  age to  16  years old,  Section 6  allows                                                               
minors  to  work to  10  p.m.,  and  Section  7 provides  for  an                                                               
effective date.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:55:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  asked if brothers-in-law  or sisters-in-                                                               
law would count as extended family referred to in Section 4.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUCK replied  that she and Representative  McCarty would have                                                               
no objections  if Representative  Drummond would propose  that as                                                               
an amendment.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  added that  the language  "the department                                                               
or district" could be part of the amendment.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:56:53 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  asked  how  HB  108  interfaced  with  CSHB
(L&C) and how it was different.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY replied that  CSHB 132(L&C) was mostly for                                                               
individuals seeking  apprenticeship who  were 18  and older.   He                                                               
explained that HB 108 captured  all secondary school-age kids who                                                               
didn't  fit into  the category  of CSHB  132(L&C).   He commented                                                               
that  this  was a  "synergy  of  different  bills that  had  come                                                               
together for  workability."  He  explained that a student  at age                                                               
14  could start  the process  towards workability  and would  get                                                               
industry  recognized   certifications  in   that  process.     He                                                               
suggested  students  could  graduate  at  18  and  be  offered  a                                                               
$100,000 [annual paying] job.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:58:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GILLHAM asked what  the "domestic work" in Section                                                               
6 of the bill entailed.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY replied that  the current statute says the                                                               
criteria listed does not apply  to a baby-sitter or to housework,                                                               
so  a babysitter  could work  until 2  a.m.   What this  proposed                                                               
legislation  does  is  address  the  current  statute  that  says                                                               
student youth  must be  off the  clock by  9 p.m.   He  said this                                                               
section extended that time by one  hour, but there were still the                                                               
same time  frames.  He  offered an  example of a  Juneau resident                                                               
who owned several movie theaters  and had to send youth employees                                                               
home at 9 p.m., even with movies still going.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GILLHAM  related anecdotally that his  son started                                                               
working 10-hour days  on his charter boat at age  eight for seven                                                               
days a week.   He commented that limiting fishing  families to 23                                                               
hours  a  week is  a  hindrance  and  said  that in  the  fishing                                                               
industry, people wouldn't keep to 23 hours.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  replied  that  Representative  Gillham's                                                               
particular  concern has  been raised  often.   He commented  that                                                               
when the youth is  working for a parent that puts  it in a "whole                                                               
different paradigm."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUCK  added the 23 hours  was already in statute,  and HB 108                                                               
would not  change that.   She explained  that the only  thing the                                                               
proposed  legislation would  change would  be to  allow youth  to                                                               
work one hour later.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:02:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DRUMMOND  asked  if  10  p.m.  was  late  enough,                                                               
especially   in  Alaska   summer   considering  the   "geographic                                                               
advantage to daylight."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY replied  it was  also an  issue with  the                                                               
Occupational Safety and Health  Administration (OSHA) child labor                                                               
laws at  the federal level.   He said  there had been  an attempt                                                               
previously to make a shift  to expand the available youth working                                                               
hours to  both earlier in the  morning and later at  night, which                                                               
was shut down due to federal regulation.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DRUMMOND commented  that these  were "baby  steps                                                               
while we train OSHA that Alaska  is part of the United States but                                                               
has a totally different   latitudinal experience."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:04:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY gave a PowerPoint  presentation on HB 108.                                                               
He  overviewed   slide  2,  which   read  as   follows  [original                                                               
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     ? Gives high school students  age 14 and up, concurrent                                                                    
     enrollment  opportunity for  vocational education  with                                                                    
     industry-standard instruction and certification.                                                                           
      ? Ensures  that students receive the  best training by                                                                    
     requiring   an    industry   standard    master   skill                                                                    
     certification for instructors.                                                                                             
      ?  Trade  programs  contracted with  school  districts                                                                    
     must   prove  that   their  instruction   meets  agency                                                                    
     accredited national or regional standards.                                                                                 
      ? Gives equal opportunity to  all students who wish to                                                                    
     participate.                                                                                                               
      ?  Will  raise  attendance and  graduation  rates  and                                                                    
     produce  a stronger  workforce with  skilled experience                                                                    
     and work ethic.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  stated this wasn't something  new; it was                                                               
something that the state already wanted to do.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:07:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY directed attention  to slide 4, which read                                                               
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Youth & Workforce Engagement                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
      ? Less 0.5% of Alaska's Active Apprentices are under                                                                      
     18                                                                                                                         
      ? In 2019 only 35% of teens ages 16-19 were part of                                                                       
     the U.S Workforce                                                                                                          
     ? A 25% decrease in teen workers from the peak in 1979                                                                     
     when 60% of Teens ages 16-19 held down part-time jobs                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  said there  has  been  a large  drop  of                                                               
participation  in  the  workforce   and  offered  anecdotes  from                                                               
various  states.   He moved  to slide  5 and  commented that  CTE                                                               
education is  a national trend, and  HB 108 is in  line with that                                                               
movement.   He presented  slide 6, which  showed findings  from a                                                               
study  performed by  the American  Student Association  (ASA) and                                                               
Bellwether  Education Partners  on work-based  learning policies.                                                               
He  observed that  Alaska has  improvements to  make.   He stated                                                               
that  with  HB   108,  CSSB  32(FIN),  and   CSHB  132(L&C),  the                                                               
legislature would make great strides.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY presented slide 7.   He shared that HB 108                                                               
supports "Program  Lists."   He said DEED  is already  asking for                                                               
vocational trade  lists, which he explained  the industry already                                                               
has.   He pointed  to "Instructor  Certification," and  said that                                                               
there   are   already   instructors,   and   he   explained   the                                                               
certification  process   which  would  allow   industry  standard                                                               
professionals to  teach in  the classroom.   Lastly,  he directed                                                               
attention  to "Program  Contracts."   He  said  that many  Alaska                                                               
schools  have  programs and  materials,  but  some  do not.    He                                                               
suggested   these  programs   could   happen  with   neighborhood                                                               
businesses and  offered an  anecdote from when  he ran  a special                                                               
needs school which offered sewing classes with a local business.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:11:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  moved  to  slide 8  and  explained  that                                                               
funding came from  base student allocation (BSA)  funding, and no                                                               
special  funding was  needed for  the proposed  legislation.   He                                                               
presented slide 9 and addressed  the term "higher education."  He                                                               
shared  his view  that  higher education  is  any education  that                                                               
builds a career.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCARTY  presented  slides  10-13  and  discussed                                                               
seven benefits  of trade  skills and  vocational education.   The                                                               
first benefit he presented was the  ability to start young at age                                                               
14.    The second  benefit  he  pointed  out was  having  smaller                                                               
classes  and   like-minded  peers,   which  he  likened   to  the                                                               
relationships built  in a  sports team setting.   He  offered the                                                               
next  two benefits:  career service  opportunities from  specific                                                               
training and the cost benefit of  industry level pay.  He pointed                                                               
out the  impact of hands-on training.   The last two  benefits he                                                               
mentioned were job placement and faster workforce certification.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:14:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRAD AUSTIN, Apprenticeship  Coordinator, Plumbers, Pipefitters &                                                               
Southeast   Mechanical    Contractors   Apprenticeship   Program,                                                               
Plumbers and Pipe  Fitters Local 262   provided invited testimony                                                               
in favor  of HB 108.   He shared with  the committee that  he was                                                               
also representing the Alaska Pipe  Trades, Local 375 in Fairbanks                                                               
and  Local  367 in  Anchorage,  all  three  of which  are  multi-                                                               
employer   union   programs   that   run   federally   registered                                                               
apprenticeship programs.   He explained  that with that,  comes a                                                               
set  of  rules  called  the "Standard  of  Apprenticeship."    He                                                               
commented  that  one part  of  that  is the  on-the-job  training                                                               
component,  and  the other  component  is  the related  technical                                                               
instruction.   He shared  that Local  262's training  program has                                                               
240  hours  a  year,  adding  up  to  six  weeks  of  instruction                                                               
including formal  classroom training, from math  to more advanced                                                               
skills  such  as  medical  gas  installation,  which  involves  a                                                               
certificate.   He stated that  there is a wage  progression, with                                                               
the program starting at 50  percent of journeyman scale for first                                                               
year apprentices, and then every six  months there is a raise and                                                               
an advancement  within the  program.  He  noted that  the program                                                               
was five  years long,  10,000 hours, and  completes with  a state                                                               
plumbing test.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  AUSTIN commented  that electrician  and plumber  apprentices                                                               
must be  registered in order to  obtain a trainee card,  and that                                                               
the state  tracks the  hours.  Once  an apprentice  reaches 8,000                                                               
hours, the  individual may take the  state test.  He  opined that                                                               
it is  much like school and  shared that there are  monthly grade                                                               
cards given  by the  journeyman who oversees  an apprentice.   He                                                               
shared  that the  grade card  also  documents the  hours and  the                                                               
processes  completed by  the  apprentice.   The  grade cards  are                                                               
reviewed, and then  it is decided whether an  apprentice is ready                                                               
for  advancement, he  explained.   He compared  it to  a freshman                                                               
becoming  a  sophomore  in  high  school.   He  shared  that  the                                                               
Plumber's  and  Pipefitters  apprenticeship is  registered  as  a                                                               
post-secondary exempt training facility  with DEED.  He mentioned                                                               
that college  credits were also involved  with the apprenticeship                                                               
program  and  noted  that  the  union  had  agreements  with  two                                                               
universities and two community colleges, along with UA.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. AUSTIN  asserted that these  are great careers, and  said the                                                               
apprentices  begin  at  $19.41  an hour  when  starting  with  no                                                               
training.    He  said  HB 108  would  provide  opportunities  for                                                               
students who  may not  realize there are  high paying  careers in                                                               
the  plumbing  and  pipefitting  industry.    He  requested  that                                                               
"registered apprenticeship"  be added  to the  bill next  to "on-                                                               
the-job"  trade  experience  to  "open it  up"  and  add  clarity                                                               
regarding these programs.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:21:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JIM ANDERSON, CFO, Anchorage School  District (ASD), testified in                                                               
favor of  HB 108.   He shared  that the Anchorage  School Board's                                                               
three  goals  are:  reading proficiency;  math  proficiency;  and                                                               
life,  college,  and  career  readiness   upon  graduation.    He                                                               
asserted that  those goals  would be  reinforced by  the proposed                                                               
legislation.   He  stated  that HB  108  strengthens the  state's                                                               
focus to provide  high school students an  opportunity to receive                                                               
industry-standard training so they will  have viable skills for a                                                               
trade upon  graduation.   He also noted  that the  bill addressed                                                               
the partnership with  businesses in many areas that  may not have                                                               
state certified apprentice  programs.  He said ASD  has split its                                                               
work-based  learning opportunities  into  two areas:  internships                                                               
and job  shadowing.  He  stated that internships  with businesses                                                               
have allowed many students to  develop skills that enable them to                                                               
receive  jobs  immediately following  graduation.    He said  the                                                               
district has partnered with 93  business, some of which are local                                                               
union apprentice programs although the  vast majority are not, in                                                               
21  distinct  career fields,  such  as  art design,  bio-medical,                                                               
telecommunications,    horticulture,     carpentry,    veterinary                                                               
assistants, welding, collision repair, and  many more.  He shared                                                               
that  ASD was  expanding an  intern program  within its  business                                                               
units so  that soon  students would  be able  to build  skills in                                                               
maintenance,   information  technology,   human  resources,   and                                                               
nutrition.   He  explained that  students participating  in these                                                               
programs   receive  course   credit,  and   he  noted   that  the                                                               
partnerships  were nearly  always  available at  no  cost to  the                                                               
district.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ANDERSON  said Alaska's  future  depended  on ensuring  that                                                               
students who don't attend college  have pathways to start careers                                                               
upon graduating  high school.   He shared  that in 2019  prior to                                                               
the  pandemic,  ASD  had  126   students  participate  in  intern                                                               
programs  with district  partners  and another  190 students  who                                                               
participated in  job shadowing.   He  said that  state registered                                                               
apprenticeships  are a  small part  of  the district's  workforce                                                               
development,  with  five  to  eight  students  entering  a  state                                                               
registered apprenticeship  at age  18, but  noted that  the other                                                               
industry  partnership programs  have three  times the  employment                                                               
rate  upon  graduation.   Mr.  Anderson  reiterated that  HB  108                                                               
supports the  Anchorage School Board's  goal of  having student's                                                               
life,  college,  and  career ready  upon  graduation,  and  [ASD]                                                               
strongly supports the bill.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:25:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY announced HB 108 was held over.