04/21/1997 09:10 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
       CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 145(HES)                                          
                                                                               
       "An Act relating to certification of teachers."                         
                                                                               
  Representative Con Bunde was invited  to join the committee.                 
  He  said  this  bill  would  provide  quality  control  over                 
  teachers.                                                                    
                                                                               
  (There was a malfunction of  the recording equipment between                 
  log numbers 000 - 062.)                                                      
                                                                               
  Senator  Adams  asked  who  would  administer  the necessary                 
  testing  that  would  be  required.    Representative  Bunde                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  indicated that  the Department of Education would administer                 
  the testing and it would be paid for by the applicant.                       
                                                                               
  Senator Torgerson  asked if  this  would apply  only to  new                 
  hires and Representative Bunde indicated this was correct.                   
                                                                               
  Nancy  Buell,  Director,  Teaching   and  Learning  Support,                 
  Department of Education  was invited to join  the committee.                 
  She said all  teachers would  need teacher certificates  and                 
  they must meet current requirements.  Senator Donley said he                 
  did not want any more restrictions  to be applied other than                 
  what the department was already applying.  He asked what the                 
  cost of the license would be  and Ms. Buell responded saying                 
  that the department did  not know the cost to  the applicant                 
  at this point.   Senator  Pearce said she  thought for  most                 
  programs in the State  the licensee covered their  own costs                 
  and why should  the State bear this burden.   Ms. Buell said                 
  the cost of certification  in Alaska was the highest  in the                 
  nation.  It  would need  a long  term plan to  be defined.                   
  Senator  Pearce asked  if  the State  was  subsidizing to  a                 
  lesser degree than others and Ms. Buell  indicated that some                 
  states were not charging at all.  Representative Bunde  said                 
  it was  the sponsor's  intent for  this program  to be  self                 
  supporting.                                                                  
                                                                               
  Senator  Parnell  inquired  if   any  certificate  had  been                 
  suspended  for  incompetency and  Ms.  Buell said  that most                 
  likely there had  been some suspended  but she did not  have                 
  any details.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Senator  Pearce  requested  the bill  be  held  in committee                 
  pending further discussion with the department and it was so                 
  ordered by co-chair Sharp.