Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
04/17/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB148 | |
| HB139 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 148 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 139 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 148-AK PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP; ELIGIBILITY
8:08:02 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 148, "An Act relating to the Alaska
performance scholarship program."
8:08:47 AM
BUD SEXTON, Staff, Representative Justin Ruffridge, Alaska State
Legislature, presented HB 148 on behalf of the House Education
Standing Committee, sponsor by request, chaired by
Representative Ruffridge. He paraphrased the sponsor statement
[included in committee packet], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is a highly
valuable program in Alaska which provides Alaska's
brightest students with an incentive to attend
postsecondary education in Alaska. Studies show that
upon completion from college, students most often will
choose to live and work near the college where they
graduate. In order to meet current and future
workforce needs, we need more Alaskan students to
learn at Alaskan colleges.
HB 148 makes meaningful changes that will encourage a
greater number of Alaskans to attend postsecondary
schooling by providing them with financial resources
to help students reach their educational goals. Since
the APS program began, award levels have remained
constant while the cost of education has risen. HB 148
increases the award levels and provide students with
greater financial resources they can apply towards the
cost of higher education.
HB 148 makes changes to recognize the increasing role
of career and technical education (CTE) for many
students in high school by adding CTE curriculum as a
qualifying path to earn an APS.
Parents, students, and educators have expressed desire
for the earlier notification of awards for the Alaska
Performance Scholarship Program. HB 148 legislation
provides for earlier notification of financial
scholarships available to assist families when
determining which postsecondary school to attend and
the net cost for in-state versus out-of-state
institutions.
HB 148 removes the APS requirement for college
entrance exams such as SAT/ACT testing prior to
attending college. A large number of colleges across
the United States are taking similar measures since
the pandemic. In Alaska, the current requirements for
testing often create a hardship for students who are
required to travel to Anchorage or other locations
where testing services are offered. The cost of travel
from many communities off the road system are very
high. When combined with testing fees, hotel, food,
and other travel related expenses, many families may
choose to forgo the potential of earning an APS based
solely on whether they can afford for their student to
travel to a testing center.
Some students in high school may not fully achieve
their educational goals in high school for one reason
or another, and their grade point average (GPA) may
not reflect their true abilities. HB 148 includes a
"step-up" provision which allows the college to review
the student's GPA on an annual basis after completing
two semesters. If the student works diligently in
college, and their GPA increases as a result of their
hard work, the amount of funding they receive for
their APS will increase to the level commiserate with
their new GPA. The "step-up" provision encourages
diligent effort by students during their postsecondary
education.
The Education Committee believes these enhancements to
the Alaska Performance Scholarship Program will help
foster a greater level of benefit to attend University
of Alaska schools, and will prepare Alaskans to meet
the current and anticipated workforce development
needs for many years to come.
8:10:23 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE noted that the committee had received four
amendments and a conceptual amendment to Amendment 4.
8:10:44 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:10 a.m. to 8:11 a.m.
8:11:02 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 148, labeled
33-LS0624\B.1, Marx, 3/31/23, which read:
Page 2, following line 28:
Insert a new subsection to read:
"(h) Not later than January 15 of each year, a
district shall provide to each student in the district
who is enrolled in grade nine or grade 10 information
about the Alaska performance scholarship."
Reletter the following subsections accordingly.
Page 3, line 9:
Delete "(l)"
Insert "(m)"
Page 3, line 11:
Delete "(k)"
Insert "(l)"
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected for the purpose of discussion.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD spoke to Amendment 1. She stated that the
amendment would move the notification timeframe of when students
are notified of the scholarships to grades nine and ten. She
added that for the purpose of student retention in Alaska, the
sooner they know they have the funds to do so, the better, and
outside universities would not have the advantage of enticing
students to leave Alaska.
8:12:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her understanding that districts do
this already. She requested that Sana Efird be asked to confirm
that.
8:13:05 AM
SANA EFIRD, Executive Director, Postsecondary Education,
Department of Education & Early Development (DEED), responded
that she cannot speak to the school district; however, she
stated that she works closely with the counselors in the
districts, and they provide information about the Alaska
Performance Scholarship (APS) with hopes of every student being
informed as early as possible.
8:14:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the mandate proposed
under Amendment 1 would place a burden on schools.
8:14:22 AM
MS. EFIRD replied that she cannot speak to the impact on
districts. She reiterated that she provides information and
training about the scholarship that is accessible for the school
district, anything else would have to be directed to the
district, she added.
8:15:04 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE withdrew his objection to the Amendment 1.
There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
8:15:15 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 148, labeled
33-LS0624\B.2, Marx, 4/4/23, which read:
Page 2, line 30:
Delete "academic"
Page 3, line 6:
Delete "and"
Page 3, lines 7 - 11:
Delete all material and insert:
"(2) inform the applicant that the
commission may disburse the award only if the
applicant meets the requirements described in (l) of
this section;
(3) for an applicant awarded an Alaska
performance scholarship under AS 14.43.825(a)(1),
inform the applicant that the commission will adjust
the applicant's award under the circumstances
described in (k) of this section; and
(4) inform the applicant that the
commission will adjust the applicant's award under the
circumstances described in (m) of this section."
Page 3, line 16, following "scholarship":
Insert "under AS 14.43.825(a)(1)"
Page 3, line 26:
Delete "and"
Page 3, following line 28:
Insert a new subparagraph to read:
"(C) met the minimum score on a college entrance
examination if required under AS 14.43.825(a); and"
Page 3, following line 31:
Insert new subsections to read:
"(m) If a student is awarded an Alaska
performance scholarship under
(1) AS 14.43.825(a)(1) and enrolls in a
qualified career and technical school program during
the scholarship eligibility period described in
AS 14.43.825(b), the commission shall adjust the
student's award to the award level described in
AS 14.43.825(a)(2);
(2) AS 14.43.825(a)(2) and enrolls in a
qualified university or college during the scholarship
eligibility period described in AS 14.43.825(b), the
commission shall adjust the student's award to the
applicable award level described in
AS 14.43.825(a)(1); the commission shall make the
adjustment based on the student's high school grade-
point average and college entrance examination scores.
(n) The commission may adjust a student's
scholarship under (m) of this section only once."
Page 4, lines 1 - 15:
Delete all material and insert:
"* Sec. 4. AS 14.43.825(a) is amended to read:
(a) The maximum annual awards for the Alaska
performance scholarships are as follows:
(1) for a student enrolled at a qualified
university or college
(A) the first award level is $7,000
[$4,755] and requires a
(i) [(A)] 3.5 grade-point average or above;
and
(ii) [(B)] very high minimum score on a
college entrance examination;
(B) [(2)] the second award level is $5,250
[$3,566] and requires a
(i) [(A)] 3.0 grade-point average or above;
and
(ii) [(B)] high minimum score on a college
entrance examination;
(C) [(3)] the third award level is $3,500
[$2,378] and requires a
(i) [(A)] 2.5 grade-point average or above;
and
(ii) [(B)] moderately high minimum score on
a college entrance examination;
(2) for a student enrolled at a qualified
career and technical school program, the award level
is $5,500 and requires a 2.5 grade-point average or
above."
Page 5, line 4, following "scholarship":
Insert "under AS 14.43.825(a)(1)"
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD spoke to Amendment 2. She related a story about
her husband as a former student to illustrate that not everyone
does well as a student, but can score high on the SAT.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD proposed a conceptual amendment to Amendment 2
by making an "and/or" option for a score of 1100 or higher..
8:18:24 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:18 a.m. to 8:26 a.m.
8:26:38 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD, in response to Co-Chair Ruffridge, withdrew
Amendment 2.
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that Amendment 2 had been
withdrawn. He noted that he would not be offering Amendment 3
[in the committee packet, but not moved for adoption].
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE stated that before the committee moved on to
Amendment 4, Co-Chair Allard had a conceptual amendment to
offer. [The conceptual amendment had been intended as an
amendment to Amendment 2, which had been withdrawn.]
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, beginning
on page 2, line 13, following ";" to insert "or" and reinstate
the language on page 2, lines 14-22 that would be deleted under
HB 148; on page 4, line 5, following ";" to [replace] "and" with
"or" and reinstate the language on lines 6-7 that would be
deleted under HB 148; on page 4, line 9, following ";" to
replace "and" with "or" and reinstate the language on lines 10-
11 that would be deleted under HB 148; page 4, line 13,
following ";" to replace "and" with "or" and reinstate the
language on lines 14-15;
CO-CHAIR ALLARD explained that "Conceptual Amendment 1" would
give the opportunity for students to qualify based on their GPA
or SAT scores.
8:29:23 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected for the purpose of discussion.
8:29:29 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD, in response to Representative Story, repeated
the changes that would be made under "Conceptual Amendment 1."
8:30:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY surmised that the committee would probably
need the amendment written by Legislative Legal Services, but
she welcomed discussion presently. In response to Co-Chair
Ruffridge, she said she would like to hear from Ms. Efrid
regarding "Conceptual Amendment 1."
8:31:14 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:31 a.m. to 8:43 a.m.
8:43:15 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE indicated that the committee would get some
amendments redrafted. He announced that HB 148 was held over.