Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
02/28/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB181 | |
| HB155 | |
| HB136 | |
| HB260 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 181 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 260 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 155-AK PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP; ELIGIBILITY
8:29:14 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 155 "An Act relating to eligibility for
the Alaska performance scholarship program."
8:29:46 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that the intent of the proposed HB 155 is
to change the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) eligibility
requirements to allow Career Technical Education (CTE) courses
be substituted for other requirements. She stated that the APS
is a financial aid vehicle for students in Alaska. She said
that the bill would increase the pool of eligible applicants for
the APS.
8:30:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked for an explanation of what language
is proposed to be replaced.
8:30:57 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY stated that it is her intent to explain the
amendment coincidental to the motion to amend the bill.
8:31:22 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 31-
LS0145\M.1, Caouette, 2/21/20, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 14:
Delete "or"
Insert "[OR]"
Page 2, line 5, following "cluster":
Insert "; or
(C) three years of mathematics, four years
of language arts, three years of science, four years
of social studies, one year of which may be career and
technical education, and two years of a foreign
language or an Alaska Native language"
8:31:32 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND objected for the purposes of discussion of the
proposed amendment.
8:31:37 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY explained that Representative Tuck recommended an
amendment to broaden the eligibility requirements to include a
third option.
8:32:25 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY called attention to the chart included in the
committee packet, entitled "ALASKA PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP."
She explained that the proposed amendment would add an option
"C", which expands eligibility so that students could retain
foreign language for credit and substitute one credit CTE for
social studies.
8:34:16 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked to confirm that the amendment would add
an option "C" and that the "Social Studies & Language
Curriculum" is the curriculum option for APS applicants that
would be affected by the amendment.
8:34:39 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY confirmed and added that Department of Education
& Early Development (DEED_ suggested that it is likely that the
APS application would be updated with a third column depicting
the option C for applicants.
8:35:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON stated her understanding that the APS was
established in order to optimize students' chances for success
after graduation and asked if the proposed bill would retain the
quality of that intent.
8:35:29 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY explained that there has been a historical
perception that CTE is not academically rigorous, and the
evolution of CTE has allowed for cultivation of highly technical
and marketable skills, including the rising educators curriculum
- which is currently not recognized as meeting the requirements
for students to apply for APS. She added that, in addition to
required curriculum, APS applicants are also obligated to obtain
minimum score requirements on standardized tests and to maintain
certain Grade Point Average (GPA) in order to qualify for the
scholarship.
8:38:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked whether the intent of the proposed
bill is to increase the pool of eligible applicants for the APS.
She asked how many additional students are estimated to apply
for the APS should this legislation become enacted.
8:38:39 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that DEED had previously presented
statistics reflecting a decline in APS applicants despite the
higher graduation and postsecondary success of APS recipients.
She recalled that DEED did not project a significant increase in
APS applicants should this legislation pass. She expressed her
hope that more students would apply for APS with the increase in
eligibility options and that those students could go on to fill
jobs in Alaska which are currently experiencing worker
shortages.
8:40:06 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND referred to the fiscal note analysis contained
in HB155-EED-ACPE-2-10-20 which states that it is not
anticipated at this time that the proposed change would be
sufficient to impact the annual appropriation needed to fund APS
awards. She recalled earlier testimony which claimed an overall
decline in APS applicants and that no additional funds would be
required for ACPE to administer the changes under the proposed
legislation.
8:41:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether the APS could fund two-year
postsecondary programs.
8:42:22 AM
DEBORAH RIDDLE, Division Operations Manager, Student Learning
Division, Department of Education & Early Development (DEED),
indicated that APS could be used for both two- and four-year
postsecondary degree programs.
8:43:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX related his personal experience of a CTE
style shop class which led him to secure a high paying job after
graduation.
8:44:23 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND removed her objection to the proposed
amendment. There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was
adopted.
8:44:48 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY moved to report HB 155 as amended out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes.
8:45:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected to the motion, indicating that he
supports the proposed bill as amended but is objecting for the
purpose of encouraging his receipt of additional information.
8:45:39 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Johnson, Zulkosky,
Hopkins, Story, and Drummond voted in favor of the motion to
report HB 155, as amended, out of the House Education Standing
Committee. Representative Prax voted against it. Therefore,
CSHB 155(EDC) was reported out of the House Education Standing
Committee by a vote of 5-1.