Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205
04/13/2016 06:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB156 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 156 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 156-SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES; FED. LAW
6:31:36 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced the consideration of HB 156.
6:31:48 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS moved to adopt the SCS for CS for HB 156(EDC),
labeled 29-LS0566\U, as the working document before the
committee.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY objected for discussion.
6:31:59 PM
CHRISTA MCDONALD, Staff, Senator Mike Dunleavy, Alaska State
Legislature, presented information on HB 156. She said version U
enrolls the six amendments that were passed yesterday; parental
rights, physical examinations for teachers, questionnaires and
surveys, technical corrections to HB 44 training, Department of
Education and Early Development (DEED) procurement exemption for
standardized assessment, and the repeal of the 70 percent rule.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY withdrew his objection and version U was adopted.
6:33:15 PM
At ease
6:34:34 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY brought the committee back to order.
SENATOR HUGGINS moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 29-
LS0566\U.1:
Page 1, line 7, following "districts;":
Insert "relating to sex education, human
reproductive education, and human sexuality
education;"
Page 16, following line 4:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 18. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new
section to read:
Sec. 14.30.361. Sex education, human reproductive
education, and human sexuality education. (a) A person
may only teach a class or program in sex education,
human reproduction education, or human sexuality
education if the person
(1) possesses a valid teacher certificate
issued under AS 14.20.020; and
(2) teaches the class or program under a
contract with the school.
(b) Before curriculum, literature, or materials
related to sex education, human reproduction
education, or human sexuality education may be used in
a class or program or distributed in a school, the
curriculum, literature, or materials must be
(1) approved by the school board; and
(2) available for parents to review."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 16, line 24:
Delete "Section 23"
Insert "Section 24"
Page 16, line 27:
Delete "Section 18"
Insert "Section 19"
Page 16, line 30:
Delete "secs. 24 - 27"
Insert "secs. 25 - 28"
CHAIR DUNLEAVY objected for discussion.
6:35:01 PM
MS. MCDONALD explained Amendment 1 would add a new section, AS
14.30.361 - Sex education, human reproductive education, and
human sexuality education. It would establish that only a person
with a valid teacher certificate and under contract with the
school, may teach a class or program in sex education, human
reproduction, and human sexuality education. In addition, it
would require that before the curriculum, literature, or
materials related to sex education, human reproduction, and
human sexuality education may be used in a class or program, the
materials must be approved by the school board and available for
parents to review.
6:35:53 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY commented that there has been much discussion
about sex education in public schools. He said SB 89 was an
attempt to decide who would be in the schools teaching this
topic. The amendment does not block any group or sub group. The
class must be taught by a teacher with a Type A certificate, and
the curriculum must be adopted by the school board and available
to parents to review. It does not prohibit sex education.
He opined that all curriculum should be adopted by a school
district. The amendment does not tell the school board what
curriculum to adopt.
6:37:50 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY removed his objection.
SENATOR GARDNER objected.
SENATOR GARDNER said yesterday in committee there was discussion
of endorsing the concept of local control. Alaska has a system
where local communities elect and have a relationship with their
school boards which makes decisions for schools. She maintained
that Amendment 1 is absolutely a contradiction to that concept.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said the amendment is exactly what state law
calls for and it is already in statute and affirms what should
be done. The public process for school boards is to vet in
public what they're going to be teaching so the public could
have input.
A roll call vote was taken. Senators Huggins, Giessel, and
Dunleavy voted in favor of Amendment 1, and Senator Gardner
voted against it. Therefore, the Amendment 1 was adopted by a
3:1 vote.
6:39:32 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS moved to report SCS for CS for HB 156(EDC),
from committee, as amended, with individual recommendations and
attached indeterminate fiscal note.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY turned to public testimony.
6:40:01 PM
ALYSE GALVIN, Member, Great Alaska Schools, testified in
opposition to Amendment 1 of HB 156. She said Great Alaska
Schools has more than 2,500 grassroots members who are deeply
concerned about this bill. She supports not blocking anyone from
teaching sex education, but the Type A requirement is a barrier.
It used to be that a Type A teacher had to be in the room. She
has heard so many students and teachers say that they would like
to have someone who is from a group, and is not a certified
teacher, teaching sex education.
She requested that the state not overreach when it comes to
local decision making. She asked the committee not to create any
barrier to sex education and let the local government make the
decisions.
6:41:57 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said the words "approved by the school board"
mean it is locally controlled.
MS. GALVIN said the school board should be able to decide what
it needs to approve or not approve. Up until this point it has
been working fine. This new provision feels like extra
government.
6:42:49 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said they approved a bill on physical education
which was an imposition on school districts to teach PE. This
amendment is in line with state statute.
MS. GALVIN asked if the bill has already been passed.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY countered that the bill has not been moved out of
committee, but Amendment 1 has been adopted. He reiterated what
is being done in state statutes regarding curriculum selection.
MS. GALVIN asked about Type A endorsement.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said it is in law that Type A teachers teach in
classrooms.
MS. GALVIN questioned whether they have to be doing the teaching
or if they can have guest speakers come in.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said in this particular case, in order to make
sure what is vetted by the school board is taught by Type A
teachers, guest speakers cannot teach.
MS. GALVIN stated that feels like a barrier and will require
extra money to train teachers, which the state does not have.
6:45:06 PM
DAVID BOYLE, representing himself, testified in support of HB
156. He maintained that education is in a conundrum as far as
providing transparency to parents and students about how their
students are doing. He said he likes the bill and it holds the
state, the department, and local school districts, as well as
parents and students, accountable. He suggested that the focus
should be on the students.
He spoke of low state test scores in the past. He noted the
challenges with doing away with the AMP test, which did not
provide information for parents or students. He suggested the
state look at other states' tests. He concluded that the focus
should be on the kids.
6:48:44 PM
BUTCH MOORE, representing himself, testified in opposition to HB
156. He said he has not had time to review the new draft. He
inquired if Type A is specifically required for sex education.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY explained that Type A is the overall definition
of a classroom teacher.
MR. MOORE asked if someone from Providence Hospital could come
in to a school to teach CPR, or someone from the fire department
could come in to teach fire safety, or someone from archery
could come in to teach archery - as long as there is a Type A
teacher present supervising the class.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said that issue is not being addressed in the
bill. The hope would be that there would be a Type A teacher in
the classroom.
6:51:07 PM
MR. MOORE asked if the amendment specifically singles out sex
education, versus any other kind of education. He questioned
whether it should be the same for all education.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said in this particular amendment Mr. Moore is
correct. Folks can bring forth any bills that they want during
session.
MR. MOORE asked if the primary difference between this bill and
SB 89 is that it does not have an opt-out or opt-in provision.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said it has an opt-out provision; students
enrolled would be in the class unless their parents signed an
opt-out form.
MR. MOORE agreed with taking the opt-in provision out of the
bill, but concluded that Amendment 1 limits the education of
students by not using the sources and volunteer services
provided for free for sex education classes.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said the bill moves to Senate Finance for a
further hearing.
6:52:51 PM
He closed public testimony.
SENATOR GARDNER asked if there are any other topics that require
that a certificated teacher teach them, rather than be in a room
with a guest instructor.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY opined that all certificated teachers should be
the primary teacher in the classroom teaching the primary
subject. He used math teachers as examples.
He said he does not want to privatize education by having non-
certificated teachers teaching. He concluded the best way to
solve the issue for all parents, in light of SB 89, is to allow
the school district to vet certified teachers and the
curriculum. He said he aims to serve kids and to deal with sex
education the same as other subjects.
6:55:33 PM
SENATOR GARDNER related that she has been asked many times to
talk to schools about government and the bill process in a
classroom with a certificated teacher, even though she does not
have a teaching credential. Under Amendment 1, she could not go
into science or health class to talk about sex education. She
asked why single out sex education.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said he talked to superintendents about what the
process was for outsiders, such as abortion groups, to come
before the school board to vet their curriculum. He said one
individual in a large district said they don't have them in
their schools. Parents have reported that abortion providers
come in and have discussions via the classroom. By law, they
shouldn't be doing that. There is a confusing mix of who is
allowed to teach or not. He believed the public should have the
chance to vet curriculum that is taught and professional
teachers should teach it.
SENATOR GARDNER said she is not trying to do away with
certificated teachers, but to allow the public to be involved in
schools as part of public outreach, such as parent experts. She
gave examples of areas of expertise. She questioned why the
subject of sex education should be treated differently.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said because it is very divisive and needs to be
approved by the school board. The state should impose when it
wants. He agreed that sex education should be taught, but the
right people need to teach it.
7:01:26 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS restated his motion to report the SCS for CS for
HB 156(EDC), from committee, as amended, with individual
recommendations and attached indeterminate fiscal note.
SENATOR GARDNER objected.
A roll call vote was taken. Senators Huggins, Giessel, and
Dunleavy voted in favor of reporting the bill and Senator
Gardner voted against it. Therefore, the motion to report SCS
CSHB 156(EDC) from committee passed by a 3:1 vote.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 156 - SEDC Amendments.pdf |
SEDC 4/13/2016 6:30:00 PM |
HB 156 |
| HB 156 -SBOE 70-30 Resolution 03-2015.pdf |
SEDC 4/13/2016 6:30:00 PM |
HB 156 |
| SEDC CSHB 156 - Version U.pdf |
SEDC 4/13/2016 6:30:00 PM |
HB 156 |
| HB 156 - SEDC Amendment U.1.pdf |
SEDC 4/13/2016 6:30:00 PM |
HB 156 |