Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
03/22/2024 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB382 | |
| HB230 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 391 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 236 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 382 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 147 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 230 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 230-OUT-OF-STATE TCHG EXPERIENCE & SALARIES
9:20:32 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 230, "An Act repealing the limit on the
number of years of out-of-state school experience that may be
substituted for in-state experience in teacher salary scales."
9:20:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE REBECCA HIMSCHOOT, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, reintroduced HB 230. She gave a brief overview
of HB 230, explaining that the goals of the proposed legislation
are in alignment with some of the recommendations that came with
the teacher recruitment and retention task force that the
governor put together in 2021. She said HB 230 is a one-line
bill that would repeal requirement for districts in Alaska to
recognize the experience of out-of-state teachers for a limited
amount of years proportionate to their actual time in teaching
instead of recognizing their full time in teaching.
9:22:29 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 230.
9:23:10 AM
CAROL MOOERS, representing self, testified in support of HB 230.
She began by giving her personal history of her experience and
professional background in teaching, and explained how she is
only being paid for 9 years of experience when she actually has
18 years of experience in teaching.
9:25:54 AM
EMILY VANDERPOOL, representing self, testified in support of HB
230. She urged the repeal of AS 14.20.220 as proposed under HB
230 and explained how school districts are burdened and limited
by the current restrictions on prior experience in teaching out
of state. She said that currently, teacher recruitment and
retention has posed the greatest challenge in recent years and
HB 230 is a great way to combat that.
9:28:45 AM
RACHEL LORD, representing self, testified in support of HB 230.
She shared her background in teaching and school administration
and emphasized her strong support of HB 230.
9:30:00 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 230.
9:30:46 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if HB 230 had the word "repeal" in it
and encouraged the committee to move HB 230 out of committee.
9:31:21 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:31 a.m.
9:31:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Representative Himschoot if the
purpose of HB 230 is to save money for the state.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT replied that she thinks the history of
limited time experience being allowed to be utilized in paying
teachers is related to the previous defined benefits system used
in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY commented that Alaska is desperate for
teachers and any way to remedy that would be welcomed.
9:33:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK commented that he supported HB 230 and
gave an anecdote about a book he is reading about Bethel,
Alaska, that describes education as a competitive and desirable
position for anyone, a far cry from today's shortage of teachers
across the State.
9:34:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said she had applied to a school
district in 1994 and was not given an interview until she had
more experience due to the competitive nature of education in
the state at the time.
[HB 230 was held over.]