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 260-STATE EDUCATION POLICY: EARLY CHILDHOOD
9:49:17 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 260 "An Act relating to the state
education policy."
9:49:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GERAN TARR, Alaska State Legislature, introduced
HB 260 as prime sponsor. She expressed her strong interest in
education policy, having been an educator for over 20 years.
She stated recognition that teachers are overburdened yet key
sources of information and allies to overcoming societal
problems with families and communities. She asked the committee
to consider existing research on the "school to prison
pipeline." She summarized her research demonstrating a
relationship between punitive suspension and expulsion policies
in public schools being related to individuals' participation in
the criminal justice system. She stated that her research on
this phenomenon led her to learn about "restorative practices."
She noted that the preparation of this proposed legislation took
into consideration timing of other laws and acts being heard,
passed and implemented, as well as her understanding of the
burdens upon public school systems in Alaska. She listed
communities from which stakeholders participated and contributed
to the development of the proposed legislation: Anchorage,
Palmer, Wasilla, Fairbanks, Valdez, Homer, Sitka, Juneau,
Bethel, Chevak, Chignik, and Kwethluk.
9:52:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR stated that educators from these locations
met throughout four summits, and together developed a consensus
regarding restorative practices, what trauma-informed policies
consist of; identification of resources to implement trauma-
informed policies, including educator training resources that
may be necessary for implementing restorative practices. She
indicated that, after much work among these stakeholders, they
fully endorsed the proposed legislation in HB 260.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR expressed that, while the language of HB 260
is brief, the intent is impactful and would be the first
legislation that would acknowledge trauma-informed schools in
Alaska's public education policy. She echoed testimony from
previous witnesses that was reminiscent of her own difficult
experiences as a teacher. She drew attention to handouts
containing information on harm reported to children level at 40
percent, and which depicts cost impacts of trauma to public
resources. She urged consideration of HB 260 as a needed change
to Alaska's public education policy.
9:55:19 AM
TREVOR STORRS, President and CEO, Alaska Children's Trust,
testified in support of HB 260. He stated that Alaska
Children's Trust (AST) mission is the prevention of child abuse
and neglect. He explained ACEs are differentiated from normal,
manageable stress in that they disrupt normal brain development
and can lead to lifelong social, emotional, and cognitive
impairment. He noted that children who suffer from ACEs are
more likely to have poor social performance, not graduate,
exhibit high absenteeism, and exhibit behavioral challenges in
the school environment. He asserted that HB 260 is evidence-
based and would bring trauma informed care to students and would
lead to increased SEL to meet more students' needs in the
classroom.
9:58:54 AM
TIM PARKER, President, NEA-Alaska, testified in support of HB
260. He described HB 260 as a policy change that reflects the
priority identified in Alaska's Education Challenge - to
cultivate safety and well-being. He related that student safety
and well-being has always been a high priority among educators,
and that as of late, it has emerged as a top priority.
MR. PARKER referred to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid which
depicts safety as a most basic psychological need and Bloom's
Taxonomy, both of which teachers learn and understand as a part
of their training. He suggested that for teachers to teach and
for students to learn, Maslow's must be taken into
consideration, and trauma identified and addressed.
10:01:41 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND reasoned that three of the four bills
presented to the committee were closely related.
10:02:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX echoed Co-Chair Drummond's observation that
the bills presented were related.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that HB 260 would be held over.