02/23/2022 03:30 PM House EDUCATION

             SB 20-OUT OF STATE TEACHER RECIPROCITY                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:39:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND  announced that  the  next  order of  business                                                               
would be  CS FOR  SENATE BILL  NO. 20(FIN),  "An Act  relating to                                                               
teaching   certificates   for   teachers   holding   out-of-state                                                               
certificates."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:40:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOPKINS  moved  to  adopt  Amendment  1  to  CSSB
(FIN) am,  labeled 32-LS0202\G.1, Marx, 2/22/22,  which read as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 11, following "valid":                                                                                        
          Insert "regular"                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 30, following "valid":                                                                                        
          Insert "regular"                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:40:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOPKINS   explained  Amendment  1   ensures  that                                                               
teachers coming to Alaska with  reciprocity agreements with other                                                               
states would  not hold  certificates that  are not  fully fleshed                                                               
out.     The  addition   of  the   word  "regular"   ensures  the                                                           
certification  is  from  an  accredited  university  that  has  a                                                               
verification  process  to ensure  the  teachers  have the  skills                                                               
needed to  educate effectively.   He  concluded that  adding this                                                               
one  word  alleviates any  concerns  about  the strength  of  the                                                               
certificate.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND removed her objection.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:41:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX remarked  that  he felt  the word  "regular"                                                               
seems redundant  and may not  be accurate in comparison  to other                                                               
types of available certificates.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:41:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS  listed several of the  different types of                                                               
[teaching] certificates  available in  Alaska.  He  explained the                                                               
word  "regular"  in  the  proposed  amendment  corelates  to  the                                                           
statutes in  other states, ensuring the  out-of-state certificate                                                               
has not been obtained through  an abbreviated effort.  He stated,                                                               
in example, there could be  a for-profit institution that "churns                                                               
them out" [certificates] in a six- to ten-week class.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:42:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM   LAMKIN,  Staff,   Senator   Gary   Stevens,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  responded  on  behalf  of  Senator  Stevens,  prime                                                               
sponsor of  CSSB 20(FIN) am.   He  explained that Amendment  1 is                                                               
the  result of  other states  offering non-traditional  means, or                                                               
alternative  pathways, to  obtain  a teaching  certificate.   The                                                               
amendment helps  identify and reduce  the likelihood  of pathways                                                               
that  allow shortcuts  in obtaining  teaching  certificates.   He                                                               
said this  policy is already  in practice with the  Department of                                                               
Education and Early Development (DEED).   He deferred to the DEED                                                               
representative to confirm.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:43:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SONDRA MEREDITH, Teacher  Certification Administrator, Department                                                               
of  Education and  Early Development,  responded to  the question                                                               
concerning the added  word "regular" in the amendment.   She said                                                         
that the  current practice  of DEED is  to look  for certificates                                                               
that represent  the completion of fully  approved programs within                                                               
a state;  the addition  of the word  "regular" does  help clarify                                                           
the intent of  the language of the bill and  supports the type of                                                               
certificates DEED seeks.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:44:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX [objected  to Amendment 1] and  asked to hear                                                               
from the bill sponsor.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:45:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS, Alaska State  Legislature, as prime sponsor                                                               
of CSSB  20(FIN), stated he  had nothing  to add to  the previous                                                               
committee discussion on this topic.   He reiterated the bill will                                                               
help the state attract more teachers.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:45:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  withdrew his  objection.    There being  no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:45:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY moved  to report CSSB 20(FIN), as  amended, out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.   There  being no objection,  HCS CSSB  20(EDC) was                                                               
reported out of the House Education Standing Committee.