Legislature(2021 - 2022)ADAMS 519
05/04/2022 01:30 PM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB183 | |
| SB20 | |
| HB283 | |
| Public Testimony | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 183 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 120 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 283 | TELECONFERENCED | |
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 20(FIN)
"An Act relating to teaching certificates for teachers
holding out-of-state certificates."
3:08:56 PM
TIM LAMKIN, STAFF, SENATOR GARY STEVENS, thanked the
committee for hearing the bill. He explained that the bill
was a result of some emergency regulations enacted in 2020
due to COVID-19, which resulted in significant support from
school districts in helping them find teachers to fill
classrooms more quickly. The bill was a reflection of those
amendments and the changes that had been made. The bill
would lower barriers to entry and reduce some of the
administrative bureaucracy for existing teacher programs
coming into the system. The bill enabled teachers holding a
regular teacher certification in another state to teach in
Alaska. The individual had to hold a four-year degree, go
through the standard background checks required to teach in
Alaska, and complete multicultural education coursework
within two years. Individuals would still undergo all of
requirements pertaining to alcohol and drug awareness and
abuse, sexual assault awareness, and suicide awareness and
would have 90 days to complete their training.
Mr. Lamkin continued to explain the legislation. He
explained that the concept of the bill applied to teachers
with years of classroom experience who had taken the basic
competency exam at some point in time. The bill would allow
the individuals to teach without retaking the exam, which
was fairly onerous.
3:11:21 PM
Representative Johnson asked how many other states had
similar reciprocity agreements or arrangement.
Mr. Lamkin deferred to the department.
SONDRA MEREDITH, TEACHER CERTIFICATION ADMINISTRATOR,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT (via
teleconference), answered that most states had some form of
allowances for individuals who were fully licensed in
another state. She reported what the allowances looked like
varied from state to state. There were a number of states
that did not require individuals with regular licensure to
take additional exams. She did not have an exact number.
3:12:54 PM
Vice-Chair Ortiz referenced Mr. Lamkin's statement that
under the bill, in order for a teacher to receive one of
the certificates they would have to have years of
experience. He asked if the bill stipulated the number of
years of experience required in order to qualify.
Mr. Lamkin replied that the bill was not that prescriptive.
He noted there were regulations in place that Ms. Meredith
could speak to.
Ms. Meredith responded that beyond what existed in current
statute, the Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED) had not added additional regulatory requirements to
the type of certificate addressed in the bill. There was
currently no stipulation for a certain number of years of
experience to qualify under the certificate.
Vice-Chair Ortiz stated that theoretically a person could
get certified in a different state for half of a year and
perhaps get a certificate in the State of Alaska. He asked
what the certificate category would be called.
Ms. Meredith answered that the department currently
referred to the certificate as an initial out-of-state
certificate. Through the changes proposed in the
legislation, an individual would qualify after they had
done the Alaska multicultural coursework for the regular
professional license in Alaska.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked for verification it was possible a
person could come directly out of school without any
previous experience and still qualify for the certificate.
Ms. Meredith confirmed it would be possible if the
individual qualified for a regular license, meaning they
had done all that was necessary in their state to gain the
license in another jurisdiction.
3:15:53 PM
Vice-Chair Ortiz appreciated the bill and was aware of the
issues the state was having with obtaining teachers. He
clarified his questions were not meant to indicate
objection to the purpose of the bill. He asked about the J-
1 Visa program that DEED had in place and how it may differ
from the certificate requirements offered under the
legislation. He remarked that J-1 was more for foreign
based teachers. He asked if they were the same kind of
education requirements.
Ms. Meredith answered that the J-1 Visa individuals coming
to Alaska were not qualifying through the initial out-of-
state certificate. The individuals were frequently required
to go through emergency licensure when they did not have
the testing when they first began in Alaska. After the
emergency licensure the individuals moved into one of the
state's initial licensures where they had to demonstrate
they had the training with the equivalent to a four-year
degree in Alaska in addition to the completion of a teacher
preparation program. The certificate under the bill
differed significantly and would not be one that J-1 Visa
applicants would qualify for.
3:18:18 PM
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked which would have a higher bar for a
teacher: the J-1 Visa program or the SB 20 proposal.
Ms. Meredith responded that she did not know that she could
equate the two except for the fact that the J-1 Visa
individuals still needed to do the testing requirements
after the emergency certificate, whereas the testing
requirements would not be necessary for the certificate
under SB 20.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if it was currently possible for a
teacher from another state to obtain temporary
certification to teach in Alaska in the coming fall.
Ms. Meredith responded that the current statutory language
allowed for a form of reciprocity where the individual had
to provide proof of a bachelor's degree and valid regular
certificate. She explained it gave the individual a one-
year period of time to provide evidence of the basic
competency exams. She elaborated that the individuals then
moved on to complete the two required courses. The route
was currently available but on occasion the individuals
coming in through the route had multiple years of
experience (sometimes 15 to 20 years) and were required to
locate or retake the basic competency exam, which could be
a challenge.
Vice-Chair Ortiz stated his understanding that the bill
removed the competency exam from the process of obtaining a
certificate that was currently in place for anyone who
wanted to come to Alaska to work as a teacher (regardless
of prior experience).
Ms. Meredith answered that it was a primary feature of the
bill.
3:22:02 PM
Mr. Lamkin clarified that currently in Alaska, all people
preparing to teach had to take the competency exam. He
highlighted that the exam was difficult; however, not
entirely because of its content, but by its administrative
nature. He referred to an anecdote from an individual in
rural Alaska who had tried to take the exam online and the
system had crashed in the middle of the exam. The
individual had already spent hundreds of dollars to take
the exam that he felt he did not really need to take
because he had come from out-of-state with years of
experience. He stated the exam was bemoaned by many people.
The bill would alleviate the burden. He elaborated it was
presumed that in another state where a teacher had received
a regular teacher certification that they had undertaken
the same process and had already taken that type of
competency exam in the past.
Representative Josephson referenced Ms. Meredith's
testimony that currently a person could obtain a
preliminary certificate. He thought she had stated a person
had to meet some obligation within a year [after obtaining
the preliminary certificate]. He observed the legislation
gave people two years to take a course or do the things
needed to be certified in Alaska. He asked if the timeframe
was one difference between existing law and the bill.
Mr. Lamkin replied affirmatively. He elaborated that
individuals were required to take cross-cultural,
multicultural coursework to help sensitize individuals
coming in from out of state to Alaska's unique culture,
geography, and circumstances. He explained that the
University did not offer the course every semester;
therefore, the two-year window gave individuals time to
align their schedules with the course schedule.
Representative Josephson referenced Mr. Lamkin's statements
about the difficulty of the administrative nature of the
test. He shared that he was currently a certified teacher
and had a master's degree in education that had required
all sorts of tests. He did not recall a basic competency
test. He asked how to ensure the state was not going to get
washed-out teachers from the Lower 48.
Mr. Lamkin deferred to the department.
3:25:44 PM
Ms. Meredith answered that the quality of educators coming
into Alaska was checked by a number of different things
beginning with and likely most effectively, through the
hiring process. The hiring process looked at level of
expertise and recommendations. Additionally, there were
certification processes that ensured the credentialing of
the individual met the statutory and regulatory standards.
She relayed the individuals were evaluated after one year
to determine whether the districts felt their expertise
warranted another year of service.
Representative Josephson looked at the repealers in the
bill that included AS 14.20.015 (f), which specified that a
preliminary teacher certificate and any endorsements were
valid for three years and may not be renewed. The removal
of that suggested they were valid forever or that they may
be renewed. He asked if there would be people who were
preliminary teachers forever or if the bill was designed to
mean the individuals would be regular teachers and not
preliminary teachers who would comply with the terms within
the specific window.
Ms. Meredith replied it was her understanding that the
repeal of the sections allowed the certificate to
recognized as a regular certificate and after the two
classes were completed, the certificate would be extended
to a five-year period and could be renewed through the
renewal requirements set out in regulation.
Representative Josephson spoke to his personal experience
working as a teacher for a year and a half in the past. He
asked Mr. Lamkin what the teacher demand was that was not
currently being met. He asked if he should be concerned
that the legislation lowered the standards.
Mr. Lamkin answered the demand had been an outcry from
Alaska's districts for some time. He relayed there was
upcoming invited testimony to speak to the need. The bill
was prompted by emergency regulations that were taken up
with great success. Additionally, the bill sponsor had been
contacted by Kodiak, Anchorage, and others who applauded
the emergency regulations and hoped to see it put more
solidly in statute for the long-term.
Representative Josephson asked if teachers should be
concerned the bill watered down the standards.
Mr. Lamkin answered that the issue had been deliberated in
earlier committees, particularly education committees. He
expounded that an amendment had been made to page 2,
Section 2, line 11 that added a valid regular teacher
certificate. He stated that to date everyone had been
satisfied that the bill did not establish a system that
brought in washed up teachers from out of state.
3:31:28 PM
Co-Chair Merrick moved to invited testimony.
PEGGY RANKIN, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF TALENT MANAGEMENT,
ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
reiterated a few words shared previously by Dr. Deena
Bishop regarding Senate Bill 20:
This bill provides the needed flexibility for school
districts at just the right time. We have fewer and
fewer going into education across the nation. This is
a very important bill to be able to support incoming
teachers. Senate Bill 20 provides additional avenues
for school districts to seek and find top educators.
Many states presently allow alternative teacher
certification pathways and programs and its not the
traditional university setting or student teaching
experience. They utilize a blended approach to gaining
certification. Many of these include co-teaching,
substituting, on the job training and they're
increasing in popularity as one in five new teachers
in the U.S. become a teacher through a means other
than the traditional four-year undergraduate program
or master's degree in traditional universities.
Also, second career educators are more inclined to
enter into the alternative certification program.
These alternative path educators are also a more
diverse as a whole. They mirror their communities much
more than traditional path educators. As you
mentioned, concerns of the past have been around
lowering of AK teacher certificate standards. Please
know that that is not the intent of this bill. Rather,
we choose to expand the candidate pool.
We have many immersion programs here in the Anchorage
School District and we hire many out-of-country
educators. Most of them do not and have not
participated in the traditional student teaching
world. This Senate Bill 20 would allow for a new out-
of-country candidate to move to the professional
certification. Right now, they can only have the
initial certification because they do not have the
student teaching requirement, which would not allow
them to move to the professional and also often lessen
their stay in Alaska because of that. This senate bill
allows the time and flexibility needed to transition
to Alaska with a certificate from another state. We
continue to hold our standards, but it does allow time
to complete those Alaska-specific certification
requirements. None of that goes away.
Ms. Rankin thanked the sponsors of the bill that directly
and deliberately responded to the needs of Alaska school
districts, schools, and students.
3:35:22 PM
Representative LeBon stated that the Anchorage School
District had quite a few school buildings and a pretty
sizeable number of principals and assistant principals. He
asked if the district was experiencing the same challenges
with hiring and filling principal positions as it was
having with hiring teacher positions.
Ms. Rankin replied that most often the district's
principals came from within its teacher forces. The
district tended to grow its own principals who were
familiar with the curriculum. She relayed the district did
not frequently hire principals from outside. She
highlighted that applicant pools across the nation were
reduced in all teaching professions. Additionally,
individuals were not entering programs at universities.
Representative LeBon agreed with the practice of growing
and developing your own. He asked if the district was still
experiencing interest from instructors on seeking out
higher certification to become an assistant principal and
ultimately a principal.
Ms. Rankin confirmed there was a strong interest. She
informed the committee that several cohorts of the
district's teachers were involved in administrative
programs to obtain their administrative certificates.
Vice-Chair Ortiz referred to Ms. Rankin's testimony about
out-of-country candidates. He asked if the candidates had
the ability to become teachers in Alaska entirely through
the J-1 Visa program.
Ms. Rankin responded that the district was not currently
hiring out-of-country teachers on J-1 Visas. She explained
that regardless of their ability to get a certificate, it
was merely the individual's status to come to Alaska to
work in the district, whether it was through an H-1B or J-1
Visa.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if there had been a significant
increase in the two aforementioned visa programs over the
past several years. Alternatively, he asked if they had
always been used by the Anchorage School District.
Ms. Rankin replied that the district had recently been
speaking with some smaller school districts in Alaska and
working closely with DEED in regard to what the various J-1
Visa programs and sponsorship looked like. She stated the
J-1 requirements had support components that had to be put
in place. Currently, the district was hiring for hard to
fill positions.
Vice-Chair Ortiz clarified his question. He asked if the
district had seen increased use of the programs in the past
several years.
Ms. Rankin replied that the Anchorage School District had
only been using the process for several years.
3:39:58 PM
TAMMIE PERREAULT, NORTHWEST REGIONAL LIAISON, DEFENSE-STATE
LIAISON OFFICE, OPERATING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF UNDER
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS (via
teleconference), provided prepared remarks:
Our mission is to be resource to state policy makers
like this committee as you work to address quality of
life issues for military families. On behalf of
military families and the Department of Defense, I'm
here to express support for the policy changes
proposed in Senate Bill 20, a bill that revises
teacher licensure for personnel entry in Alaska and
requiring the adoption of an expedited licensure
process for military spouses.
Ms. Perreault referenced an earlier question on how many
states had implemented a process similar to the one
proposed under the bill. She shared that specifically for
military spouses, about 30 states had similar processes.
She continued to read from prepared remarks:
The process for teachers licensed in other states to
become fully licensed in a new state can require
extensive documentation, additional testing and
coursework, and may involve application processing
delays that create further barriers for military
spouse teachers to seamlessly continue on their career
paths. Policies such as those contained in this bill
will contribute to the morale, economic stability, and
well-being of our military families. As a military
spouse myself, I cannot tell you the number of times I
have talked to fellow military spouses who have simply
chosen not to teach in a state where they moved to
because of the rigorous challenges of getting licensed
even though they may have held years of teaching
experience and multiple teaching certificates from
across the nation.
Teaching is one of the most prevalent professions
among our licensed military spouses and while our
society is becoming more mobile, the percentage of
military spouse population that moves across state
lines is over 14 percent annually, compared to only 1
percent for civilian spouses; 88 percent of our
military spouses report they want or need to work. We
appreciate the tremendous efforts that Alaska has
historically made to support our military service
members and their families. We're grateful to Senator
Stevens and to the work of his staff for bringing
forth this important piece of legislation.
3:43:02 PM
Representative LeBon remarked that military spouses
benefited various sectors including teaching and banking.
He remarked that experience in the banking industry was
very transferable. He recalled that at one time he had
three commercial loan processors who were all married to
military members. He stated that it was possible to say
there was risk of losing the employees; however, while
stationed in Alaska the employees were loyal with low
turnover. He added that in many cases their tenure with the
bank was longer than a non-military employee. He liked that
the bill aimed to do something about the teacher shortage
"in this manner." He thanked Ms. Perreault for calling in.
Co-Chair Merrick thanked Ms. Perreault for testifying and
emphasized that the committee members loved the military
families living in Alaska.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked for the names of the teacher
competency exams currently being used in Alaska.
Ms. Meredith replied that the state primarily used the
practice exam offered by the Educational Testing Service
(ETS). The department had a list of a number of other tests
accepted across the country such as the Washington-based
skills test called the WEST-B and the California test
called CBEST. Additionally, the department honored the SAT,
ACT, and GRE and a number of state-specific exams.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if Ms. Meredith had listed the SAT
for teacher competency.
Ms. Meredith responded that the competency exam was a
reading, writing, and math exam and portions of the SAT
could be used. She noted there was an established minimum
test score for that purpose.
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked if the type of competency exams used
was at the discretion of the local school districts as long
as the exam was state approved.
Ms. Meredith answered that all of the information had to be
part of a teacher's file with DEED. The only exams that
could be used were those approved by the state board.
Co-Chair Merrick thanked the testifiers and presenter.
CSSB 20(FIN) was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
3:47:35 PM
AT EASE
4:06:05 PM
RECONVENED
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 20 TeacherCert_Reciprocity Research Dept.Defense Military Spouses.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 20 |
| SB 20 TeacherCert_Reciprocity Research ECS policy resources 3.19.2021.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 20 |
| SB 20 TeacherCert_Reciprocity Sectional version W.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 20 |
| SB 20 TeacherCert-Reciprocity Summary of Changes Version G to W.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 20 |
| SB 20 TeacherCert_Reciprocity Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 20 |
| HB183 Amendments 1-2 050322.pdf |
HFIN 5/4/2022 1:30:00 PM |
HB 183 |