05/02/2001 01:59 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 86(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to employment of teachers who have                                                                        
     subject-matter expertise; and providing for an                                                                             
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHRIS KNAUSS ,STAFF, SENATOR PETE  KELLY, spoke in support of                                                                   
the  legislation on  behalf  of the  sponsor.  He noted  that                                                                   
there  are numerous  accounts  of  teacher shortages  in  the                                                                   
state  of Alaska.  Senate  Bill 86  would  put teachers  with                                                                   
subject matter  experience in the classroom.  He reviewed the                                                                   
process  of  how  a subject  matter  teacher  gets  into  the                                                                   
classroom and  becomes a certified  regular teacher. To  be a                                                                   
subject   matter   teacher   the  applicant   must   have   a                                                                   
baccalaureate degree and at least  five years work experience                                                                   
in  the subject  matter  to  be  taught. Once  employment  is                                                                   
gained, subject matter  teachers would be required  to take a                                                                   
competency  exam and submit  to fingerprints  for a  criminal                                                                   
background  check. They  would then  be required  to have  an                                                                   
experience teacher  supervise them  as a mentor.  During this                                                                   
time they would  have a limited certificate.  During the year                                                                   
they would  be required to enroll  in a curriculum to  gain a                                                                   
regular teaching  certificate. They  would have two  years to                                                                   
complete a regular teaching certificate.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
In response  to a  question by  Vice-Chair Bunde, Mr.  Knauss                                                                   
noted that the real need is in rural school districts.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  John  Davies clarified  that  subject  matter                                                                   
teachers could  only remain  in this  category for  two years                                                                   
without becoming certified.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BRUCE JOHNSON,  DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT  OF EDUCATION                                                                   
AND   EARLY   DEVELOPMENT   provided   information   on   the                                                                   
legislation.  The department  supports  the  bill. There  are                                                                   
students  that take  advantage of  the MAT  (Master of  Arts)                                                                   
program.  A  prerequisite  degree  for  an MAT  degree  is  a                                                                   
bachelor  degree in  a  subject area.  He  observed that  MAT                                                                   
students are not paid; these people  would be paid while they                                                                   
are securing  their regular  Type A  certificate. He  thought                                                                   
that  [subject matter  teachers]  would generally  be at  the                                                                   
secondary level.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Davies  asked  if  there would  be  a  mentor                                                                   
teacher for both  of the years. Mr. Johnson noted  that it is                                                                   
required  for  the  first  year  and  added  that  there  are                                                                   
programs that should help support the mentor relationship.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Bunde observed  that  the candidate  must take  a                                                                   
competency examination,  and questioned  what the  test would                                                                   
look like. Mr.  Johnson agreed that the candidate  would have                                                                   
to pass the exam  and noted that it would be  administered at                                                                   
the  local level.  They would  also  have to  pass the  state                                                                   
competency test in a timely fashion.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Johnson  explained that  discussions with the  University                                                                   
of Alaska  envision a startup  summer program prior  to going                                                                   
on the  job. They would do  an audio conference  and distance                                                                   
delivered  course  during  the  year.  The  goal  is  not  to                                                                   
overburden  them so that  their studies  distract from  their                                                                   
capacity  to  be  successful in  the  classroom.  They  would                                                                   
resume studies  during the  summer. The department  envisions                                                                   
completions during two summers and an academic year.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
In  response to  a  question  by Representative  Hudson,  Mr.                                                                   
Johnson noted  that there are  shortages in math  and science                                                                   
classes.  He stated  that the  door  could be  opened to  all                                                                   
candidates  that meet  the requirements.  Limited  candidates                                                                   
have been a concern. Representative  Davies agreed that there                                                                   
is a shortage  of qualified teachers. He questioned  how many                                                                   
MAT   students   would   take  the   program.   Mr.   Johnson                                                                   
acknowledged that it would allow  MAT students to continue on                                                                   
a paid  basis. Representative  Davies thought that  there may                                                                   
be more demand for the program than envisioned.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
RANDY LORENZ, PALMER spoke in  support of the legislation. He                                                                   
observed  that his  wife  has a  master's  degree in  Library                                                                   
Sciences.  She  is  not  able   to  get  a  Type  A  teaching                                                                   
certificate  in Library  Sciences because  the University  of                                                                   
Alaska  does  not offer  a  Library  of Science  degree.  She                                                                   
cannot  get her certification  without  quitting her  job and                                                                   
going to  another state. There  are few qualified  librarians                                                                   
in the Mat-Su Valley. The legislation  would allow her to get                                                                   
a type  A teaching  certificate while  remaining in  her job.                                                                   
There are  three other persons  with Library Science  degrees                                                                   
in the Mat-Su. The legislation  would allow his wife to get a                                                                   
type A teaching certificate.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED to report  CSSB 86 (FIN)  out of                                                                   
Committee with  the accompanying fiscal note.  There being NO                                                                   
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 86(FIN) was  REPORTED out of Committee with  a "do pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and with a  previously published  zero fiscal                                                                   
note by the Department of Education and Early Development.