Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/26/2025 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB93 | |
| SB41 | |
| SB22 | |
| SB23 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| = | SB 22 | ||
| = | SB 23 | ||
| = | SB 41 | ||
| *+ | SB 93 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 93-EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS
3:32:30 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 93
"An Act relating to district-wide early education programs; and
providing for an effective date."
3:32:48 PM
MAGGIE GRENIER, Intern, Senator Löki Tobin, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced SB 93 and provided an
overview of the sectional analysis. She read the following
introduction:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SB 93: Early Education Programs
• State-funded Early Education Programs are
currently defined by the Alaska Reads Act. To clarify
Early Education Programs are district ran pre-
kindergarten programs approved by DEED. For the
purpose of conversation, I will refer to them as pre-
kindergarten programs hereafter.
• The Alaska Reads Act put into effect July 1st
2023, funds early education in two ways: Early
Education Program grants and foundation formula
funding at 0.5 average daily membership for pre-
kindergarten students.
• Specific to this legislation we will be
discussing the second method of stable and predictable
ADM Funding through the Base Student Allocation.
.5 ADM Funding
Currently, only three school district pre-K programs
are approved for annual funding through the Foundation
Formula.
• In 2024, the Anchorage School District was
fully approved by the Alaska Department of Education
and Early Development.
• The Skagway and Valdez School Districts were
conditionally approved as high-quality early education
programs for the 2024-25 school year.
• DEED is currently accepting applications for
early education program approval and 0.5 ADM/Formula
Funding.
• Approved pre-Kindergarten programs are eligible
for inclusion in the ADM counts to receive consistent,
predictable funding as part of the base student
allocation.
• Approved districts will be eligible to include
4- and 5-year-old preschool students in the average
daily membership count.
• Under the framework approved by the act, state
spending on pre-kindergarten programs will increase
from $3 million a year.
SB 93
Senate Bill 93 amends these pre-kindergarten statutes
in the Alaska Reads Act by removing barriers that are
preventing the expansion of state-funded pre-
kindergarten programs across the state.
• SB 93 stipulates that every pre-kindergarten
student in a DEED approved program is counted as a
full-time equivalent student rather than one-half.
• This bill removes the limits on the number of
pre-kindergarten students and programs that can be
funded each year by removing
The cap in the Alaska Reads Act that limited
funding to $3 million annually.
• If approved, SB 93 bill will turbocharge pre-K
across the state with over $9 million in funding.
Final Remarks:
• Pre-Kindergarten programs improve student
readiness and reading proficiency.
• Senate Bill 93 will offer school districts
stable and predictable funding for district- run pre-
kindergarten programs. Bringing all students to the
same starting line to give them the best chance at
future life success.
3:36:06 PM
MS. GRENIER gave the following review of the sectional analysis
for SB 93:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SB 93 - Early Education Programs
Sectional Analysis
Section 1.
Amends AS 14.17.500 by allowing enrolled pre-
kindergarten students to count as full-time students
in the Average Daily Membership rather than one-half.
Section 2.
Repeals statutes repealing the Alaska Reads Act
district approved pre-kindergarten program sunset
clauses under Section 47 Chapter 40 SLA 2022.
Section 2 is complicated in language, but not in
intent. I will explain it further than what is written
here and then allow time for questions or
clarifications after. In the enrolled version of the
Alaska Reads Act, there are statutes that are set to
repeal the current pre-kindergarten funding system in
2034. Section 2 removes these repeals protecting pre-
kindergarten funding in perpetuity.
Section 3.
Repeals a subsection of AS 14.17.500 limiting state
funding for district approved pre-kindergarten
programs.
Section 3 repeals the limits on pre-kindergarten
foundation formula funding that caps the annual funds
at $3 million.
Section 4.
Establishes an effective date of July 1, 2025.
3:37:43 PM
SENATOR STEVENS opined that for seemed like a young age to
include in SB 93. He asked why it was included.
3:38:00 PM
MICHAEL MASON, Staff, Senator Löki Tobin, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, answered questions on SB 93 stating
there is ample research showing high quality pre-K programs are
very beneficial to 4-year-old children, which is a priority of
the Alaska Reads Act.
3:38:37 PM
CHAIR TOBIN noted that pre-K programs are play-based and
developmentally appropriate. Pre-K programs do not resemble the
traditional education programs of older children.
3:39:07 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that, in his district, a major barrier to
implementing pre-kindergarten programs with state funding is the
requirement to meet or exceed Head Start standards, which are
tied to significant federal funding. He asked whether SB 93
addresses this issue.
3:39:42 PM
MR. MASON stated that SB 93 does not address the issue. He
explained that a small change passed in legislation last year
separated pre-K programs from Head Start, which previously
blocked many programs from receiving Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED) approval due to stricter Head Start
requirements, such as home visit and healthcare requirements. He
added that although the legislative change occurred, DEED has
not yet implemented the necessary regulation change. He stated
the hope is SB 93, along with last year's legislation, will lead
to more programs receiving DEED approval and stable funding
through the foundation formula.
3:41:17 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced invited testimony on SB 93.
3:41:55 PM
TYLER WATTS, Associate Professor, Developmental Psychology,
Department of Human Development, Teachers College, Columbia
University, New York, New York, testified by invitation on SB 93
and offered the presentation Summary of Current pre-K Evaluation
Evidence. He moved to slide 2, an mentioned what he would
discuss:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Overview
Introduce myself
Background on U.S. pre-k expansion
Summary of evidence regarding pre-k effects on
children's academic outcomes
• Will not be reviewing evidence for effects on
parents
Need for evaluation
3:43:32 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 3, Who am I, and gave a brief work
history:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Who am I Ph.D. in Education from the University of
California, Irvine
Associate Professor at Teachers College, Columbia
University
Study the long-term effects of educational programs
Can educational programs have long-lasting impacts on
children's lives?
3:44:06 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 4, Background on US pre-K expansion:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Background on US pre-k expansion
Demonstration programs from the mid-20th century
suggest that high-quality, intensive, programs can
have long-lasting benefits (see Elango et al., 2016)
• Abecedarian
• Perry Preschool
In the 21st century, state pre-k programs have scaled
up across the country
• The programs under the pre-k label differ widely
in implementation factors, funding, curricula,
services, and populations targeted
MR. WATTS explained that much of the interest in early childhood
education stems from foundational studies in the 1950s and
1970s, which showed long-term benefits for children from low-
income communities who accessed high-quality, intensive early
education. He referenced the Abecedarian Program and the Perry
Preschool studies, which demonstrated positive outcomes lasting
into adulthood. He noted that cost-benefit analyses of these
programs revealed significant returns on investment, including
lower involvement with the criminal justice system and increased
independence from social services. These findings have driven
long-standing policy interest in expanding early childhood
education investment in the United States.
MR. WATTS stated that there has been significant investment in
state-funded pre-Kindergarten initiatives across the country in
the 21st century. He emphasized the difficulty of generalizing
outcomes across states because the term "pre-K" lacks a
consistent definition. He noted that program design varies
widely by state, including differences in curriculum, services,
and target populations. He cautioned that the label "pre-K" can
refer to very different models depending on the setting.
3:46:33 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 5, a graph showing the percentage of US
population enrolled in from 2002 to 2023. He said the scale-up
data shows the percentage of children enrolled in publicly
funded preschool at ages three and four nationwide. He noted a
consistent upward trend over the past 25 years, with enrollment
increasing nearly every year. Currently, about 35 percent of
children across the country are enrolled in publicly funded pre-
Kindergarten programs.
3:47:17 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 5, a graph showing the steady rise of
4-year-olds enrolled in state-funded pre-K. He shared updated
data from his lab's ongoing research. He showed the average
percentage of 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool by state,
highlighting states that have significantly increased their
investments over the past 20 years. He also noted the national
average and Alaska's data, stating that Alaska began investing
in pre-K around 20082009 and currently enrolls a relatively
small percentage of children in state-funded programs.
3:48:19 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 7, a graph which shows the amount of
money spent per four-year-old child across various states. He
emphasized the wide variation in state investment levels and
highlighted states (California, New Jersey, Vermont, West
Virginia, and New Mexico) that have significantly increased
spending over the past 20 to 25 years. He clarified that the
data reflects spending for all four-year-olds in a state's
population, not just those enrolled. He noted that Alaska, shown
in red, currently spends below the national average and used the
data to illustrate how Alaska compares to trends in other
states.
3:49:30 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 8 and discussed the difficulties of
evaluating the effects of attending pre-K on child outcomes:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Evaluating the effect of pre-k on child outcomes is
difficult
Researchers struggle to generate apples-to-apples
comparisons between children who do and do not attend
pre-k
Rely heavily on "quasi-experimental" methods, with few
randomized studies providing "gold-standard" evidence
On-going, rigorous, evaluation efforts have been
largely confined to several states/cities
• Boston, MA
• Tennessee
• North Carolina
• Tulsa, OK
3:52:08 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 9, Compelling Evidence for Benefits to
Academic Skills at Kindergarten Entry, a bar graph showing large
literacy gains which exceed those from many other educational
investments. He stated that rigorous evaluations consistently
show preschool program access strongly improves children's
academic skills at kindergarten entry. He explained that this
includes gains in literacy and math, which are foundational
skills for early school success. He emphasized that the positive
effects appear across numerous studies and are often
substantial.
3:53:25 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 10 and discussed mixed evidence for
longer-term effects of pre-K access:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Mixed evidence for longer-term effects
When children are followed into elementary school,
pre-k effects are often not sustained (see review on
longer-term effects in Burchinal et al., 2024)
• During elementary school, children in comparison
group may "catch-up" in academic skills to children
who attended pre-k (e.g., Lipsey et al., 2018)
Some evidence for longer-term effects on adult
outcomes (e.g., Gray-Lobe et al., 2021)
• Mechanism is unclear
Research area is still developing and uncertain
3:55:42 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked whether research addresses the long-term
disadvantage faced by children who enter kindergarten or first
grade behind, rather than focusing on whether some children
catch up. He emphasized interest in knowing the durability of
the disadvantage for the bulk of children who enter kindergarten
or first grade at a disadvantage.
3:56:35 PM
MR. WATTS restated the question as an inquiry into the
persistent effects of starting behind in school. He explained
that data show early academic skill differences are highly
stable over time; children who begin school behind in math or
reading often remain behind. He noted that while schools
generally support learning for most children, they rarely change
the relative academic ranking among students. He emphasized that
this trend drives interest in preschool programs aimed at
reducing early disparities, though the field struggles with
"fade-out effects," where early gains from such programs often
diminish unless aligned with continued support through later
grades.
3:59:44 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 11 and discussed compelling evidence
that children from disadvantaged communities benefit most:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Compelling evidence that children from disadvantaged
communities benefit most
Pre-K programs are often found to have compensatory
effects, whereby effects are largest for children from
the most disadvantaged communities (e.g., Watts et
al., 2023; Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2013)
Effects of programs may be larger for kids who are
otherwise unlikely to get high-quality, structured,
learning environments (Kline & Walters, 2016)
Debate over the role that post-preschool environments
play
MR. WATTS cited his own study in North Carolina, which showed
greater academic gains from state-funded pre-K among under-
resourced populations. He explained that the impact of a program
depends on the "counterfactual condition," or what care children
would receive without the program. He concluded that programs
tend to have stronger effects in areas where families lack
access to similar early learning opportunities.
4:02:00 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 11 and discussed the following points
regarding the urgent need for ongoing evaluation evidence:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Urgent need for ongoing evaluation evidence
Very hard to generalize findings from one setting to
another
• Programs and communities differ widely across the
settings that have reported rigorous evaluation
evidence
Scaling up provides a prime opportunity for rigorous
evaluation
If you want to know how pre-k investments will benefit
children in Alaska, direct evaluation is the best way
to answer that question
• Lottery studies have major advantages and can
leverage existing data capacity
• Alaska could play an important role in building
our evidence base
4:05:20 PM
CHAIR TOBIN noted that provisions for tracking early education
program participation before K12 enrollment already exist in
the legislation that SB 93 would amend. She stated that an
independent auditor will assess the effectiveness of both early
education programs and the Alaska READS Act. She added that the
findings will be compiled into a report for the 35th Legislature
to review. She concluded that these measures position the state
to collect quality data.
4:05:59 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN asked whether, from a value standpoint, it is
more effective for Alaska's education system to invest in pre-K
or to allocate those funds elsewhere within the K12 system. He
acknowledged prior discussion on measurement but sought a
professional opinion on where spending would most improve
learning outcomes.
4:06:36 PM
MR. WATTS acknowledged the difficulty of the question and stated
his preference to present research rather than make policy
decisions. He offered his professional opinion that preschool
investments are likely to have stronger impacts in areas with
limited existing services, noting that Alaska currently shows
low levels of public investment in early education. He expressed
optimism about positive effects on kindergarten readiness from
increased preschool access. He added a personal perspective as a
parent, emphasizing that investing in young families is unlikely
to be a poor use of educational funding, though he cautioned
that tradeoffs depend on the effectiveness of alternative
programs under consideration.
4:08:39 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 12 and made the following concluding
points:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Pre-k findings are difficult to generalize from one setting
to another
• Weight of the evidence suggests pre-k can provide important
benefits to academic skills at kindergarten entry
• Evidence regarding longer-term effects is mixed and
inconclusive Children from the most disadvantaged
communities tend to benefit most
• Evaluation is crucial
4:10:42 PM
MR. WATTS moved to slide 13 - 14 providing his email
presentation references.
4:11:29 PM
CAROLINE STORM, Executive Director, Coalition of Education
Equity, Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 93 and
gave the presentation The Case for Pre-K Programs for All
Children in Alaska. She moved to slide 2, CEE's Mission:
[Original punctuation provided.]
CEE's Mission
Coalition for Education Equity champions a quality,
equitable and adequate public education for every
Alaska child through:
• Advocacy,
• Policy development and
• Legal action CEE's
What is "adequate public education"?:
An education that provides a child / young adult with
the tools necessary for pursuing any path they desire
after public school.
4:12:04 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 3, Starting Smart, that contains a
graph of brain development in children and other funding facts.
She stated that decades of research confirm 85 to 90 percent of
brain development occurs before age five, a period when many
children remain at home without access to quality learning
materials, developmental support, or trained educators. She
highlighted that despite the critical nature of this
developmental window, only about 14 percent of the U.S.
education budget is allocated to children before kindergarten.
4:12:47 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 4, containing a graph showing the rate
of return to investment in Human Capital. She recalled first
hearing the statistic from former Representative Seaton nearly
15 years ago that every dollar invested in pre-K saves seven
dollars later, a figure that remains unchanged. She explained
that the savings come from reduced spending on remedial
education, social services, and the corrections system. She
referenced two cornerstone studies in pre-K research, including
the Heckman Principle, which demonstrates that the highest
return on education investments occurs before age five. She
noted this aligns with brain development science, as the early
years offer the greatest opportunity for impact.
4:13:43 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 5, Lifelong Benefits, and stated that
early childhood investments yield high economic returns through
increased earning potential, greater likelihood of home
ownership, and reduced incarceration or criminal activity later
in life.
4:13:59 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 6, a graphic showing the return on
money invested in early childhood education. She referenced the
High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, which followed a cohort of
children randomly selected to attend preschool through a
lottery, compared to peers without that opportunity, over a 40-
year period. She stated that the study showed an average return
on investment (ROI) of 7 percent for those who attended the
city-sponsored preschool. She noted that this represents a
strong market rate of return for educational investment.
4:14:29 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 7, containing graphs on High/Scope
Perry Preschool Program data on Public Costs and Benefits, and
another on Major Findings through age 40. She mentioned the
research found a 20 percent higher high school graduation rate
among participants. She also pointed out a significant increase
in IQ scores at age five for children who attended the preschool
program.
4:14:50 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 8, More Benefits, and stated that the
benefits of pre-K extend beyond the child, also improving
parents' earning potential by allowing them to work more or
longer hours. She referenced a recent study, also mentioned by
Professor Watts, showing that pre-K attendance fosters greater
discipline and motivation in children, contributing to higher
graduation rates and increased college attendance. She concluded
that, given these benefits, Alaska's kindergarten readiness data
highlights an urgent need for access to quality early education:
[Original punctuation provided.]
MORE BENEFITS
Enrolling a child in the New Haven Public School Universal Pre-K
program raised parents' average earnings by $5,461 per year, or
21.7 percent, during the one- or two-year period when the child
is of pre-kindergarten age. These gains coincide with increases
in hours worked: UPK enrollment allows parents to work 12.8 more
hours per week in the year following enrollment.
BOSTON PRE-K LOTTERY STUDY
"The combination of findings that we don't see an impact on
test scores, but we do see an impact on these behavioral
outcomes and the likelihood of attending college is consistent
with this idea that there's some kind of behavioral or
socioemotional, non-cognitive impact from preschool," says
Christopher Walters, an economist at UC Berkeley who co-authored
the study The growing evidence continues to show that preschool
can permanently improve kids' lives but not necessarily that
it makes them smarter, the data indicates these kids are more
disciplined and motivated, which is just as important (or
perhaps even more important) for their future livelihoods as how
well they perform on reading or math tests.
4:15:30 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 9 and discussed kindergarten readiness:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Kindergarten Readiness
Districts administer the Alaska Developmental Profile
(ADP) to all kindergarten students.
The ADP is a tool based on multiple teacher
observations recorded during the first four weeks of
school.
The ADP includes 13 sets of skills and behaviors
("goals") in five domains.
4:15:48 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 10, a chart of Domain 5 from the Alaska
Developmental Profile. She stated that the chart shows Alaska's
children are performing below adequate levels in phonological
awareness, print concepts, and knowledge of letters and symbols.
She explained that this gap places added pressure on
kindergarten teachers, who must work significantly harder to
help students catch up once they enter school:
Domain 5: Communication, Language and Literacy -Goals 11-13
State wide
2024-2025
Count of Students with Ratings 7831
Demonstrates phonological awareness 37.72 percent
Demonstrates awareness of print concepts 40.12 percent
Demonstrates knowledge of letters and symbols 42.96 percent
State wide
2023-2024
Count of Students with Ratings 8147
Demonstrates phonological awareness 38.27 percent
Demonstrates awareness of print concepts 41.3 percent
Demonstrates knowledge of letters and symbols 43.7 percent
State wide
2022-2023
Count of Students with Ratings 8565
Demonstrates phonological awareness 39.46 percent
Demonstrates awareness of print concepts 43.53 percent
Demonstrates knowledge of letters and symbols 45.13 percent
4:16:23 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 11, Mississippi, and noted recent
attention on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
scores, particularly Alaska's low performance compared to
Mississippi's gains. She shared that after reviewing articles on
Mississippi's progress, it was clear the state has made
sustained efforts since 2012 to improve outcomes. She emphasized
that one key measure has been a significant investment in state-
funded pre-K programs.
[Original punctuation provided.]
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi's growth is due to a wide host of policies
that have been changed over the past decades: No Child
Left Behind, the nationally aligned Mississippi
College and Career Readiness Standards, new tests and
a new accountability system, and the Literacy Based
Promotion Act, area few. Most importantly, Mississippi
has had a comprehensive approach to improving
education in the state since 2012.
According to Ms. Grace Breazeale, Director of Research
for Mississippi First, the best explanation for the
upward trajectory of Mississippi's scores over the
last two decades is the state's long-term commitment
to increasing the rigor of state standards and
aligning state testing and accountability systems to
match that rigor.
Other policies and initiatives (pre-K, high-quality
curriculum, the state instructional coaching model,
educator preparation reform) as well as their stellar
implementation have built on the foundation of these
aligned systems for defining and measuring student
achievement.
4:17:03 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 12 and stated that in 2013, the
Mississippi Legislature passed the Early Learning Collaborative
Act, which created the state's first publicly funded pre-K
program. She noted that the program remains popular and
continues to receive support.
4:17:22 PM
MS. STORM moved to slide 13, Why should public schools be
involved with children before kindergarten, and shared the
following reasons:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• The line between early care and education is
blurry.
• Schools have a vested interest in school
readiness.
• Every community has an elementary school.
• All children have access to public schools.
• Schools can help child care and Head Start
programs.
• Child care and Head Start programs can help
public schools.
4:18:11 PM
JESSICA NESSET, Director, Early Learning, Anchorage School
District, Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 93
and gave the presentation Investing in Alaska's Future: The
Critical Role of Universal Preschool. She gave a brief work
history and moved to slide 2, Why Early Learning Matters:
[Original punctuation provided.]
A study out of Havard shows that early childhood is
the most important time in life and for brain
development. 90 percent of a child's brain development
happens before age of 5. (Harvard Center for the
Developing Child)
Preschool supports Kindergarten readiness which is a
child's ability to adapt to the classroom environment.
It includes a variety of skills, including social,
emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
MS. NESSET stated that kindergarten readiness does not mean
achieving kindergarten academic standards, a common
misconception. She emphasized that preschool primarily prepares
children to be ready to learn by developing skills such as
attention, listening, following directions, and peer
collaboration. She stressed the importance of understanding this
distinction. She added that children who attend preschool are
more likely to start school at or above the level of peers whose
families could afford private preschool.
4:19:59 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 3, Anchorage School District
Preschool, and reported that the Anchorage School District
operates 37 general education preschool classrooms and received
1,418 applications for the 20242025 preschool lottery, but can
only accommodate 598 children. She stated that demand far
exceeds available space and that families frequently call asking
when their child will be admitted. She explained that most
funding comes from grants tied to child risk factors, such as
trauma, homelessness, incarceration of a parent, or an Adverse
Childhood Experience (ACE) score, and that preschool placement
is prioritized accordingly. She added that the district has
2,900 kindergartners this year, making universal preschool
access unfeasible with current resources, and clarified that
only 10 classrooms are funded through the 0.5 Average Daily
Membership (ADM), with the remaining 27 funded by grants.
4:22:01 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 4 preschool provides Anchorage school
district preschool
Preschool provides:
• A space to build social-emotional skills
o Regulation of emotions and body
• Promotes cognitive development
• Opportunities to learn through play
• Develop skills of Kindergarten readiness
o Phonemic Awareness and numeracy
• Allows for early identification and intervention
o Early Intervention if needed
• Help break the cycle of adversity and trauma
o Support with Mental Health
4:23:38 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 5, Addressing Adverse Childhood
Experiences ACEs in Alaska and stated that by age five, 16
percent of Alaskan children have already experienced two Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which may include physical,
sexual, or verbal abuse, household dysfunction, mental illness,
substance abuse, domestic violence, separation, or
incarceration. She emphasized that ages four to fivepreschool
ageare critical for intervention. She explained that providing
a safe, nurturing environment with access to mental health
support and trusted adults can help disrupt these harmful cycles
and also give parents time to work and develop their own skills.
MS. NESSET stated that many of the district's grants require
serving high-risk families, and eligibility is often based on
specific qualifying risk factors. She noted that these criteria
align with the challenges previously described, such as adverse
childhood experiences.
4:25:12 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 6, Evidence Based Success, containing
a graph showing the major findings from the High/Scope Perry
Preschool Study at age 40. She said the Perry Preschool Project
from the 1960s was a randomized study that followed participants
for over 40 years. She stated that the group who attended the
program had significantly better outcomes than the non-program
group. Participants were five times less likely to have been
arrested, more likely to own homes, and earned $20,000 more
annually.
4:25:51 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 7, a chart comparing 2024-2025 Fall m-
Class scores of kindergarten students who did and did not attend
the Anchorage School District preschool program. She outlined
student subgroup data, including Low-Income (Title I),
Economically Disadvantaged Families (EDF), English language
learners (ELL), and Students with Disabilities (SWD). She
reported that 15.2 percent of ASD preschool students scored
above the benchmark on the fall assessment, compared to 12.9
percent of students who did not attend ASD preschool, showing a
2.3 percent performance advantage for ASD preschool
participants. Additionally, 51.9 percent of ASD preschool
students scored well below the benchmark, compared to 58.4
percent in the non-ASD group, again showing stronger outcomes
for those who attended ASD preschool across all subgroups.
MS. NESSET explained that data collection has been a challenge,
particularly regarding fiscal information, but a change is
expected in the spring with the pilot of a new literacy
component, My Teaching Strategies curriculum, which will be
implemented in Anchorage and is endorsed by the state.
4:28:27 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 8, Summary of ASD Preschool to Kinder
Data, and emphasized that across all categories, students who
attended ASD preschool consistently performed slightly better
than those who did not. She clarified that while the M-Class
assessment is not a preschool-specific tool, it was administered
to current ASD kindergarteners who previously attended ASD
preschool. She expressed enthusiasm about the positive outcomes
and the potential of the screener, which will be used throughout
the next school year:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Summary of ASD Preschool to Kinder Data
Overall those who attended ASD Preschool out preformed
those who did not.
• Title 1:
o A much larger percentage of No ASD PreK students
are "Well Below Benchmark" (74.3 percent)
compared to ASD PreK students (58.5 percent).
o ? There is a large difference in the above
benchmark category. ASD Prek students have 10.9
percent while No ASD PreK students have 5.1
percent.
• EDS (Economically Disadvantaged Students):
o Similar to the overall trend, a higher percentage
of No ASD PreK students are "Well Below
Benchmark" (71.3 percent) compared to ASD PreK
students (56.7 percent).
o The ASD PreK students have a higher percentage in
all other categories.
• ELL (English Language Learners):
o The majority of both groups are "Well Below
Benchmark," with No ASD PreK students slightly
higher (71.7 percent vs. 68.1 percent).
• SWD (Students with Disabilities):
o Again, a higher percentage of No ASD PreK
students are "Well Below Benchmark" (71.3
percent) compared to ASD PreK students (60.5
percent).
o The ASD PreK students have a higher percentage in
all other categories.
4:29:21 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 10, Early Learning: An Economic
Investment and mentioned the economic benefits of preschool:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Early Learning: An Economic Investment
When children have access to High Quality Preschool we
see a direct correlation to
• Higher maternal labor workforce
• Students are starting on or above the same playing
field as peers in Kindergarten
• Increased education and income
• Lower crime rates
• Increases employment opportunities for Teachers and
paraprofessionals in the field
MS. NESSET shared that many preschool paraprofessionals are
parents who can work because their children attend preschool,
which enables them to transition into kindergarten with support.
She explained that even a four-hour preschool day significantly
reduces child care costs for families. She highlighted the high
cost of child care in Anchorage, noting she personally pays
$1,400 per month for her four-year-old. She recounted a recent
call from a mother urgently requesting part-time preschool
access to afford care for the remaining hours of the day.
4:30:59 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 11, The True Cost of High-Quality
Child Care and Preschool in Alaska and shared the following
costs:
[Original punctuation provided.]
The True Cost of High-Quality Child Care and Preschool
in Alaska
According to U.S. Chamber of Commerce report from
2024:
• Childcare issues result in an estimated $165
million loss annually for Alaska's economy.
• Absences and employee turnover cost Alaska
employers an estimated $152 million per year.
• Alaska loses an estimated $13 million annually in
tax revenue due to childcare issues.
MS. NESSET stated she is collaborating with both the Anchorage
School District (ASD) and the Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs) Board to develop solutions that support early education
and child care citywide and statewide, funded by marijuana tax
revenue. She stressed the importance of strengthening and
expanding early education systems to support families and build
a local workforce. She highlighted King Career Center High
School's program where students earn Child Development Associate
(CDA) credentials, allowing them to enter child care or
paraprofessional roles immediately after graduation. She added
that efforts are underway to create partnerships so that after
the four-hour preschool day, another agency can provide care for
the remainder of the day, enabling parents to work full-time.
4:32:56 PM
MS. NESSET moved to slide 12 and discussed the reasoning for
increasing the ADM in Alaska to 1.0:
[Original punctuation provided.]
The Need for 1.0 ADM in Alaska and SB 93
• The Need for 1.0 ADM in Alaska and SB93
• ASD was the only district to initially receive
the .5 ADM
• State-Wide supported Curriculum, Assessment
Tools, High Quality Standards
• 1.0 will allow ASD to open an additional 10
classrooms to serve the Anchorage Community.
• Very challenging for other districts in rural
Alaska to meet the requirements
• DEED facilitates monthly calls to support
curriculum, Purchases the assessment tools and
guides through the standards
• Opportunities for other districts to offer high
quality preschool to students and families
MS. NESSET concluded that the 1.0 ADM is essential to sustain
and expand early education programs. She emphasized the
challenges of operating solely on grant funding and described
the daily strain it causes. She stated that both students and
families deserve greater support and affirmed that current data
demonstrates the effectiveness of preschool programs.
4:36:14 PM
HEATHER HEINEKEN, Director, Finance and Support Services,
Department of Education and Early Development, Anchorage,
Alaska, explained the fiscal notes for SB 93. She said the first
is for the Public Education Fund (OMB Component Number 2804,
dated February 22, 2025), which reflects an increase in funding
for department-approved district-wide early education programs
by adjusting the student full-time equivalent (FTE) count in the
funding formula from 0.5 to 1.0. She stated that the Governor's
FY 2026 budget includes $7.7 million to support both current and
anticipated needs if SB 93 passes, with projected increases
based on FY 2025 funding of $2,050,800 and annual growth of
approximately $300,000. Future funding projections include $2.65
million in FY27, $2.9 million in FY28, $3.2 million in FY29,
$3.5 million in FY30, and $3.8 million in FY31.
MS. HEINEKEN said the second fiscal note pertains to the
Foundation Program (OMB Component Number 141, dated February 22,
2025) and mirrors the Public Education Fund analysis. However,
it reflects a $0 amount because funding is transferred from the
general fund into the Public Education Fund rather than directly
into the Foundation Component. The fiscal note analysis is
informational purposes only.
4:38:34 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked, based on the fiscal note, how many
additional districts are expected to implement pre-K programs
each year.
MS. HEINEKEN responded that there is no specific estimate at
this time. She noted that Anchorage, the largest district in the
state, is already participating, so growth projections were
based on experience with the program to date.
4:39:18 PM
SENATOR KIEHL referenced an earlier discussion about removing
barriers that have prevented many districts from offering pre-K
and acknowledged that some enabling regulations are still
pending. He noted that expanding access will come with a cost
and asked for an estimate of how many additional districts or
students could be served under the funding levels outlined in
the fiscal note.
4:39:59 PM
MS. HEINEKEN explained that current projections are based on
assumptions and acknowledged that future appropriations may need
to be adjusted. She stated that participation in the program has
been lower than initially expected, and the $300,000 annual
increase is based solely on the experience of ASD programs. She
noted that without additional data, it is difficult to estimate
how many more districts or students may participate.
4:40:54 PM
CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 93.
4:41:21 PM
STEPHANIE BERGLUND, Chief Executive Officer, Thread, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 93. She stated that SB 93
represents an important step toward expanding pre-K access and
affordability, supporting young children and families across
Alaska. She emphasized that pre-K is one component of a broader
early childhood education system and highlighted the need for
additional state investment to meet existing gaps. She cited
data showing that approximately 23,000 children lack access to
early education, while only about 2,500 are currently in pre-K
and 11,000 in other licensed early education programs. She
explained that raising the funding rate from 0.5 to 1.0 ADM will
strengthen pre-K programs, help launch new ones, and possibly
extend existing servicesespecially critical in high-cost rural
areas. She expressed support for the bill's early progress and a
commitment to continued collaboration to build a strong, mixed-
delivery early childhood education system. She added that
coupling SB 93 with broader investments in child care will
improve affordability, expand family options, and lead to
stronger education outcomes statewide.
4:43:49 PM
CHAIR TOBIN closed public testimony on SB 93.
4:43:57 PM
MR. MASON responded to Senator Kiehl's earlier question
regarding legislation passed the previous year. He clarified
that it was House Bill 148, signed into law on June 26, which
removed the requirement that pre-K programs meet Head Start
performance standards in order to receive foundation formula
fundingcurrently at 0.5 Average Daily Membership (ADM), and
proposed to increase to 1.0 ADM under SB 93. He explained that
this requirement had previously prevented some pre-K programs
from receiving approval from the Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED), as they could not meet the healthcare-
related standards tied to Head Start, which were originally
included in the Alaska Reads Act. He noted that House Bill 148
had an immediate effective date, but the corresponding
regulations have not yet been promulgated.
4:44:57 PM
MS. GARANIER stated that declining enrollment has resulted in
fewer funds being distributed through the Foundation Funding
Formula due to lower Average Daily Memberships (ADM). She
explained that increasing pre-Kindergarten funding to a full ADM
would help offset this funding shortfall. She emphasized that
pre-K programs already exist in Alaska, and SB 93 would expand
them as additional funding becomes available. She described SB
93 as a way to "turbocharge" pre-K programs for all Alaskans.
4:45:57 PM
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 93 in committee.