Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106

03/18/2024 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

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Audio Topic
08:01:01 AM Start
08:02:28 AM HB236
08:40:05 AM SB99
09:11:02 AM Confirmation Hearing(s):
09:11:44 AM University of Alaska Board of Regents
09:35:23 AM Professional Teaching Practices Commission
09:59:10 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 236 UA MAJOR MAINTEN. MODERNIZATION FUND TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 236 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
-- Invited Testimony --
+= SB 99 FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS TELECONFERENCED
Moved HCS CSSB 99(EDC) Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
-- Invited Testimony --
+ Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
University of Alaska Board of Regents - Stephen
Colligan; Professional Teaching Practices
Commission - Michael Robbins
-- Public Testimony --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
          SB 99-FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:40:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that  the next  order of  business                                                               
would be CS  FOR SENATE BILL NO. 99(EDC), "An  Act establishing a                                                               
financial  literacy education  program  for  public schools;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:40:56 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HUNTER  LOTTSFELDT,  Staff,  Senator  Bill  Wielechowski,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature,  reintroduced  CSSB   99(EDC)  on  behalf  of                                                               
Senator  Wielechowski,  prime sponsor.    He  explained that  the                                                               
bill, in  fifteen steps, would  create a  half-credit requirement                                                               
that  could be  split among  one course  or multiple  courses and                                                               
would seek to  teach financial literacy to  high school students,                                                               
including principes such as how to  file taxes and read the terms                                                               
of a loan.  He welcomed questions from committee members.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:41:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX commented that  financial literacy was taught                                                               
through high school in the  early 1970s, and he expressed concern                                                               
that  the state  would be  telling local  school districts  to do                                                               
something  in a  specific way  according to  a specific  criteria                                                               
that would be dictated to them.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT replied that although  financial literacy is being                                                               
taught in  a few districts across  the state, the purpose  of the                                                               
bill is  that "these things"  are not  being taught and  are also                                                               
changing.   He  added  that  the bill  is  structured  to try  to                                                               
supplement  the districts  that  are  already teaching  financial                                                               
literacy, and  the intent  is for  it to  be easily  adoptable by                                                               
school districts.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  offered  his understanding  that  the  bill                                                               
would require districts  to develop a curriculum but  not be told                                                               
which specific one they are to develop.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT agreed that was a fair statement.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether there  should be a provision or                                                               
state level review and approval of the program.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT responded  that he was not sure  regarding a state                                                               
level review, but  the specific course and materials  would be up                                                               
to the district.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  asked whether there  was an estimate  of the                                                               
cost to the school districts and  expectations of how much may be                                                               
received from the legislature.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT  replied there is not  an estimate on the  cost to                                                               
the  school districts  and added  that one  of the  advantages of                                                               
financial  literacy  is   that  it  is  a   "grassroots  type  of                                                               
movement," in that there is a  lot of free online curriculum.  He                                                               
stated he could  not provide an exact number  and reiterated that                                                               
the bill  is structured to make  it as easy for  school districts                                                               
to adopt as possible.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:48:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY drew  attention to  page 1,  line 8  of the                                                               
bill, and  offered her  understanding that  the approval  for the                                                               
curriculum must come  from the Department of  Education and Early                                                               
Development (DEED), which would  take administrative time to find                                                               
out how  each district meets the  requirements of the bill.   She                                                               
further  pointed  out  the  words on  line  13,  "maximum  extent                                                               
practicable", and  acknowledged that  the bill sponsor  wanted to                                                               
keep flexibility while still meeting the intent of the bill.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT confirmed that is correct.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:49:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on CSSB 99(EDC).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:49:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:49 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:50:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE clarified that  an individual can testify only                                                               
one time.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:51:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ED MARTIN,  representing self,  stated that  he did  not remember                                                               
whether  he had  a personal  finance course  in high  school, but                                                               
when he  graduated he  received a bank  savings account  from his                                                               
parents and got  a job.  He said he  encouraged legislation if it                                                               
is  necessary  to  direct school  districts  to  teach  something                                                               
relevant and added  that some big steps for  children are student                                                               
loans.  Regarding the fiscal note,  he emphasized that he did not                                                               
see   justification  in   state   funds   going  towards   "this"                                                               
whatsoever.   He opined that  the legislature should  worry about                                                               
the education fund, which was  vetoed, and added that "this seems                                                               
like double dipping" and must be stopped.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:54:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE,  after ascertaining  that no one  else wished                                                               
to testify,  closed public testimony  on CSSB 99(EDC).   He noted                                                               
that there were three amendments to CSSB 99(EDC).                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:54:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ALLARD stated she would not be moving Amendment 1.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:54:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT  moved to  adopt  Amendment  2 to  CSSB
99(EDC), labeled 33-LS0498\R.4, Bergerud,  1/31/24, which read as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 8, following "department.":                                                                                   
          Insert "The department shall curate and make                                                                          
     available   to  school   districts  a   list  of   open                                                                    
     educational   resources  that   are  approved   by  the                                                                    
     department  that  in  combination  address  the  topics                                                                    
     listed  in (1)  -  (14) of  this  subsection. The  list                                                                    
     shall include  open educational resources  that address                                                                    
     the topic  listed in (15)  of this subsection  if those                                                                    
     resources  are available.  The department  shall update                                                                    
     this list at least every five years."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 21:                                                                                                           
          Delete all material and insert:                                                                                       
          "(b)  In this section,                                                                                                
               (1)  "open educational resource" means                                                                           
     learning, teaching, or research  material in any format                                                                    
     that  resides   in  the  public  domain   or  is  under                                                                    
     copyright and  has been released under  an open license                                                                    
     that  permits  access at  no  cost  as well  as  reuse,                                                                    
     repurpose, adaptation, and redistribution by others;                                                                       
     (2)    "school  district"  has  the  meaning  given  in                                                                    
     AS 14.30.350."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT explained  that Amendment  2 tasks  the                                                               
department  with providing  open educational  resource materials.                                                               
She  referenced a  letter  from  DEED that  stated  it would  not                                                               
provide undue  burden on them  and would allow the  department to                                                               
vet open educational resource materials  to meet the standards in                                                               
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:56:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK  asked Representative  Himschoot whether                                                               
the Amendment 2  could inadvertently force the  hand of districts                                                               
and create parameters for the  type of curriculum districts might                                                               
want to provide independently, thus disempowering them.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT  replied  that most  districts  provide                                                               
academic  freedom to  educators and,  if pressed  for time,  they                                                               
would have a bank of resources.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:57:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT stated that he supported Amendment 2.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:57:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE removed  his objection to the  motion to adopt                                                               
Amendment 2.   There being no further objection,  Amendment 2 was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:58:21 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt  Amendment 3 to CSSB 99(EDC),                                                               
labeled 33-LS0498\R.5, Bergerud, 2/1/24, which read as follows:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 20:                                                                                                 
     Insert a new subsection to read:                                                                                           
          "(b)  Notwithstanding (a) of this section, a                                                                          
     school  may  issue  a secondary  school  diploma  to  a                                                                    
     student who has not  completed the program described in                                                                    
     (a)  of this  section if  the student  transferred into                                                                    
     the  school  district  from  another  school  district,                                                                    
     state, or country after completing grade 10."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Reletter the following subsection accordingly.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY explained  that Amendment  3 would  support                                                               
transfer students.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:59:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX stated  that  he opposed  the amendment  and                                                               
questioned  the  issuance  of  a  diploma  if  it  did  not  have                                                               
something behind it that explains what it means.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:00:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOTTSFELDT added that the  amendment was drafted in a similar                                                               
way to the Alaska Studies exemption  amendment.  The intent is to                                                               
make sure  students are  being taught  financial literacy  to the                                                               
best  of  educators' abilities  but  there  are circumstances  of                                                               
students transferring from other districts or states.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:01:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT  remarked that  it  felt  unfair for  a                                                               
student to  come into the state  from somewhere else and  be told                                                               
they cannot graduate  because they did not  meet the requirement.                                                               
She opined  that the  exemption would  be made  only for  a small                                                               
handful of students, and she  expressed her support for Amendment                                                               
3.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:03:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ALLARD sought more clarification  on where the exception                                                               
stops and provided  a scenario of a student of  a military family                                                               
transferring to a school in Alaska.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOTTSFELDT clarified  that  it  would be  up  to the  school                                                               
districts.  He said the exemption  is for that one requirement to                                                               
get  the diploma.    Currently,  he said,  22  other states  have                                                               
financial literacy  as a  requirement, and it  is a  "50/50 shot"                                                               
that a student has not gotten the instruction prior.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  ALLARD  restated  that  her concern  was  the  verbiage                                                               
"after grade 10" and that she  knew many high schoolers and found                                                               
it difficult  to believe that  if they still have  their eleventh                                                               
and twelfth year "they can't finish."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:05:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  expressed gratitude for the  elaboration on                                                               
how   the  amendment   is  modeled   after  the   Alaska  Studies                                                               
requirement.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:05:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE removed his objection.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
A roll  call vote was  taken.  Representatives  Story, Himschoot,                                                               
McCormick,  and   Ruffridge  voted  in  favor   of  Amendment  3.                                                               
Representatives  McKay,  Prax,  and   Allard  voted  against  it.                                                               
Therefore, Amendment 3 was adopted by a vote of 4-3.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:06:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 9:06 a.m. to 9:07 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:07:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to report  CSSB 99(EDC), as amended, out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.   There  being no objection,  HCS CSSB  99(EDC) was                                                               
reported out of the House Education Standing Committee.                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 236 Sectional Analysis version A.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Fiscal note_UofA as of 2.2.24.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Sponsor Statement version A.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Support Document - ASUAF Resolution.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Support Document - UA Strategy.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Support Document - United Academics Support Letter.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 version A.PDF HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Support Document - UA Deferred Maintenance Projects and Descriptions.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
HB 236 Presentation.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
HB 236
SB099 Supporting Documents Junior Achievement.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB99 Fiscal Note_DEED_Ed support and Admin Services as of 1.10.24.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
CSSB 99 (EDC) Explanation of Changes.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB099 Supporting Documents Ramsey Solutions 2022 Study.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB 99 Amendments 1-3.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB 99 Financial Literacy Presentation 1.16.24.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB099 Sectional Analysis Version R.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB099 Sponsor Statement.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
SB099 Letters of Support 1.24.24.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
CSSB 99 (EDC) Version 33-LS0498R.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
SB 99
Steve Colligan Regents - Resume Redacted.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM
Michael Robbins Professional Teaching Resume_Redacted.pdf HEDC 3/18/2024 8:00:00 AM