Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/10/2017 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB102 || SB103 || SB104 | |
| SB102 | |
| SB104 | |
| SB103 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 102 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 103 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE BILL NO. 102
"An Act relating to funding for Internet services for
school districts; and relating to the Alaska higher
education investment fund."
SENATE BILL NO. 103
"An Act establishing the Alaska education innovation
grant program; eliminating the Alaska education grant
program and the Alaska performance scholarship
program; redesignating the Alaska higher education
investment fund as the Alaska education innovation
grant fund; and providing for an effective date."
SENATE BILL NO. 104
"An Act relating to the duties of the state Board of
Education and Early Development; and relating to
school curriculum."
1:45:03 PM
BRITTANY HUTCHISON, STAFF, SENATOR ANNA MACKINNON,
offered an overview about why the suite of bills were being
introduced. She asserted that SB 102, 103, and 104 had been
crafted out of the need for major improvements in Alaska's
educational system. She said that the needs addressed in
the legislation were threefold: the prioritization of K-12
education as a constitutional responsibility, the
improvement of outcomes for Alaskan students, and providing
for efficient and streamlined delivery of education
processes and procedures.
2:24:08 PM
Ms. Hutchison read from the sponsor statement (copy on
file):
Every school district in Alaska has to have their
curriculum reviewed and approved every six years. It
is a long, arduous, and expensive task. Many school
districts struggle with this because they do not have
the necessary resources for this type of work.
The goal of this legislation is to provide all school
districts with a three year reprieve from having to
update or renew any curriculum. This will save school
districts time and money. This will also allow for a
time period in which the Alaska Education Challenge
can be implemented without the burden of curriculum
review.
This bill will allow the State Board of Education
(BOE) to approve of the curriculum from the large 5
school districts and 2 rural school districts and
allow that curriculum to be used by all school
districts, on a voluntary basis, for three years. This
time will be a transition period. During the three
year reprieve from curriculum review by districts, the
Department of Education and Early Development, in
consultation with school districts, will have one year
to find the best curriculum and best practices for
math and English language arts in other states and in
other countries. Then that curriculum will be tested
on districts in Alaska, for two years, to see if it
will be successful. If it does prove to be a good
measure of success for our students, then the State
Board of Education will review, approve and adopt that
curriculum for all school districts to be able to use,
if they so choose. I urge your support for this
legislation.
2:26:09 PM
Ms. Hutchison read from sectional analysis (copy on file):
Section 1 AS 14.07
A) Adds a new section titled, "Curriculum Approval and
Review".
B) This section allows the State Board of Education
(BOE) to approve of all curricula from the largest 5
school districts, based on the 2015-2016 ADM and 2
rural school districts, chosen by the BOE, and makes
it available for all school districts to use, on a
voluntary basis.
2:26:57 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.
KEVIN SHIPLEY, KAKE CITY SCHOOLS, KAKE, spoke in support of
the bill. He advocated for a research bases, systematic
approach to curriculum in teaching and not a "textbook
adoption" system. He believed that textbooks should be
tools for, and not drivers of, education curriculum. He
spoke of the work that had been done in Texas and New York
to implement an effective curriculum.
Co-Chair MacKinnon commented that the bill was intended to
dovetail with the work of the Department of Education and
Early Development to refrain from allowing textbook
companies to dictate curriculum in Alaska schools.
2:29:46 PM
ALYSE GALVIN, GREAT ALASKA SCHOOLS, JUNEAU, testified in
support of the bill. She echoed the testimony of the
previous speaker that educators and parents should support
the changes in curriculum. She believed that new curriculum
could raise the bar and change behavior in education.
2:32:39 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
PAUL PRUSSING, ACTING DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF STUDENT
LEARNING, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT,
commented that it would be a challenge for the department
to implement the legislation. He appreciated the concept,
said that the fiscal note presented a hurdle, but assured
the committee that the department would work to realize the
intent of the bill.
SANA EFRID, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT, said that the goal of the department
was to support the districts. She was unaware as to how the
districts wanted the department to support them in their
curriculum review, but she looked forward to having the
conversation with districts.
Co-Chair MacKinnon believed that textbooks should be a
tool, but should not drive the learning of Alaska students.
She lamented the achievement gap between the United States
and other nations. She said that she had sent a letter to
the department that asked for consideration for smaller
school districts that could not conduct a proper review,
and hoped that the department would work with her to lower
the fiscal note. She suggested that the department could
look at curriculum and give all schools a break on the
curriculum review, voluntarily, and have schools adopt the
5 big school's curriculum, along with 2 high performing
rural schools, and then wait for 3 years. She hoped that
this could give all schools the opportunity to participate
in the "Alaska Challenge."
2:37:57 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon hoped that during the curriculum review
break, the department could examine the math and language
arts programs that were successful in other states, and
then bring that curriculum back to the state. She stated
that the intent of the bill was to support a systemic
change on a volunteer basis, with resources available on
the state level to support districts.
2:39:07 PM
Ms. Efrid hoped that a deeper conversation with the
committee could provide the department with clarity on the
intent of the legislation. She noted that the current DEED
fiscal note was indeterminate, but that it could change
once the department had a better understanding of the
legislation.
Co-Chair MacKinnon reiterated that the idea was not to
provide districts with more textbooks.
Ms. Efrid appreciated the statement. She added that many
students in the state needed supplemental materials, and
that each district had individual needs.
2:40:24 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop thought that the University of Alaska
should be involved in conversations about the three bills.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that she had been in contact with
the University.
2:42:44 PM
Senator von Imhof asked when the Alaska State Standards
were adopted, and wondered what curriculum efforts had been
made since the standard were adopted.
Mr. Prussing stated that the new standards were implemented
in 2012. He lamented that, due to budget cuts, the
department did not have the staff available to offer full
support to districts.
Co-Chair MacKinnon interjected that the legislation was
intended to be a tool to assist the department. She said
that the current budget deficit meant that there would be
no new funds available for education. She furthered that
anyone waiting to testify on SB 103, the Alaska Performance
Scholarship bill, should be aware that funding for that
program would have to come from a savings account of some
type.
2:45:25 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked Ms. Efrid to schedule an
appointment with her office to continue discussing the
specifics of the bill.
Ms. Efrid said she would schedule the meeting.
Co-Chair MacKinnon commented that Miles Baker, Director,
Government Relations, University of Alaska, was available
to respond to questions for the University.