Legislature(2013 - 2014)SENATE FINANCE 532

02/05/2014 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 82 BROADBAND DISCOUNTS FOR SCHOOLS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 111 REPEAL SECONDARY SCHOOL EXIT EXAM TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
= SJR 9 CONST. AM: EDUCATION FUNDING
Moved SJR 9 Out of Committee
SENATE BILL NO. 111                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act repealing the secondary student competency                                                                         
     examination and related requirements; and providing                                                                        
     for an effective date."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:27:49 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, introduced SB 111  and indicated that                                                                    
the  bill  would  repeal  the  high  school  exit  exam.  He                                                                    
discussed the  vote on the exit  exam on the House  Floor in                                                                    
2001 and noted that it had  passed 40-0. He recalled that at                                                                    
the  time,  the  issue  had seemed  very  important  because                                                                    
students  were graduating  without  basic  skills for  jobs,                                                                    
careers,  and college.  The exit  exams had  been in  effect                                                                    
since  2004 and  had  been  in operation  for  10 years.  He                                                                    
offered that  very little was  gained through the  exit exam                                                                    
and  that new  accountability  measures were  in place  that                                                                    
made it  obsolete. He discussed  the new standards  that had                                                                    
been implemented and opined that  it no longer made sense to                                                                    
have the  exit exam because  it was  not aligned to  the new                                                                    
state common score  standards. He pointed out  that the exit                                                                    
exam was  high stakes  and that  it caused  enormous anxiety                                                                    
among  students, teachers,  and  parents.  He recalled  that                                                                    
when the legislature  had passed the exit exam,  it had made                                                                    
sense  to him  to establish  a floor  and that  all children                                                                    
should have  certain abilities upon graduation;  however, it                                                                    
had  become a  ceiling and  not  a floor.  He recalled  that                                                                    
children thought  that if  they passed  the exit  exam their                                                                    
sophomore  year,  they  were   done  with  high  school.  He                                                                    
reported that the  exit exam was expensive to  the state and                                                                    
had a  cost of $3  million annually; furthermore, it  took 6                                                                    
days out of the school year.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens  continued to address  the bill  and related                                                                    
that there was enormous support  for repealing the exit exam                                                                    
from students, parents,  school boards, superintendents, the                                                                    
State Board of Education, the  commissioner of DEED, and the                                                                    
governor.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly inquired if Senator  Stevens had a number for                                                                    
how  many people  had a  certificate  of participation  over                                                                    
this period of time.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
TIM LAMKIN, STAFF, SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, responded that the                                                                    
numbers  could  probably  be   extrapolated  from  the  test                                                                    
results in the  packet, but deferred to DEED  for a specific                                                                    
number.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly thought  that the bill did  not envision what                                                                    
the state  would do with  the people  that did not  pass the                                                                    
exit   exam  and   had  only   received  a   certificate  of                                                                    
participation; he  did not want  to leave those  people high                                                                    
and dry.  He recalled that  the summer after he had voted on                                                                    
the exit  exam, he had  more time  to think about  the issue                                                                    
and had  decided that  he did  not like  the whole  idea. He                                                                    
stated  that one  of things  he liked  least about  the exit                                                                    
exam  were the  certificates  of participation;  he did  not                                                                    
want  people  from  Alaska who  received  a  certificate  of                                                                    
participation to be at a  disadvantage against students from                                                                    
other states  who may have  received the same  education. He                                                                    
wanted  to make  sure that  people who  had certificates  of                                                                    
participation while  the exit exams were  in effect received                                                                    
credit for a  high school education. He thought  that a high                                                                    
school diploma  should be  the test and  that the  state had                                                                    
lost  sight of  that  because  it was  eager  to address  an                                                                    
ongoing education problem. He  wanted to remember the people                                                                    
who  received  certificates   of  participation  during  the                                                                    
discussions on education.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:33:34 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens  stated that  the exit  exam was  a national                                                                    
movement  and that  the  state  had been  caught  up in  the                                                                    
excitement of  it; however, in  10 years, it had  not solved                                                                    
the  problem. He  pointed  out that  it  was important  that                                                                    
students that  were in school  this year knew that  they had                                                                    
to  take  the  exit  exam.  The issue  was  far  from  being                                                                    
resolved and students would still  be taking the exam in the                                                                    
current year; if  students failed the exam,  they would have                                                                    
the opportunity to  take it over and over  again. He pointed                                                                    
to the  bill and noted  that exam  would still be  in effect                                                                    
till June 30, 2017 if  the legislation passed. He noted that                                                                    
should  the bill  pass, students  who failed  the test  this                                                                    
year would  have 6 opportunities  to retake the  text before                                                                    
it was abolished.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dunleavy inquired if there  had ever been a study or                                                                    
a look  regarding how many employers  had asked to see  if a                                                                    
student  had  passed   all  3  parts  of   the  high  school                                                                    
qualifying  exam.  Senator  Stevens   replied  that  he  was                                                                    
unsure, but that  it represented a good  question that would                                                                    
be  nice  to  know.  He   deferred  further  answer  to  the                                                                    
administration.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  inquired if Senator  Stevens was  saying that                                                                    
the high school qualifying  exam was totally ineffective and                                                                    
that there  had not  been increases in  SAT scores  or other                                                                    
college exams; he  found it hard to believe that  it did not                                                                    
stimulate some students. Senator  Stevens replied that there                                                                    
were some changes, but that  his youngest daughter had taken                                                                    
the test her  sophomore year in high school  and had thought                                                                    
it was sort  of silly. He opined that some  students saw the                                                                    
exit exam as pretty much a waste of time.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Lamkin stated  that there  was information  in members'                                                                    
packets  from DEED  that  showed test  results  of the  full                                                                    
lifespan of  the exit exam from  spring of 2004 to  the last                                                                    
test results in  the spring 2013(copy on  file); during that                                                                    
time period, reading proficiency  had raised from 70 percent                                                                    
to  84  percent.  During  the  same  period,  efficiency  in                                                                    
writing  had dropped  from  86 percent  to  72 percent;  the                                                                    
biggest  change   during  the  exit  exam   was  perhaps  in                                                                    
mathematics where  proficiency increased from 67  percent to                                                                    
77 percent.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Stevens noted  that there  were  some changes  that                                                                    
took place over the 10 years  that the exit exam had been in                                                                    
place.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  wondered  if  the  sponsors  viewed  the  10                                                                    
percent increase in math, as  well as the other increases as                                                                    
a  positive  thing.  Senator Stevens  replied  that  it  was                                                                    
absolutely a positive  for the districts, but  that exam did                                                                    
not fit  into the  new standards that  had been  approved by                                                                    
the governor or the commissioner  of DEED that were based on                                                                    
the new common  core standards. He added that  the exit exam                                                                    
did not  align with what  the current goal was  for children                                                                    
in Alaska.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:37:54 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer  supported the bill  and thought that  it was                                                                    
something that  should have been  done several  years prior.                                                                    
He expressed  appreciation for the positive  fiscal note and                                                                    
thought that there should be  more bills like it. He thought                                                                    
that the bill would save  the school districts a substantial                                                                    
amount  of  money  by  eliminating  the  administration  and                                                                    
preparation for  the test. Senator Stevens  replied that the                                                                    
money that  would be saved, as  well as putting 6  days back                                                                    
in the classroom was a real positive thing.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Stevens pointed  out that  repealing the  exit exam                                                                    
was part of the governor's  omnibus bill and assumed that it                                                                    
would be  the vehicle for  the effort; however,  should that                                                                    
legislation falter along the way, SB 111 would be there.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer agreed  that repealing  the exit  exam would                                                                    
probably be  part of  the omnibus bill,  but that  the issue                                                                    
was important enough that the  committee would want it to go                                                                    
as a stand-alone bill if necessary.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
TODD POAGE, SUPERINTENDENT,  ALASKA GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT,                                                                    
TOK (via  teleconference), spoke  in support  of SB  111. He                                                                    
pointed out that  he had supported the exit  exam because it                                                                    
brought attention  to a level  of academic  proficiency that                                                                    
each  student needed  to  obtain to  receive  a high  school                                                                    
diploma; students  took the assessment seriously  because of                                                                    
the consequences  associated with  not passing.  He reported                                                                    
that  the exit  exam was  no longer  relevant since  the new                                                                    
Alaska  academic standards  had  been reformed  in math  and                                                                    
language  arts.  He  related that  if  another  high  stakes                                                                    
assessment  tool was  developed, the  Alaska Gateway  School                                                                    
District  supported one  that incorporated  essential skills                                                                    
required  for college  and intertwined  work-force readiness                                                                    
skills.  The district  also  supported  the development  and                                                                    
implementation  of an  online  assessment  tool to  increase                                                                    
testing efficiency,  so student  answers were  submitted and                                                                    
results  were received  in a  timelier manner.  He concluded                                                                    
that  a  new   high-stakes  test  did  not  have   to  be  a                                                                    
requirement for graduation, but  could be an inserted emblem                                                                    
on  a  diploma  that   contained  a  designated  score  that                                                                    
indicated readiness  for college classes. He  thought that a                                                                    
new exam  could designate  levels of eligibility  for Alaska                                                                    
Performance Scholarships.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:42:53 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Dunleavy   inquired  what  kind  of   feedback  the                                                                    
department had  received over the  years regarding  the exit                                                                    
exams and  colleges. He inquired  if colleges  and employers                                                                    
looked  at  the  exit  exam. Mr.  Morse  responded  that  an                                                                    
employer looked  for if a student  had a diploma or  not and                                                                    
that passing  the exit exam  was required for a  diploma. He                                                                    
reported that the only true  feedback was from people at the                                                                    
university  that  the exam  did  not  provide the  level  of                                                                    
information needed to  be able to tell if a  student had the                                                                    
required  math  skills  because of  the  minimum  competency                                                                    
approach.  He  added  that  many  employers  asked  for  and                                                                    
required a high school diploma.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:44:24 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Dunleavy inquired  if there  was any  feedback from                                                                    
employers  that  they  were  focusing  on  the  high  school                                                                    
qualifying exam as a crucial  part of that overall portfolio                                                                    
of graduation. Mr. Morse replied in the negative.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
ERNIE   MANZIE,   SELF,  FAIRBANKS   (via   teleconference),                                                                    
testified in  favor of SB  111. He  pointed out that  it had                                                                    
been  asserted   that  repealing  the  exam   took  away  an                                                                    
accountability aspect, but that he  did not agree with that.                                                                    
He strongly supported the other  assessments such as the SAT                                                                    
and ACT. He  strongly supported WorkKeys and  opined that it                                                                    
was  a  wonderful  assessment that  targeted  students  that                                                                    
possibly were not going on  to a 4-year college; it targeted                                                                    
students  that  were  looking   for  technical  colleges  or                                                                    
careers  in   the  trades.  He   recalled  serving   on  the                                                                    
Governor's  Council on  Disabilities  and Special  Education                                                                    
and pointed  out that  students on  Individualized Education                                                                    
Programs (IEP)  had difficulties  with having the  exit exam                                                                    
placed  on them.  He pointed  out that  he was  a parent  of                                                                    
child that  was on  an IEP  all through  elementary, middle,                                                                    
and most  of high  school and  that his  son had  passed his                                                                    
writing exam  on this last  chance. The qualifying  exam had                                                                    
not told his family anything  it did not already know, which                                                                    
was that his  son was a poor writer; how  they addressed his                                                                    
son's  poor writing  was through  his IEP  and working  with                                                                    
high school  staff. He did  not think that a  qualified exam                                                                    
in  itself  should serve  as  a  barrier  to a  diploma.  He                                                                    
expressed appreciation  for the  comments of  Co-Chair Kelly                                                                    
regarding what to do with students  who met all of the other                                                                    
requirements  but   had  not  passed   the  exit   exam  and                                                                    
therefore, did not receive a diploma.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
In response to an earlier  question by Senator Dunleavy, Mr.                                                                    
Manzie thought that employers looked  at whether someone had                                                                    
a high  school diploma or  not. He  added that he  had never                                                                    
heard of  employers asking  questions about  whether someone                                                                    
had passed the exit exam.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  111  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:49:12 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer discussed the following meeting's agenda.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
FY2012 Total Broadband Cost E-Rate share and Applicant Share.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 82 - Erate brief.PDF SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 82 - Erate share & total cost.PDF SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 82 - Fiscal note new.PDF SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 82 - lege research Erate section.PDF SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 82 - Sponsor Statement.doc SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB082CS(EDC) -EED-LO-1-21-14.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
05_SB111_HSGQE Relevancy.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
06_SB111_HSGQE_ContractualCosts.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
07_SB111_Statewide HSGQE Results 09-13.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
08_SB111_AK_Dispatch_Article_120713.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
09_SB111_HSGQE_Moore_v_AK-1.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
10_SB111_SupportLetter_Talley_012114.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
11_SB111_SupportLetter_Sanders_012114.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
13_SB111_SponsorStatment_VersionU_012514-1.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
14_SB111_Sectional_VersionU_012514.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
15_SB111_Statewide HSGQE Results 2004-2013.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
SB111CS(EDC)-EED-SSA-01-31-14.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
16_SB111_SBEED_SupportResolution.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 111
SJR 9 - opposition - Mitchell.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - opposition - Nyman.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - opposition - Nienhueser 2.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Adcock.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Christine.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Dougherty.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Gary.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Giessel.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Grafton.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Keil.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Kitson.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Lewkowski.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Luntz.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 - support - Lynn.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SJR 9 -support - Columbus.msg SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SJR 9
SB 82 2013-08-AK-Broadband-Task-Force-Report_A-Blueprint-for-Alaska's-Broadband-Future.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
SB 82
SB 111 - HB 278A Public Testimony change to section 2 - Coons.pdf SFIN 2/5/2014 9:00:00 AM
HB 278
SB 111