Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/28/2026 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB204 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 204 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 204-SUB. TEACHING; SCHOOL BOARD ELIGIBILITY
3:31:53 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 204
"An Act relating to substitute teaching; and relating to the
qualifications of school board members."
3:32:48 PM
CHAIR TOBIN stated Senator Bjorkman joined the meeting.
3:33:08 PM
SENATOR MIKE CRONK, District R, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 204, provided the following
statement:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sponsor Statement for SB 204
"An Act relating to substitute teaching; and relating
to the qualifications of school board members."
The number one priority in education should always be
our children and our families. In the conversation
about how to improve our state's education system,
simple, yet meaningful, reforms need to be thoroughly
examined in the Legislature.
Senate Bill 204 accomplishes two things. First, this
bill allows for members of regional and municipal
school boards to substitute teach in their schools.
Second, it prevents anyone convicted of a felony,
under both state and federal law, from serving as a
member of a school board.
Our students deserve to be surrounded by the best
individuals Alaska has to offer. In Alaska, it is
nearly impossible for a convicted felon to be hired as
a teacher and parity should be the minimum standard
for a school board member. SB 204 would deem all
convicted felons ineligible from serving on a school
board.
Secondly, schools nationwide are dealing with teacher
shortages. SB 204 would provide a common-sense
provision to make our schools more adaptable by
allowing school board members to substitute teach in
the schools they oversee.
3:34:31 PM
PAUL MENKE, Staff, Senator Mike Cronk, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, offered the sectional analysis for SB 204:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sectional Analysis for SB 204
"An Act relating to substitute teaching; and relating
to the qualifications of school board members."
Section 1:
Amends AS 14.08.041 to allow regional school board
members to substitute teach at a school.
Section 2:
Amends AS 14.12.080 to add a statutory ineligibility
for convicted felons to serve as a member of a school
board.
Section 3:
Amends AS 14.14.140 to allow school board members to
substitute teach at a school.
3:35:12 PM
SENATOR STEVENS opined that a conflict of interest is created
when a school board member also works for the district. He
referenced his time as president of the Kodiak school board and
chairing labor negotiations. The governor had cut budgets in
half and finding funding was a struggle. He stated he was
independent of the administration and could do his best as a
member of the board, but said he doubts the same is true if a
person on the board is also an employee of the district. He
advised against having a school board member that is dependent
on the administration for a job.
3:36:40 PM
SENATOR CRONK explained that he raised the issue based on
personal experience after retiring in 2017. He stated that he
had planned to substitute teach part-time while serving on the
regional school board, but rules prohibited board members from
substituting once elected. He noted that in a small district
with seven board members, including two retired teachers, the
restriction prevented qualified individuals from filling long-
term substitute roles during extended teacher absences. He
argued that the policy created a disservice to students because
less-qualified substitutes replaced experienced, certified
teachers who could have effectively maintained instruction
continuity.
3:38:15 PM
SENATOR STEVENS acknowledged Senator Cronk's point on how SB 204
could benefit smaller districts but expressed concern that a
board member employed by the district could appear overly
influenced by the superintendent rather than making independent
decisions. He emphasized that maintaining independence in
decision-making remained his primary concern.
3:38:49 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN suggested creating a separate fund through a
local school district, Regional Educational Attendance Area
(REAA), or the Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED). He stated that districts could opt into the fund and set
aside a designated amount, with DEED administering payments. He
explained that this structure could provide a layer of
separation to prevent board members from directly influencing
compensation decisions involving themselves if they were
substitute teachers.
3:40:05 PM
SENATOR CRONK suggested that a school board member who served as
a substitute teacher could abstain from voting on substitute
teacher pay to avoid conflicts of interest. He emphasized that
this approach could provide a fair solution while allowing
qualified individuals to help address staffing shortages. He
reiterated that smaller districts often struggled to find
substitute teachers, particularly certified educators. He stated
that preventing board members from substituting limited the
ability of experienced teachers to support their communities and
maintain instructional quality.
3:40:50 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked about the size of Senator Cronk's district.
He stated that he understood Senator Steven's concern and
questioned whether a compromise existed. He suggested the
possibility of amending SB 204 to allow school board members in
smaller communities to serve as substitute teachers.
SENATOR CRONK replied that the Alaska Gateway School District
included seven schools, with Tok as the largest serving 180
students in grades K12. He stated that the remaining schools
each had fewer than 50 students. He emphasized that rural
schools faced significant difficulty finding substitute
teachers, especially for long-term assignments. He noted that
the district often sought to hire teachers to fill long-term
positions despite the higher cost due to the shortage of
substitutes.
SENATOR YUNDT stated that he sought a potential compromise by
allowing school board members in smaller districts to serve as
substitute teachers based on district size. He emphasized that
such members should recuse themselves from all financial and
contractual negotiations to avoid conflicts of interest. He
noted that school board members performed many responsibilities
beyond contract negotiations and could still contribute in other
areas. He added that he supported restrictions related to
individuals with felony convictions serving on school boards.
3:42:54 PM
SENATOR CRONK expressed willingness to work with the committee
on a proposal addressing smaller or rural school districts. He
reiterated that the issue significantly impacts those
communities. He explained that the felony provision originated
from students through the Alaska Association of Student
Government Resolution No. 8 and noted that a letter would be
distributed to members. He encouraged members to review the
material and hear directly from students, who raised concerns
based on real-life experiences.
CHAIR TOBIN said the resolution is on the Association of Student
Government's website and a copy would be posted to BASIS. The
resolution is from the association's 2025 spring conference
where students expressed support for the language that is
included in SB 204, Section 2.
3:44:09 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked whether a felon could serve in a
legislature, a council, or assembly.
SENATOR CRONK replied he didn't know.
SENATOR KIEHL recalled that felons can serve in those capacities
and that it is up to voters to decide whether an individual is
disqualified based on their actions. He opined that he could
agree with some convictions excluding individuals from school
yards and school boards while other convictions are less clear,
such as guiding without a proper license. There are many types
of felonies, and he questioned whether all of them should
prevent a person from serving on a school board. He stated he is
interested in hearing from the students, but the committee needs
to give more thought to a felon's total exclusion from
participation.
3:45:47 PM
SENATOR CRONK replied that the committee could narrow the
proposal to whatever it thinks is best.
3:46:02 PM
CHAIR TOBIN noted that under Alaska law, individuals with
permanent barrier offenses, such as sex offenses or certain
serious crimes, could not work on school grounds, including
after-hours maintenance roles. She stated that such individuals
could still serve on school boards, which is what the student
resolution aims to address. She added that the resolution would
provide additional guidance on the issue.
3:47:14 PM
CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 204.
3:48:05 PM
HOLLY BEEMAN, representing self, Tok, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 204. She stated that she is testifying as a recent
high school graduate with personal experience. She explained
that in 2022, her school district elected an individual with a
permanent barrier crime to the school board, despite that
individual being legally prohibited from working on school
grounds. She said the situation led to legal issues and
community harm before removal. She said no laws prevent
individuals with violent criminal histories from holding school
board positions and this signals that student safety lacks
priority. She noted that in April 2025, she and other students
made a resolution through the Alaska Association of Student
Government that passed unanimously. She urged legislators to
prioritize student safety when considering the bill.
3:51:14 PM
JEFFRY ALSUP, representing self, Tok, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 204. He stated that in 2022, during his first year
as a student representative, a community member with multiple
felony convictions was elected to his district's school board.
He explained that the individual's conduct led to legal action
against the district and eventual removal from the position. He
questioned why someone barred from working in a school could
still make critical decisions for schools and noted that current
law only required school board members to maintain voting
eligibility, which could include individuals with serious
criminal histories. He expressed support for SB 204 as a way to
improve student safety and address teacher staffing shortages by
allowing board members to serve as substitute teachers.
3:53:22 PM
CHAIR TOBIN closed public testimony on SB 204.
SENATOR CRONK thanked the committee for hearing SB 204 and said
he looks forward to working on the bill with the committee.
3:53:44 PM
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 204 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 204 version A 01.28.2026.pdf |
SEDC 1/28/2026 3:30:00 PM |
SB 204 |
| SB 204 Sponsor Statement version A 01.28.2026.pdf |
SEDC 1/28/2026 3:30:00 PM |
SB 204 |
| SB 204 Sectional Analysis version A 01.28.2026.pdf |
SEDC 1/28/2026 3:30:00 PM |
SB 204 |
| SB 204 Fiscal Note EED-SSA 01.27.2026.pdf |
SEDC 1/28/2026 3:30:00 PM |
SB 204 |
| SB 204 Testimony - AASG Resolution 01.28.2026.pdf |
SEDC 1/28/2026 3:30:00 PM |
SB 204 |