Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/03/2001 03:03 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 99-SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY CHAIR DYSON announced that the committee would hear HOUSE BILL NO. 99, "An Act relating to school discipline and safety programs; and providing for an effective date." Number 0080 REPRESENTATIVE LESIL McGUIRE, Alaska State Legislature, came forth as sponsor of HB 99. She stated that violence prevention requires many "partners," which should include the state and the school districts. She explained that HB 99 would do two things. The first is it would ask school districts to adopt policies for implementing dispute resolution strategies. She added that it is her understanding that this is already in place in many of the schools, particularly on the elementary and junior high levels; however, her target is primarily high school. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE explained that high schools seem to lack [dispute resolution programs], with one notable exception. She stated that Chugiak High School has formed the Peaceable School Project, which has had tremendous success in lowering violence in the school. Chugiak started its program by putting policies into place. She stated that she is asking for these same policies in HB 99 - getting parents, students, and teachers to talk about what they have in place already in order to address the nonviolent resolution of conflicts. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE continued, stating that the second component is that she would like to see specially trained people in the schools wherever possible. She noted that she has requested for a pilot program to be created within the Anchorage School District. She remarked that she thinks this should already be happening in the school districts since the incidence of school violence has escalated. Alaska has led the way with the shooting in Bethel, which was followed by Columbine [High School, in Colorado] and other notable shootings. However, more recently within the Anchorage School District there have been cases of fights in which a baseball bat has been used, a stabbing, and bomb threats. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE expressed that she believes this is an area of education that's as important as math, reading, and writing because if there isn't a safe school for children to go to, it doesn't matter what is taught inside. She concluded that this is her attempt to get teachers, students, and parents to focus on this epidemic of violence and start coming up with creative solutions and strategies within the schools. She added that there are grant funds available at the state level. Number 0590 REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked how many schools do and how many don't have [programs] like this. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE answered that she doesn't have figures, but, in her cursory study, she hasn't found an elementary or junior high school that doesn't. However, the high schools tend to not focus as much on this area. She added that one of the ways these types of bills prove to be educational is that a policy manual update [is distributed] throughout the school districts, which [explains] what the law is. It states: "Districts should meet with students, parents, guardians, teachers, school administrators, and advisory school boards in each community to review existing policies and determine if changes, additions, or deletions are required in order to meet the law." She stated that she hopes this will encourage a refocusing. Number 0535 REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA asked if any of the [bill's] language would require schools that are already implementing programs like this to do more. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE answered no. She stated that one of her concerns is to not cause additional financial burdens. She explained that this is using existing resources and refocusing. Number 0568 CHAIR DYSON announced that the [proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 99, Version J, 22-LS0478\J, Ford, 4/2/01] was adopted as a work draft. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL asked if the differences between [Version J] and [the original bill] is that Version J just calls for a strategy rather than a program. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE answered, "Exactly." She stated that the purpose in the changes was to avoid passing a large unfunded mandate. Number 0634 REPRESENTATIVE JOULE remarked that [the bill] doesn't require the teachers to go through an in-service. He noted that on page 2, line 14, paragraph (7) states: "policies for implementing a student conflict...." He asked if these polices need to be adopted or can be made inactive if there isn't a vehicle for the training to go with it. REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE replied that the problem is that there are some fiscal restraints. Therefore, she said, she had tried to figure out what could be a starting point. She remarked that various teachers in the district are concerned that they have limited in-services as it is, and that adding another subject area would take away from what's required. She stated that she is hoping that once teachers, students, and parents start talking about this, there will be a move to shift away some resources from other areas. She added that Chugiak sends a survey to all of the teachers asking: "Can you identify one way that you can help with our Peaceable School Project?" All of these ways require no money; they include talking to the students and teaching cultural values, attending one student government or athletic event a month, or participating in a faculty forum to bring up the subject of school mediation. Number 0886 REPRESENTATIVE WILSON made a motion to move the CS for HB 99, version 22-LS0478\J, Ford, 4/2/01, from committee with individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal notes. Number 0945 DEBBIE OSSIANDER, Anchorage School Board, testified via teleconference in support of HB 99. She stated that the first priority of the school board is safe schools. [The Anchorage School Board] has been working toward better ways to resolve student conflict for some time, particularly by adopting a program at the elementary level called Resolving Conflict Creatively. She added that [the Anchorage School Board] has been primarily trying to implement this through actively soliciting grant funding in order to obtain training for the staff and coordinators. REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked how the teachers are prepared in order to present programs to their students. MS. OSSIANDER replied that if this bill passes, [the Anchorage School Board] would integrate this particular direction in the students' rights and responsibilities document in the policy manual. She noted that every year the principals run through the students' rights and responsibilities document, giving direction to staff on how best to handle student discipline issues. REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked if this would be a subject for a teacher in-service. MS. OSSIANDER answered that in the beginning of the year specific time is set aside to acquaint teachers with the Students Rights and Responsibility document; however, there would not be a specific day of in-service. ROBERT BUTTCANE, Legislative & Administrative Liaison, Division of Juvenile Justice, Department of Health & Social Services, came forth to testify in support of HB 99. He remarked that in juvenile justice over the last couple of years there has been seen an increasing propensity to resolve conflicts through violence. He stated that this bill interrupts that and teaches students a new way of dealing with interpersonal conflict. The office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has done a number of research studies and has developed a program guide. He quoted [from this guide]: The tenets of conflict resolution present a new model of interacting with and thinking about other people, one that challenges us to go beyond stereotypes, to consider the other's point of view, and to reach mutually satisfactory agreements in which all parties win. If we can succeed in teaching our youth this framework for solving their disputes, the results for them and for our society could be profound. Number 1172 REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS asked how teachers are trained so that they could help their students in [nonviolence and conflict resolution]. MR. BUTTCANE answered that in his experience as a juvenile probation officer working with schools that do this, some have very specific programs that individual teachers are responsible for. Other teachers would then refer students to those teachers who have that expertise. He stated that other schools might have policies that vest a lot of that work with assistant principals or the principal of the school. He added that he thinks the sponsor's intent of encouraging schools or requiring schools to develop policies would [allow schools to] develop those polices and subsequent programs or actions that would fit or respond to their unique situations. CHAIR DYSON stated that he thinks Ms. Ossiander said that it would be addressed in the pre-school meetings of the faculty in a broader context. REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA stated that she has met with people in some schools that have programs similar to this. She remarked that this is exactly what schools ought to be doing because if children cannot get through school without learning how to solve problems peaceably, they are not going to be fit for the workplace. She asked if this is put in place, what would be taken away. MS. OSSIANDER replied that [the Anchorage School Board] believes that this is important and has been trying to get the money for this. She noted that the board has been fairly successful by working through grants and using the federal Safe and Drug Free Schools money. She stated that [the Anchorage School Board] is going to try to provide training for everyone and have addenda so there are specific mediators on staff. She added that [the Anchorage School District] has been fortunate to have many teachers who are willing to do this without additional addenda because of their interest and belief in the importance of this program. Number 1400 VERNON MARSHALL, Executive Director, National Education Association-Alaska (NEA-Alaska), came forth to testify in support of HB 99. He stated that [NEA-Alaska] has committed its dues dollars to providing in-services and training opportunities, offered through the union, for teachers in this critical area. The areas of safe schools, discipline, and the changed environment in which many teachers find themselves have forced [NEA-Alaska] to realize that more can be accomplished in a safe classroom, in terms of education. He stated that [Alaska] is paying [for the conflicts that occur in schools]. For example, [recently] there was a bomb scare in a school, the school was shut down, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested. He stated that there were costs associated with the search for the bomb, and with the actual shutting down of the school. He concluded that it is necessary to learn at the school level how to get along with one another, and to figure out the best means to allow relief of aggression. REPRESENTATIVE JOULE asked if NEA-Alaska would fund the in- service training for this once [the policies] are implemented. MR. MARSHALL answered yes. He stated that right now NEA-Alaska has budgeted $25,000 for Safe School training. There is already a staff in place, and much of the material has been purchased. REPRESENTATIVE JOULE asked if NEA-Alaska would provide the training at each district's site as each school district completes these policies and gets ready for implementation. MR. MARSHALL responded that [NEA-Alaska] would provide the training from one of the regional offices and work with the local school district. For example, when the tragedy happened in Bethel, [NEA-Alaska] secured a team from California that was trained in critical crisis intervention to go to Bethel and deal with those who were grieving. Number 1677 CHAIR DYSON asked the committee if there was any objection to Representative Wilson's motion [to move the CS for HB 99, version 22-LS0478\J, Ford, 4/2/01] from committee. There being no objection, CSHB 99(HES) moved from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.
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