Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532

04/14/2017 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ HB 49 EXTEND BOARD OF DIRECT-ENTRY MIDWIVES TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCS CSHB 49(L&C) Out of Committee
Uniform Rule 23 Waived
+ HB 141 AK WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD;FUNDS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
Uniform Rule 23 Waived
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled: TELECONFERENCED
+= SB 104 EDUCATION CURRICULUM TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 104(FIN) Out of Committee
SENATE BILL NO. 104                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to the  duties of the state  Board of                                                                    
     Education  and  Early   Development;  and  relating  to                                                                    
     school curriculum."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:40:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED Conceptual Amendment 1 (copy on                                                                         
file):                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 6, following "review"                                                                                         
     Delete "test"                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 9, following "curricula"                                                                                      
     Insert the word "currently".                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, Lines 3-5, following "state"                                                                                       
     Delete  "The department  shall implement  a program  to                                                                    
     test   the  curricula   during   the  two   immediately                                                                    
     succeeding  school years  in  the  five largest  school                                                                    
     districts based  on the district ADM  for the 2015-2016                                                                    
     school year."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 6-7, following "if"                                                                                          
     Delete "after testing under (c) of this section."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line                                                                                                     
     Insert a new section to read                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "* Sec.  2. The uncodified  law of the State  of Alaska                                                                    
     is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "REPORT ON CURRICULUM. The  Department of Education and                                                                    
     Early Development  20 shall  submit to  the legislature                                                                    
     an electronic  report, and  make the  report publically                                                                    
     available on the department's  website. The report will                                                                    
     provide information on the  curriculum that each school                                                                    
     district has  adopted. On or  before July 1,  2018, and                                                                    
     each year  thereafter, the department shall  submit the                                                                    
     report  required  under  this  section  to  the  senate                                                                    
     secretary  and   the  chief  clerk  of   the  house  of                                                                    
     representatives  and notify  the  legislature that  the                                                                    
     report is available."                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:41:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRITTANY HUTCHISON, STAFF,  SENATOR MACKINNON, explained the                                                                    
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bishop queried the deletion of the word "test."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL JOHNSON,  COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION AND                                                                    
EARLY DEVELOPMENT,  responded that  the testing  of students                                                                    
and  curriculum were  two different  things. He  stated that                                                                    
the  vetting  of curriculum  would  still  occur within  the                                                                    
districts without the use of the word "test."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her OBJECTION.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon queried comments.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner   Johnson  thanked   the   committee  for   the                                                                    
legislation. He  stressed that effective curriculum  was one                                                                    
of  the  fundamental  components of  teaching  students.  He                                                                    
remarked that  assisting districts by  providing flexibility                                                                    
in  the curriculum  review process  was  helpful during  the                                                                    
time  of   necessary  efficiencies,  and  was   helpful  for                                                                    
families   to  have   more   information  about   curriculum                                                                    
materials adopted by the local school boards.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that  there would be a forthcoming                                                                    
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:48:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von  Imhof noted  that  the  bill stated  that  the                                                                    
Department of  Education and Early Development  (DEED) would                                                                    
be required  to review  curricula used  in other  states and                                                                    
countries,  and  by 2019  identify  the  best practices  for                                                                    
teaching math  and language  arts at  each grade  level. She                                                                    
queried  the  challenges  that  may  occur  in  the  process                                                                    
outlined in  the fiscal  note. Commissioner  Johnson replied                                                                    
that  the  fiscal note  reflected  the  need for  additional                                                                    
staff to accomplish the intent of the bill.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator   von   Imhof   noted  the   line   item,   "Program                                                                    
Administration and  Operations" with  83 individuals  for FY                                                                    
18. She queried the details of that line item.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:50:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HEIDI    TESHNER,    DIRECTOR,   ADMINISTRATIVE    SERVICES,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT,  stated that                                                                    
the  line item  was the  Alaska Commission  on Postsecondary                                                                    
Education,  which  was a  corporation  to  handle loans  and                                                                    
grants within DEED.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von   Imhof  surmised  that  cutting   budgets  for                                                                    
curriculum was wrong.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:51:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAUL  PRUSSING,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF  STUDENT  LEARNING,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION, stated  that  the  intent was  to                                                                    
assist  districts   in  aligning   to  the   new  curriculum                                                                    
standards.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  MacKinnon   requested  a  new  fiscal   note.  Mr.                                                                    
Prussing replied  he would  provide the  fiscal note  in the                                                                    
afternoon.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Bishop  hoped  that  DEED would  work  with  the                                                                    
University to align curriculum standards.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hughes remarked that there  was confusion about DEED                                                                    
making the curriculum available  to all school districts and                                                                    
the  costs related  to materials.  She wondered  whether the                                                                    
state was purchasing all the materials for the schools.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon replied in the negative.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hutchison  announced that the  state would  not purchase                                                                    
the curriculum.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hughes  felt  that  DEED  may  have  had  incorrect                                                                    
information in a previous committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Hutchison  stated  that  DEED  had  been  helpful,  and                                                                    
communication   had   enhanced  throughout   the   committee                                                                    
process.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB  104  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:56:11 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:58:16 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 104                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the duties of the state Board of                                                                       
     Education and Early Development; and relating to                                                                           
     school curriculum."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:45:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAUL  PRUSSING,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF  STUDENT  LEARNING,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT   OF  EDUCATION   AND   EARLY  DEVELOPMENT   (via                                                                    
teleconference), explained the fiscal note.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon  asked for further information  about the                                                                    
$1 million for contract  services. Mr. Prussing replied that                                                                    
education  consultants  "were  not cheap."  He  stated  that                                                                    
there  was  a difference  in  the  curriculum based  on  the                                                                    
education level.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  MacKinnon  wondered  whether the  number  was  for                                                                    
"Alaska Challenge"  or the bill.  Mr. Prussing  replied that                                                                    
it referenced the bill.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:48:42 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:50:50 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  MacKinnon remarked  that  DEED  could not  suggest                                                                    
using the Higher  Education Fund. She felt  that DEED should                                                                    
have assigned the request at UGF 1004.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon changed the fiscal note to $500,0000                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:53:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Bishop  MOVED to  REPORT  CSSB  104(FIN) out  of                                                                    
committee  with  individual   recommendations  and  attached                                                                    
fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  104(FIN) was  REPORTED  out of  committee  with a  "do                                                                    
pass" recommendation and  with one new fiscal  note from the                                                                    
Department of Education and Early Development.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[Note:  Action to  report CSSB  104(FIN) from  committee was                                                                    
later   rescinded  on   February   22,   2018  for   further                                                                    
consideration by the Senate Finance Committee.]                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon announced the following day's schedule.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  queried  a  schedule  for  the  following                                                                    
Sunday.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  MacKinnon  announced  that she  hoped  that  there                                                                    
would be "light load" on Sunday, based on floor session.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 49 Supporting Document Medicaid Cost Savings CDMs 2015.pdf SFIN 4/14/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 49
HB 49 Supporting Document Licensing Fees FY06-17.pdf SFIN 4/14/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 49
HB049 Support Letters 020217.pdf SFIN 4/14/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 49
HB049 Supporting Documents-Full Sunset Audit 01.30.17.pdf SFIN 4/14/2017 1:30:00 PM
HB 49
SB 104 Amendment Consolidated 1 MacKinnon.pdf SFIN 4/14/2017 1:30:00 PM
SB 104