Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
04/04/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB90 | |
| Presentation(s): Serrc Alaska's Educational Resource Center History and Support to School Districts | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 90 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 4, 2025
8:06 a.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Rebecca Himschoot, Co-Chair
Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair
Representative Ted Eischeid
Representative Jubilee Underwood
Representative Rebecca Schwanke
Representative Maxine Dibert
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Bill Elam
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 90
"An Act establishing a financial literacy education program for
public schools; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PRESENTATION(S): SERRC ALASKA'S EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER
HISTORY AND SUPPORT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 90
SHORT TITLE: FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) EISCHEID
02/10/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/10/25 (H) EDC, FIN
04/04/25 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE TED EISCHEID
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, gave a PowerPoint
presentation on HB 90.
MEREDITH TRAINOR, Staff
Representative Ted Eischeid
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Ted Eischeid,
prime sponsor, presented HB 90 to the committee.
CHRIS REITAN, Executive Director
Southeast Alaska Regional Resource Center
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a presentation titled "SERRC Alaska's
Educational Resource Center History and Support to School
Districts".
CHRIS GIRON, Facilities Program Manager
Southeast Alaska Regional Resource Center
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a presentation titled "SERRC Alaska's
Educational Resource Center History and Support to School
Districts".
DAVID LANDIS, Facilities Specialist
Southeast Alaska Regional Resource Center
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered committee questions on the
presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:06:21 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT called the House Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. Representatives Underwood,
Eischeid, Story, Schwanke, and Himschoot were present at the
call to order. Representative Dibert arrived as the meeting was
in progress.
HB 90-FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS
8:07:29 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 90, "An Act establishing a financial
literacy education program for public schools; and providing for
an effective date."
8:09:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TED EISCHEID, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, gave a PowerPoint presentation on HB 90. He began on
slide 2, which outlined the varying definitions of financial
literacy and moved to slide 3, which emphasized the need for
financial literacy curriculum in Alaska's school districts by
pointing out statistics related to the average American's lack
of financial knowledge. He continued to slide 4, which
explained how HB 90 would implement its proposed policies
throughout schools in Alaska and moved through slides 5-8, which
listed the included topics that would be covered by HB 90 and
concluded the presentation on slide 9.
8:19:46 AM
MEREDITH TRAINOR, Staff, Representative Ted Eischeid, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Ted Eischeid,
prime sponsor, presented HB 90 to the committee. She read the
sectional analysis for HB 90 [included in the committee packet],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Section 1. AS 14.30 relating to public schools, adds
a new section
a. Directing school districts to establish and provide
a financial literacy education program, equivalent to
a half credit, for students in grades nine through 12
that will be approved by the Department of Education&
Early Development. And topics covered their-in.
b. Creates an exemption to this graduation requirement
for transfer students who cannot reasonable complete
the course work.
c. Provides definitions.
Section 2. Provides an applicability date of January
1, 2027, for the first graduating class that will need
to meet this requirement.
Section 3. Provides an effective date for the bill of
July 1, 2026.
8:20:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if there is other language in
Alaska Statute that mandates the Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED) to approve a proposed curriculum.
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID answered that the intent of the proposed
legislation was to allow for a school district to adopt a
program with a variety of curated financial literacy programs.
He said that HB 90 would direct the DEED to review the proposed
financial literacy curriculum every five years.
8:24:25 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY shared her concern that HB 90 would place an
undue budget burden on school districts by creating a new
graduation requirement and asked the bill sponsor if his office
had consulted school districts around Alaska for input on the
proposed legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID explained that it was his intention for
the proposed legislation to create a graduation requirement to
the "extent practicable" for school districts to implement. He
said that he spoke to the superintendent of the Juneau School
District (JSD) and shared his belief that financial literacy is
paramount in Alaskan's education careers.
8:31:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD commented that financial literacy
should be implemented for both legislators and students alike.
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID said that he often heard "why are we
learning this" during his time as a teacher and emphasized that
his role as a science teacher was to encourage his students to
think scientifically and shared his admiration for the
independence of Alaskans. He emphasized his belief that
financial literacy might allow for people to realize the
"American dream."
8:36:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE shared a joke and asked if there are any
current financial literacy requirements within the Anchorage
School District (ASD).
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID answered that he would follow-up with
more information regarding the ASD's financial literacy
requirements. He shared a story about an 18 year-old and a 60-
year old taking the same financial literacy class at a
university as a means to emphasize the importance of the equity
that financial literacy might provide someone.
8:39:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT commented that she has a 20 year-old son
whose only financial understanding is to save parts of his
paycheck.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT added that HB 90 might add to a burden of
budgeting and staffing that school districts in Alaska are
currently facing.
8:43:16 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:43 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
^PRESENTATION(S): SERRC Alaska's Educational Resource Center
History and Support to School Districts
PRESENTATION(S): SERRC Alaska's Educational Resource Center
History and Support to School Districts
8:45:46 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that the first order of business
would be a presentation titled "SERRC Alaska's Educational
Resource Center History and Support to School Districts".
8:46:40 AM
CHRIS REITAN, Executive Director, Southeast Alaska Regional
Resource Center, gave a presentation titled "SERRC Alaska's
Educational Resource Center History and Support to School
Districts". He began on slide 2, which highlighted the
Southeast Alaska Regional Resource Center (SERRC)'s mission and
vision as an education resource center and moved to slide 3,
which described the history of SERRC's work in Alaska. He
continued through slides 4-5, which outlined the SERRC's
management and fiscal control structure as an entity and moved
to slide 6, which highlighted the SERRC's primary function as an
education resource center. He continued to slide 7, which
detailed the SERRC's operations and office location in Alaska
and moved to slide 8, which highlighted the SERRC's work in
adult education and vocational training.
8:51:00 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked how well the General Education Development
(GED) is utilized in Alaska.
MR. REITAN shared an anecdote that the number of students who
are utilizing the GED is growing.
8:52:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if SERRC delivers its services to
adults across Alaska virtually.
MR. REITAN answered that SERCC serves some of its students
virtually.
8:53:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT asked the presenters to elaborate on the
term "massed in Fairbanks".
8:53:41 AM
CHRIS GIRON, Facilities Program Manager, Southeast Alaska
Regional Resource Center, gave a presentation titled "SERRC
Alaska's Educational Resource Center History and Support to
School Districts". He clarified that he was referring to
SERRC's "massed" program being expanded outside of the Juneau
area to other places in Alaska, like Fairbanks.
8:54:35 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked how each different program that is
administered by SERRC is funded.
MR. REITAN answered that all SERRC programs are funded by
federal grants passed through the Alaska Department of Labor and
Workforce Development (DLWD) to SERRC.
8:55:19 AM
MR. REITAN resumed the presentation on slides 9-10, which
detailed SERRC's district contracts and grant indirect costs.
He continued to slide 11, which listed the various services that
SERRC provides to school districts around Alaska.
8:58:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID asked what SERRC defines as a "health
career education" and asked what role the organization plays in
such an education.
MR. REITAN explained that SERRC delivers a program through the
Area Health Education Consortium (AHEC) that allows students to
commence various health career education programs.
8:59:48 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked about the scope of SERRC's contracted
business services.
MR. REITAN replied that SERRC's business services are dependent
on the needs of the school district they are contracted to and
pointed to various school districts with varying needs that
SERRC provides its services to.
9:01:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT asked how many employees in SERRC are
working in special education and asked if SERRC has any staff
members working in speech language services in Fairbanks.
MR. REITAN answered that he would follow up with regard to the
number of staff members working in special education services
and said that the number of employees working in speech language
service often varies by semester or calendar year.
9:04:06 AM
MR. REITAN resumed the presentation on slide 12, which gave a
series of examples of school district contracts that the SERRC
might engage in.
9:05:36 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked if SERRC contracts out school counselors.
MR. REITAN answered that SERRC does contract school counselors
once it determines a need for them in a school.
9:06:38 AM
MR. REITAN resumed the presentation on slide 13, which
highlighted the local, state, and federal grant-funded services
that the SERRC provides.
9:07:48 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked how many school districts participate
in academic decathlon.
MR. REITAN said that there were 13 school districts that
participated in the statewide academic decathlon competition.
9:09:10 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked Mr. Reitan to detail the University of
Alaska Southeast (UAS) trades training.
MR. REITAN answered that SERRC would pay for any of a
prospective student's needs in their participation in a UAS
trades program.
9:10:34 AM
MR. REITAN resumed the presentation on slide 14, which detailed
four key school facilities programs that the SERRC provides to
school districts in Alaska.
9:13:03 AM
MR. GIRON picked up the presentation on slides 15-17, which
further detailed the school facilities programs that the SERRC
provides to schools in Alaska.
9:23:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked Mr. Giron to further elaborate on
the Capitol Improvement Grant (CIP) process and application
cost.
MR. GIRON replied that SERRC "prides itself" in maintain
affordable services to schools and said that the cost of a CIP
grant application is generally about $3,000.
9:32:30 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked Mr. Giron for his thoughts and suggestions
on how SERRC could help to improve the CIP grant application
process.
MR. GIRON shared his belief that both school districts and
business contractors could benefit from some sort of
standardization in the CIP grant process.
9:36:46 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked if emergency maintenance events are
generally covered by a school building's insurances.
MR. GIRON answered that the DEED does have a series of standards
that qualify a maintenance event for emergency funding.
9:40:03 AM
DAVID LANDIS, Facilities Specialist, Southeast Alaska Regional
Resource Center, answered committee questions on the
presentation. He added that emergency projects are simply put
on a normal CIP list and emphasized that there is no real
emergency maintenance fund for school buildings in Alaska. He
said that schools often have to direct funds to emergency
maintenance through other avenues, like insurance, crowdfunding,
or general funds.
9:43:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE shared her understanding that
catastrophic failures and emergency maintenance end up lower on
a CIP list because they are not eligible to be reimbursed like a
normal maintenance request.
MR. GIRON confirmed Representative Schwanke's understanding of
how the CIP grant interacts with emergency maintenance.
9:45:23 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked if SERRC is concerned that only 60% of
school districts in Alaska complete an annual CIP application
and asked Mr. Giron if he felt that school districts in Alaska
were adequately informed of the services that entities like
SERRC provide to school districts.
MR. GIRON said that about 30% of the school districts that SERRC
works with are utilizing the organization's help in completing
CIP applications.
MR. LANDIS added that there is an inequity across the state with
regards to payment and construction of school facilities
maintenance.
9:48:41 AM
MR. GIRON resumed the presentation on slide 18, which detailed
the SERRC's facilities maintenance program project
administration.
9:51:40 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked if the employment of architects and
engineers at SERRC would be beneficial.
MR. LANDIS answered that the Bond Reimbursement & Grant Review
(BRGR) Committee within SERRC is membered by a variety of
architects, engineers, and industry specialists to assist school
districts in completing CIP applications.
9:56:38 AM
MR. GIRON resumed the presentation on slide 19, which outlined
the SERRC facilities maintenance program Asbestos Hazard
Emergency Response Act (AHERA) re-inspections and concluded the
presentation on slide 20, which detailed the facilities
maintenance contracts that SERRC is serving in fiscal year (FY)
2025.
9:58:53 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked Mr. Reitan if SERRC has any grant
writers on its staff.
MR. REITAN replied that SERRC has "in some regards, a lot of
grant writers on staff" because of the nature of the work that
SERRC does in constantly writing various grants applications.
10:00:46 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT thanked the invited testifiers and delivered
committee announcements.
10:01:24 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 10:01 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4.25 SERRC Presentation HEDC.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 90 Bill v.A.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 90 Sponsor Statement 3.20.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 4/23/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 90 |
| HB 90 Sectional Analysis 3.20.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 4/23/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 90 |
| HB 90 Fiscal Note v.A.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 4/23/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 90 |
| HB 90 Presentation HEDC 4.4.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 4/23/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 90 |
| HB 90 LOS AK Muni League 4.4.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/4/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 90 |