Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
03/23/2012 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Aleutian Region School District | |
| HB330 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 330 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 23, 2012
8:08 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Dick, Chair
Representative Eric Feige
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Sharon Cissna
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Lance Pruitt, Vice Chair
Representative Scott Kawasaki
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ALEUTIAN REGION SCHOOL DISTRICT
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 330
"An Act establishing a Joint Legislative Task Force on Education
Standards; requiring the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development to provide information and resources to the task
force; establishing state education standards; amending the
authority of the Department of Education and Early Development
to adopt education standards; and providing for an effective
date."
- MOVED CSHB 330(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 330
SHORT TITLE: STATE EDUCATION STANDARDS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) DICK
02/17/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/17/12 (H) EDC, FIN
02/24/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
02/24/12 (H) Heard & Held
02/24/12 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
02/29/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
02/29/12 (H) Heard & Held
02/29/12 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/05/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/05/12 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
03/21/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/21/12 (H) Heard & Held
03/21/12 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
03/23/12 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
JOSEPH BECKFORD, Superintendent
Aleutian Region School District (ARSD)
Unalaska, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a presentation regarding the
Aleutian Region School District.
MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development (EED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided comments and responded to
questions during discussion of HB 330.
ANNETTE KREITZER, Staff
Representative Alan Dick
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During discussion of HB 330, provided
comments on behalf of the sponsor, Representative Dick.
JEAN MISCHEL, Attorney
Legislative Legal Counsel
Legislative Legal and Research Services
Legislative Affairs Agency (LAA)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As the drafter, responded to questions
during discussion of HB 330.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:08:05 AM
CHAIR ALAN DICK called the House Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:08 a.m. Representatives Dick, P. Wilson,
Seaton, and Cissna were present at the call to order.
Representative Feige arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: Aleutian Region School District
PRESENTATION: Aleutian Region School District
8:08:34 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the first order of business would be a
presentation regarding the Aleutian Region School District.
8:09:02 AM
JOSEPH BECKFORD, Superintendent, Aleutian Region School District
(ARSD), referred to a PowerPoint presentation provided in
members' packets, and, remarking on the size of the area served
by the ARSD, explained that its two remaining schools are Yakov
E. Netsvetov School on Atka Island and Adak Public School on
Adak Island; that it closed Nikolski School [on Umnak Island] in
2010 due to insufficient enrollment over two consecutive years;
and that ARSD communities serve a critical role with regard to
both telecommunications and transportation. He also relayed
that through an ongoing professional development program, the
ARSD has aligned its curriculum with state and national
standards; that as a result, all of its students who've passed
the three sections of the qualifying exam are testing at or
above anticipated levels on standardized tests; that truancy is
not an issue - ARSD students are actively-engaged learners; and
that declines in community populations have resulted in
enrollment declines, thereby raising concerns about how to
maintain programs and provide opportunities.
MR. BECKFORD said that the current lack of broadband Internet
access - which the ARSD could use to supplement its programs -
has been a challenge for the ARSD, and that teacher recruitment,
training, and retention continues to be an issue, particularly
when attempting to deliver multi-age, multi-grade services in
such remote locations, though regular assessments and
professional-development efforts ensure that state standards are
being met. Furthermore, expansions in the local seafood
industry - once community populations and resulting school
enrollments begin to trend upward - could address some of the
problems the ARSD has been facing. Students in the ARSD are
well-served by its curriculum and instructional programs, and
graduates of the ARSD are living productive lives.
MR. BECKFORD, in response to comments and questions, relayed
that the ARSD has an active cultural program and high
participation rates; that Yakov E. Netsvetov School currently
has 10 students, and Adak Public School currently has 22
students, with both schools teaching K-12 curricula; that there
has been only one "dropout" in the last twelve years, with all
other students having graduated; that ARSD students are doing
well with regard to reaching educational benchmarks; and that
the current lack of broadband Internet access is problematic,
but acquiring it for the schools would be cost-prohibitive.
[Members then briefly discussed tangential topics.]
HB 330 - STATE EDUCATION STANDARDS
8:39:44 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 330, "An Act establishing a Joint Legislative
Task Force on Education Standards; requiring the Department of
Labor and Workforce Development to provide information and
resources to the task force; establishing state education
standards; amending the authority of the Department of Education
and Early Development to adopt education standards; and
providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was the
proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 330, Version 27-
LS1100\E, Mischel, 3/20/12, which had been adopted as the work
draft on 3/21/12.]
8:40:08 AM
MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner, Department of Education and Early
Development (EED), after assuring the committee that the
forthcoming proposed education standards the state has been
working on for the past two years are not connected to the
federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, expressed
disfavor with HB 330's proposed legislative finding - paragraph
(2), Section 1, Version E - that states education standards are
developed only for those who earn a four-year college degree,
offering his belief that that statement isn't true. He opined
that the state's forthcoming proposed education standards would
instead improve the situation for all students.
COMMISSIONER HANLEY, in response to questions, offered his
belief that the state's existing education standards already
address the skills necessary to be an entrepreneur; that any
specific curriculum for teaching students how to start their own
business would best be developed at the local level; and that
establishing separate education "tracks" - [one for only those
students pursuing college, and one for all other students] - as
has been done successfully elsewhere, might not be the best
approach in Alaska because the state's low student-enrollment
numbers - and the resulting limitation on resources - could
force some schools to focus only on one track, ultimately
limiting opportunities for students.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON pointed out that education standards
should be consistent for all students regardless of the number
of education tracks being offered.
COMMISSIONER HANLEY agreed.
CHAIR DICK, speaking as the sponsor of HB 330, expressed
interest in having the state's education standards be developed
with input from people other than educators.
COMMISSIONER HANLEY - referring to the provisions of HB 330
which stipulate that the proposed Joint Legislative Task Force
on Sustainable Education ("Task Force") shall submit a report
and proposed legislation to the legislature by September 30,
2013, and that the state Board of Education and Early
Development ("Board") shall adopt education standards only after
they have been vetted in a process to be created by the proposed
Task Force - expressed concern that those provisions could
potentially delay [the adoption of] "higher-level" education
standards for several years, offering his belief that to teach
only to existing standards in the meantime won't serve the
students.
CHAIR DICK pointed out, though, that having or not having new
education standards in place won't limit what can be taught in
Alaska's schools - standards only speak to what students shall
be tested on.
8:54:28 AM
ANNETTE KREITZER, Staff, Representative Alan Dick, Alaska State
Legislature, mentioned that she'd discussed Commissioner
Hanley's concern with the bill drafter, who agrees with her that
under HB 330, the legislature would not be involved with the
creation of the vetting process for proposed education
standards, and thus could not [inadvertently, either through
action or inaction,] delay adoption of such standards.
Furthermore, HB 330 contains a sunset date of July 1, 2014, so,
ultimately, the bill's requirements are not going to limit the
[Board] with regard to which particular education standards it
adopts.
CHAIR DICK, in response to comments and questions, reiterated
that having education standards in place won't limit what can be
taught in Alaska's schools, merely what students shall
ultimately be tested on.
COMMISSIONER HANLEY, in response to further comments and
questions, pointed out that education standards merely provide a
focus for teachers - the standards themselves teach nothing.
Ultimately it is up to everyone in the community, taking all
issues into consideration, to point students in the right
direction with regard to specific curriculum.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON - expressing favor with the concept of
having a task force such as the one HB 330 provides for - asked
that information regarding the fiscal impact of adopting
education standards be provided to the committee.
9:07:55 AM
JEAN MISCHEL, Attorney, Legislative Legal Counsel, Legislative
Legal and Research Services, Legislative Affairs Agency (LAA),
in response to comments and questions, and noting that HB 330 is
temporary and would only change uncodified law, concurred that
its proposed changes would be repealed on July 1, 2014; that
prior to that sunset date, the Board must rely upon the Task
Force's forthcoming vetting process; that nothing in the bill
changes statute or the Board's existing statutory authority to
adopt performance standards; and that in terms of adopting
standards once the provisions of HB 330 sunset, the Board could
simply resume where it left off prior to the establishment of
the Task Force. She noted, though, that a potential separation
of powers issue does arise with HB 330's proposed limitation on
the Board's executive functions, but surmised that it might not
be a problem, since the proposed Task Force is advisory in
nature and nothing in the bill requires the Board to adopt
standards developed by a legislative body such as the Task
Force.
CHAIR DICK opined that the issues discussed demonstrate the need
for a task force that involves stakeholders other than
educators.
CHAIR DICK then closed public testimony on HB 330.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON ventured that HB 330's proposed
legislative finding - paragraph (1), Section 1, Version E -
stating that education funding support is increasing, might be
better changed so as to describe what has occurred in the past,
rather than predicting what will occur in the future; proffered
that the aforementioned legislative finding that's of concern to
Commissioner Hanley warrants further investigation with regard
to its accuracy; and mentioned that he is concerned about any
delay in adopting state education standards pertaining to
language - particularly those related to speaking and listening
skills - characterizing such as critical for Alaska's students.
He also expressed interest in having the proposed Task Force
include a representative from the university.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON concurred, opining that it should be
someone in the field of training future educators.
9:18:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON made a motion to adopt Conceptual
Amendment 1, to add to Section 2's subsection (c)(3), after
subparagraph (D), "a person from the university that was head of
the department that ... teaches the ... [prospective] teachers
of the state at the university."
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON objected for the purpose of discussion,
and asked whether Conceptual Amendment 1 would also change
subsection (c)(3) with regard to the total number of jointly-
appointed members, changing that total - on page 4, line 6 -
from "eight" to "nine".
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON said yes.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON removed his objection.
CHAIR DICK, noting that there were no further objections,
announced that Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
9:20:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to report the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 330, Version 27-LS1100\E, Mischel,
3/20/12, as amended, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, CSHB 330(EDC) was reported from the House
Education Standing Committee.
The committee took an at-ease from 9:20 a.m. to 9:22 a.m.
[Upon coming back to order and prior to adjourning, members
discussed other topics.]
9:38:05 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:38 a.m.
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