Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
02/17/2020 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
February 17, 2020
3:16 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ivy Spohnholz, Chair
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Sara Hannan
Representative Andi Story
Representative Mel Gillis
Representative Sara Rasmussen
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 24
"An Act relating to instruction in a language other than
English; and relating to limited teacher certificates."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 24
SHORT TITLE: LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS
02/20/19 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/7/19
02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/19 (H) EDC, L&C
03/29/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/29/19 (H) Heard & Held
03/29/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/01/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/01/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/01/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/03/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/03/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/03/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/05/19 (H) EDC RPT 5DP 2NR
04/05/19 (H) DP: TUCK, ZULKOSKY, JOHNSON, STORY,
DRUMMOND
04/05/19 (H) NR: REVAK, HOPKINS
04/05/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/05/19 (H) Moved HB 24 Out of Committee
04/05/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/24/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
04/24/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/24/19 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
05/03/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
05/03/19 (H) Heard & Held
05/03/19 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
05/13/19 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
05/13/19 (H) Heard & Held
05/13/19 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
02/17/20 (H) L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, explained the changes in
the committee substitute (CS) for HB 24, Version M, and answered
questions.
MICHAEL JOHNSON, Commissioner
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 24 and answered
questions from the committee.
ERIN HARRINGTON, Staff
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
24, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-Tomkins, prime sponsor.
SONDRA MEREDITH, Teacher Certification Administrator
Teacher Certification Section
Department of Education & Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
24.
BRANDON LOCKE, Director
World Languages and Immersion Programs
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 24 and answered
questions from the committee.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:16:09 PM
CHAIR IVY SPOHNHOLZ called the House Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:16 p.m. Representatives Stutes,
Hannan, Story, Gillis, Rasmussen, and Spohnholz were present at
the call to order. Representative Fields arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
HB 24-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
3:16:46 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 24, "An Act relating to instruction in a
language other than English; and relating to limited teacher
certificates."
3:18:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 24, labeled 31-LS0290\M, Caouette,
2/10/20, as the working draft.
3:18:18 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:18:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, as prime sponsor, explained the changes to HB 24
proposed under Version M. He stated that version M replaces
version A, which was previously heard and amended in the House
Labor & Commerce committee. Version M incorporates the
committee's amendment, which included a title change and new
language. The amendment addressed a name change for the Alaska
Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council (ANLPAC).
This CS would also add one more change related to ANLPAC,
increasing the number of seats on the council from five to
seven. He noted that this last change was not previously
discussed in committee but has been requested by the council.
He said "the meat" of the bill relating to limited teacher
certificates remains the same.
3:19:26 PM
MICHAEL JOHNSON, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early
Development, reported that the state is having difficulty
recruiting and retaining teachers. He said he appreciates the
creativity and insight that HB 24 represents in terms of
addressing those issues. He expressed his support for HB 24
moving through the committee process and the legislature to
assist school districts and the Alaska state Board of Education
& Early Development as they address this problem.
3:21:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked how the Department of Education &
Early Development (DEED) can provide technical support to school
districts to implement and discover innovative programs. He
asked how the department helps school districts find the best
way to develop local talent, whether it's an apprenticeship
program or another model.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON pointed out that over the last year, the
state board has been reviewing all the regulations associated
with teacher certification to find any hindrances that might
deter potential candidates. He further noted that the governor
has called for a working group to explore existing programs,
alternative pathways, quality maintenance, and to address the
[teacher] shortages.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS questioned whether existing funding
streams are being fully utilized.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON discussed "micro-credentialing," as well as
the possibility of a certificate being a culmination of various
opportunities through different kinds of teacher training
programs.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Version M was adopted as the working draft.
3:25:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated that HB 24 is a bill
relating to limited teacher certificates for immersion language
programs. He noted that this bill is substantially similar -
and in many ways identical to - a piece of legislation that
unanimously passed the House in 2017. That legislation,
however, died in the last committee of referral in the Senate.
HB 24, he said, is its encore act. This bill relates to the
growing interest from parents and school districts in immersion
language education, and the growing body of research that shows
immersion education leads to excellent outcomes for students.
He stated that the success of the Anchorage School District's
immersion language program speaks for itself, adding that
immersion language education is the only way to address the
endangerment and extinction of Alaska Native languages because
it creates a new generation of fluent speakers. He further
noted the difficulty of getting teachers into immersion
classrooms. HB 24 effectively serves teachers who have language
fluency and knowledge and allows them to get into the classroom.
He said the intent of the bill is to be a steppingstone for
teachers on the path to getting fully and traditionally
certified. He went on to discuss the certification application
process, which consists of a "triple-layer review." First, the
school district must affirmatively approve and apply on behalf
of the teacher; second, the state board must review the
application coming from the school district and approve or deny
it; and finally, the certificate must be reapplied for after one
year. He reiterated that HB 24 addresses the problem of
flexibility in teacher certification.
3:31:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN sought clarification on the intention
of the one-year renewal requirement. She asked if the goal is
for teachers to ultimately obtain full certification within a
certain timeframe.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS said that because the
certification process is so arduous, there's no expectation that
a teacher would reapply year after year indefinitely.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN inquired as to what's preventing
teachers from obtaining their full teacher certificate.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that the Praxis exam is
administered in English, which is a limiting factor to getting
certificated for non-English speaking teachers. He added that
the thought behind HB 24 is that while an individual is
obtaining English language fluency to pass the Praxis, he or she
could teach in their native language under a limited teacher
certificate during "the interim."
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN pointed out that it could be difficult
for young children to communicate with a teacher who is not
fluent in English.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied that if someone were
certified to teach in Spanish under a limited language
certificate, that certification would not extend to teaching
English. He said in many immersion programs the day is split
between instruction in English and the target language. He
directed attention to page 2, lines 11-13, which read as
follows:
A request for a limited teacher certificate under
(a)(4) of this section must specify the subject and
instructional language for which the certificate is
valid.
3:36:10 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ recounted her daughter's experience in a Spanish
immersion program. She explained that half of the day was
taught in Spanish and the other half was taught in English,
which switched during the second half of the year so that all
subjects were taught in both languages.
3:36:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN directed attention to Section 1 of Version
M. She asked if this would only allow Alaska Native culture to
be taught in language immersion programs.
3:38:07 PM
ERIN HARRINGTON, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-
Tomkins, prime sponsor, replied that paragraphs (1), (2), (3),
and (4) are not exclusionary. She said it does not take away
the Alaska Native Culture, instead it adds a fourth paragraph,
which is (a)(4), "any subject if the language of instruction is
not English." This would give the department the ability to
issue a new type of certificate that speaks specifically to the
immersion language component.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN expressed her concern that the way Section
1 is written, teachers of Alaska Native culture would not be
able to teach Native culture and language outside of an
immersion school.
3:40:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS acknowledged that there wouldn't
be any harm in adding "language and culture" to page 1, line 11.
He said that was the intent of the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN reiterated that she does not want to
change the statute and therefore lose 65 language and culture
teachers.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ assured Representative Hannan that the bill
sponsor is amenable to her suggestion.
3:42:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES directed attention to page 1, line 14, and
asked if that means a French speaker, for example, could teach
any subject in French without a teacher certificate.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated that is the nature and
definition of immersion language programs - to take in
everything in the target language for at least part of the day,
which makes for full fluency in that language. He added that
immersion language programs are generally primary schools,
grades K-6, and different subjects are taught in the target
language.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES said she's not familiar with the concept
of immersion language programs, adding that she finds it
interesting that someone could potentially "come off the street
and teach these kids without a teaching certificate."
3:44:59 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ clarified the concept of an immersion program.
She acknowledged that Representative Stutes identified a main
concern - that people could be teaching subjects without any
training in education. She noted the importance of trying to
figure out how to meet Alaska's educational goals while
accommodating access to language and cultural programs.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS added that the Kodiak Island
Borough School District would never approve anyone off the
street because they care about the quality of education. He
pointed out that the bill specifies that the DEED sets
regulations requiring that candidates have subject area
expertise, which creates a vetting process. He opined that
there are enough safeguards built in to strike a balance with
the issue that Representative Stutes identified with.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ asked for a description of the Type I, Type M,
and Type W certificates.
3:51:59 PM
SONDRA MEREDITH, Teacher Certification Administrator, Teacher
Certification Section, Department of Education & Early
Development, explained that Type M is, "defined in statutes that
talk about three different areas: the Alaska cultural and
language piece, there's also the military science, and also the
CTE, or career and technical education." That allows the
district to find local expertise that they want to bring into
their classrooms. It also allows for the expert not to
necessarily have the testing, the teacher preparation program,
or the bachelor's degree that's required in statutes for regular
certification. Type I is a specialized certificate that's
outlined in regulation and allows for an individual with
expertise in a Native language who's also working towards their
bachelor's degree to be employed as an associate teacher. The
Type W allows an individual with a bachelor's degree who's
interested in becoming fully licensed to enroll in a program.
It provides that person with allowances around the testing and
gets them in the classroom sooner rather than later.
3:54:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked for insight on why the Type I isn't
used more in districts other than the Lower Kuskokwim School
District (LKSD).
MS. MEREDITH replied that the Type I program requires a strong
desire at the local level. LKSD, she said, has invested a great
deal of time into their "career ladder," which allows for
paraprofessionals to pursue that route to certification. She
added that institutionalizing it requires the prioritization of
a strong desire for a multi-lingual classroom opportunity for
students.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked how many people have become fully
licensed professional teachers that started from the Type I
pathway.
MS. MEREDITH said she does not have that information at this
time. Nonetheless, she offered her belief that the numbers
aren't large.
3:56:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked how many support staff help with the
[Type I] program. He recalled that LKSD had staff who travel to
different villages and provide instructional support. He
surmised that not as many districts have the same capacity to
support a labor-intensive program. He asked if Ms. Meredith
shared that impression.
MS. MEREDITH said that is a good reflection of it.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS offered his recollection that fewer than
50 percent of participants were completing [Type I] within a 10-
year window at the University. It's great that the University
program worked, he said, but what was lacking was support for
the associate teachers at the entry and mid-levels. He added
that the pathway was not entirely practical, which is where
there's an opportunity for the state to provide resources so
that people can complete it.
3:58:19 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ asked how many people are currently certificated
under Type M.
3:58:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN answered 65.
3:59:16 PM
BRANDON LOCKE, Director, World Languages and Immersion Programs,
Anchorage School District, stated the Anchorage School District
has been doing immersion programs since 1989. At the elementary
level, students receive half of their core instruction in the
target language and the other half in English. They receive
their entire English language arts curriculum, as well as their
math curriculum, in English from an English-speaking teacher.
The target languages in the current immersion programs are
Japanese, Spanish, Russian, German, Chinese, French, and Yupik.
He explained that at the elementary level, the students are
taught science, social studies, and language arts, in the target
language by a native speaker of that language. The secondary
level is a continuation model where the students receive one
course, as well as social studies, in the target language.
Finally, in high school the students take one period a day of a
theme-based, advanced language course in the target language.
He continued by saying that in a district of about 48,000
people, 8,000 students are enrolled in a world language or
immersion program. In immersion specifically, there are 2,300
students. One of the biggest concerns, he said, is that there
are a number of [immersion] programs and no pool of teacher
candidates. He stated that there is a shortage of teachers and
the immersion programs are near impossible to fill. He
explained that they have attempted to remedy this issue by
sponsoring people on visas; however, one of the catch-22s is
that the teaching certificate must be in-hand before the U.S.
government will issue a visa. He added that the visa process
itself can take up to 6 months if not longer. He pointed out
that many of the people applying to teach are coming into
education from a different career. He offered his belief that
HB 24 is a way to get people certificated in a timely manner.
4:04:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked how many funded unfilled
positions are currently in the budget for immersion teachers
through the world language program.
MR. LOCKE said that he is not aware of any right now.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked, "what the cost is for bringing
someone on board and getting them up to speed if they don't
decide they want to stay in Alaska and continue the teaching
path."
MR. LOCKE sought to clarify the meaning of "up to speed."
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked how children in kindergarten or
first grade communicate with their target language teacher. She
asked if there is another adult in the classroom.
MR. LOCKE reiterated that teachers don't speak English to their
students in immersion programs.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked what happens if there is a
communication issue. She surmised that the teachers in the
system can communicate in English if needed.
MR. LOCKE affirmed that. He said that the English partner
teacher will be there too, as well as the administrators and
many English speakers in the school that could assist.
Nonetheless, he reiterated that in the immersion classroom, the
instruction is never done in English.
4:06:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN sought clarification on how the two
teachers split up their students during the day, and how that
affects costs.
MR. LOCKE established a scenario in which there are 50 first
graders. He explained that 25 of them are receiving their
instruction in English in the morning while the other 25 are
receiving their instruction in French, for example. The two
groups will then switch halfway through the day. He said the
cost is the same as the traditional setting of one teacher in
one classroom.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked if the two teachers share one
classroom or if each one has their own.
MR. LOCKE replied each teacher has their own classroom and the
students rotate halfway through the day.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN questioned whether the temporary
licensed teachers have a teacher's aide.
MR. LOCKE said it depends on the program. Many [teachers] will
have interns from overseas working with them. He shared an
anecdotal example about a teacher from France who has been
working as a substitute teacher for 5 years because she doesn't
qualify for certification in Alaska.
4:10:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked what it costs the district when
someone reapplies for a temporary license every year. She
questioned whether that person would receive full benefits.
MR. LOCKE said yes, if that person is certified.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN, again, asked how much that would cost
the school district.
MR. LOCKE explained that the school district doesn't incur the
cost of teacher certification. He said the only cost to the
district would be maintaining that person's employment through
teacher benefits.
4:11:30 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ pointed out that a Type M certificate already
exists. She asked what HB 24 does that's different and how it
allows more access for educators.
MR. LOCKE explained that Type M's language limits the
certificate to military science, like ROTC, and "Alaska Native
language and culture."
4:12:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked what's stopping the aforementioned
French teacher from becoming either fully certified or becoming
a world language teacher.
MR. LOCKE said the teacher prep program that the French woman
took isn't recognized in the U.S. because she received it in
France. He explained that when her transcripts were evaluated,
the evaluation company indicated that she hadn't completed an
American approved teacher certification program.
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked if the school district has
encountered that situation with every foreign national.
MR. LOCKE said yes, in many other countries teacher training
programs look different than they would in the U.S.
Furthermore, different terminology is used that doesn't
translate.
4:17:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked where the non-immersion Spanish
language program in his district could go in terms of
continuation through middle school, and how the limited
certificate in HB 24 could expand language programs throughout
Anchorage.
MR. LOCKE offered his belief that HB 24 could assist with
finding staff who could continue to teach and speak Spanish in
the Spanish language program. Where it will continue, he said,
is not his area of expertise.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS said, "right now, the district is already
bearing significant costs and inconvenience of continuously
recruiting and replacing teachers in world languages." He
surmised that this new program will not cost more than what they
are already paying.
MR. LOCKE confirmed that. He added that HB 24 could be a
temporary fix for individuals who require a work visa. He
shared an anecdotal example.
4:21:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY mentioned indigenous languages and her
daughter's work in the Tlingit preschool immersion program. She
asked how teachers are found and prepared for the Yupik
[immersion] program.
MR. LOCKE noted that the Yupik program is in its second year.
He said it's a unique situation for the teachers, as all three
went through the UA system. He expressed concern that it will
be challenging to find qualified teachers as the program grows.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ noted that the Yupik immersion program is in her
neighborhood. She said it's exciting to see a Native language
immersion program in Anchorage where there's an incredibly rich
diversity of Native traditions. She shared a personal anecdote
about her daughters' experience in the Spanish immersion
program.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her belief that the current
education system resulted in the loss of [Native] language. She
stated that it's important to be flexible and move quickly to
bring more teachers into the classroom to prevent the continued
loss of Alaska Native languages.
4:26:20 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that HB 24 was held over.
4:28:14 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
[4:28] p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 24 FIscal Note DEED-ESAS-TC 1.19.2020.pdf |
HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24 Work Draft v. M 2.10.2020.pdf |
HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB24 Explanation of Changes Ver A to Ver M Feb 13 2020.pdf |
HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB024 Sectional Analysis 3.5.19.pdf |
HEDC 3/29/2019 8:00:00 AM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB024 Sponsor Statement 3.5.19.pdf |
HEDC 3/29/2019 8:00:00 AM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB024 Supporting Document-Language Immersion and Student Achievement article 3.27.19.pdf |
HEDC 3/29/2019 8:00:00 AM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB024 Supporting Document-Letter of Support 3.27.19.pdf |
HEDC 3/29/2019 8:00:00 AM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB024 Supporting Document-Letters of Support 3.28.19.pdf |
HEDC 3/29/2019 8:00:00 AM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Additional Support Letter Margi Dashevsky.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Support Letter Leslie Harper.pdf |
HL&C 4/24/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Support Letters.pdf |
HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |
| HB 24.Backup Updated Support Letters 4.24.19.pdf |
HL&C 5/13/2019 3:15:00 PM HL&C 2/17/2020 3:15:00 PM |
HB 24 |