Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205
03/22/2016 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB200 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 200 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 22, 2016
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Mike Dunleavy, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Berta Gardner
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 200
"An Act relating to physical activity requirements for students
in kindergarten through grade eight."
- HEARD AND HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 200
SHORT TITLE: MANDATORY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COSTELLO
02/22/16 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/22/16 (S) EDC, FIN
03/22/16 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR MIA COSTELLO
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 200.
SORCHA HAZELTON, Intern
Senator Mia Costello
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information related to SB 200.
HARLOW ROBINSON, Executive Director
Healthy Futures
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 200.
NORM WOOTEN, Executive Director
Association of Alaska School Boards
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 200.
WILFRIED ZIBELL, representing himself
Noorvik, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 200.
ALEC BURNS, representing himself
Mat-Su Career and Technical High School
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 200.
TIFFANY JACKSON, Member
Aleutians East Borough School District School Board
Sand Point, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 200.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:12 PM
CHAIR MIKE DUNLEAVY called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Giessel, Stevens, and Chair Dunleavy.
Senator Gardner arrived shortly thereafter.
SB 200-MANDATORY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SCHOOLS
3:30:47 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced the consideration of SB 200. He said
there was a zero fiscal note. He noted the arrival of Senator
Gardner.
3:31:12 PM
SENATOR MIA COSTELLO, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB
200, introduced the bill. She stated that SB 200 provides a
minimum standard to ensure physical activity is a part of
students' day. The benefits of increased physical activity
improves students' mental health, helps fight obesity, improves
academic performance, and helps students learn from their peers
inside and outside of the classroom. She said the bill will help
address issues that she has seen as a parent, a teacher, and
policy maker.
She highlighted two facts that illustrate the importance of
physical activity for youth. Obesity costs Alaska $459 million
annually in direct medical health care costs. This figure is
expected to increase in years to come. In the Anchorage School
District, 36 percent of K - 12 students were overweight or obese
in the 2010 - 2011 school year.
She shared a recent example on Facebook from an elementary
school in Fort Worth, Texas, where the school implemented four
fifteen-minute recess breaks for kindergarten and first grade
students in an effort to increase student focus and improve
learning. The results were that kids' learning improved and they
were better able to focus and pay attention without fidgeting in
class. Teachers were originally concerned about the loss of
instructional time, but they have reported improvements in the
students' behavior while in the classroom. Students are paying
more attention in class, following directions better, learning
more independently, solving problems on their own, and there are
fewer discipline problems. Kids are learning more
enthusiastically and efficiently while they are in the
classroom. This fifteen minutes of re-boot enables them to
function at their best level while they are in class. She said
the program has been going on for more than seven months.
SENATOR COSTELLO concluded with a quote by the PTA president who
said, "Sometimes I think that we look at a number, versus a
whole child."
3:33:49 PM
SORCHA HAZELTON, Intern, Senator Mia Costello, Alaska State
Legislature, presented information related to SB 200. She read:
SB 200 will help ensure Alaskan kids are physically
active & mentally healthy. The bill will set a balance
of structured & unstructured time during the school
day.
This bill would amend state law to ensure school
districts provide students with a daily minimum
physical activity for students in kindergarten through
th
8 grade. The amount of time is based on the US Center
for Disease Control & Prevention recommendation,
currently 60 minutes for children and adolescents.
This bill calls for 90% of that 60 minutes, or 54
minutes, to be provided by Alaska school districts for
each full school day.
SB 200 allows for this standard to be filled by
unstructured time, like recess, physical education
classes, or even in-class exercises.
This allows school districts to decide what best fits
their schools: increasing time spent in PE classes,
reintroducing or lengthening recess, etc.
Background
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,
school constitutes nearly half of students' wakeful
hours.
As standards and expectations have increased over the
years, children are spending more hours per day, and
days per year in school. (Psychology Today - Decline
of Play & Rise in Children's Mental Disorders)
This increase in standards has resulted in national
declines in recess and physical education time in the
school day. As of 2012, only 5 states require daily
recess for elementary students (Policy Strategies for
Supporting Recess in Elementary Schools)
This bill would encourage the physical health section
of students' schooling, supporting physical fitness
habits and interests that keep Alaska's kids active
and healthy into their adulthood.
State of Alaska (Alaska School Districts Physical
Education & Recess Policy Survey, March 2014, Denali L
Daniels & Associates, funded by DH&SS)
The State of Alaska is one of 7 states that does not lay
out in statute that elementary school students must
participate in physical education classes (7). Alaska also
does not have a policy requiring or recommending recess or
physical activity breaks at any grade level (14).
Only a little more than half (53%) of Alaska school
districts have a written policy for elementary and middle
school recess.
A third of school district elementary school policies don't
meet the CDC's daily recommended amount in a week.
Physical activity, whether via unstructured time or
through physical education classes, have a number of
benefits for students. The major benefits are
combating childhood obesity, improving academic
performance, and fighting the rise in youth mental
disorders. In addition, increased physical activity
allows students to engage with each other and learn
from their peers outside of the classroom.
Obesity
Childhood obesity is an issue in the United States,
and in the state of Alaska.
Among Alaskan high school students, 26% are overweight
or obese (ADN, Alaska Obesity Prevention & Control
Program)
40% of Alaskan 3 years-old are either overweight or
obese, according to the 2014 Alaska Obesity Facts
Report produced for a number of State departments,
including Public Health, Health & Social Services, &
Obesity Prevention & Control Program.
SB 200 aims to decrease these percentages with simple
activity.
Academic Performance
Nationally, Recess and PE have been cut down or
removed from the academic schedule, understandably,
for the sake of instructional time. But exercise and
breaks from school work, provided for in Senate Bill
200, have been proven to increase retention of
information and focus.
Adults have the ability to step away from their desks,
grab coffee, chat with coworkers, and a take a break
from the concentration their jobs require. Students in
school don't have this option.
The American Academy of Pediatrics found kids' brains
process information best if given a period of
interruption after instruction. This is best served
through unstructured breaks, rather than shifting from
one subject to the next. SB 200 gives students this
time to recharge for the lessons ahead and allow
information to sink in.
In a number of schools in California that engaged in
physical activity programs, teachers reclaimed up to
40 instructional hours a year because kids returned to
the classroom focused and ready to learn (Scholastic -
Recess Makes Kids Smarter)
Mental Disorders/Psychology
In addition to the physical and scholastic benefits of
increased physical activity, unstructured time has a
mental benefit for students as well.
Play helps children (a) develop intrinsic interests
and competencies; (b) learn how to make decisions,
solve problems, exert self-control, and follow rules;
(c) learn to regulate their emotions; (d) make friends
and learn to get along with others. All of which
promote mental health (American Journal of Play -
Decline in Play & Rise in Psychopathy)
Education outside classroom
Students learn from each other as well, which most
often is found during unstructured time, when students
freely engage with each other.
Recess offers a time to engage in peer interactions,
unguided by teachers, in which they learn essential
social skills: communication, negotiation,
cooperation, sharing, problem solving, coping,
perseverance, self-control. All of these skills are
foundations for healthy development. (American Academy
of Pediatrics)
One of the key values of recess is for children to
find things out on their own, without too much
direction (Christian Science Monitor - All Work, No
Play at School)
There are a number of case studies of classrooms and
schools who have experienced firsthand the benefits of
increased physical activity during the school day.
Senator Costello mentioned Eagle Mountain Elementary
in Fort Worth, Texas.
Case Studies
nd
In a study reported by the CDC, 2 graders exhibit
greater concentration and demonstrated higher math
fluency after engaging in 5 minute movement breaks;
teachers observed higher student concentration levels
after daily stretching exercises.
Other industrialized countries such as China, Taiwan,
and Japan are often highlighted as examples where
students spend long hours in school and perform well
academically. Nearly ¼ of the school day in these
countries is made up of frequent recesses, long lunch
periods, and afterschool activities (Early Childhood
News - Recess & Social Development)
A 2014 study at University of Colorado - Boulder and
University of Denver found 6-year-olds with more
unstructured time showed signs of stronger executive
functioning and decision making skills. These skills
support strong social relationships and are linked to
academic success throughout a student's career.
(Education Week - Withholding Recess as Discipline in
Decline)
Conclusion
This bill will ensure Alaskan students have an active
component of their school day and a more active
lifestyle. This provides them with time to learn from
their peers outside the classroom and discover new
interests.
SB 200 originated from research performed by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Disease
Control & Prevention, The American Journal of Play,
and Scholastic, among many others. This research has
shown that the national trend of recess and PE removal
has not been helpful to students; that PE and
unstructured play benefit kids in so many ways and
make our students better, healthier, and happier.
This bill sets up this time as a daily part of
students' schedule. She offered to provide the
research to the committee.
3:41:11 PM
SENATOR STEVENS voiced appreciation for the article on Alaska
School Districts Physical Education & Recess Policy Survey. He
asked why some of the recommendations included in that article
are not included in the bill. He questioned why only K - 8 were
included in the bill when it should be K - 12, and why only 54
minutes when the recommendation is 150 minutes for elementary
and 225 minutes for both middle school and high school. He said
he liked that the report includes "no waivers or exemptions."
3:42:20 PM
SENATOR COGHILL responded that there are a number of ways to
approach this subject. She said they took a percentage of the
Center for Disease Control's recommendation for daily physical
activity. She pointed out that there are several Title I schools
in her district whose students often aren't physically active at
home. She said she is open to other approaches. She concluded
that she has been thinking about this bill for many years
because it is in students' best interest to be active.
SENATOR STEVENS appreciated the explanation, but thought high
schools should be included.
3:43:57 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said, as a health care provider, she totally
endorses this concept. She said she served on the Municipality
of Anchorage's Health and Human Services Commission for five
years. During that time, physical education was a subject the
commission spent a lot of time on. She shared a story about
education students from UAA who went to a Title I elementary
school and began a structured recess program. The administration
tracked behavioral issues which declined as a result of the
structured recess. She advocated for structured recess, not just
recess.
She related that she also volunteers at a middle school health
clinic and witnessed unstructured recess where kids just stood
around. She emphasized the need for structured recess.
3:45:57 PM
SENATOR GARDNER said she loves the bill and wrote a letter to
her constituents about it and received positive responses. She
did not realize that there was no state policy for recess. She
asked if Senator Costello has talked to school districts about
the bill and she inquired what the response has been to it.
SENATOR COSTELLO replied that she is aware of the university
study regarding structured recess Senator Giessel referred to.
She said she visited one of the schools and visited with the
principal who reported fewer discipline problems when the
students had active recess. She appreciated the suggestion to
have structured recess.
In response to Senator Gardner, she reported that she has spoken
with Superintendent Ed Graff who said he has thought of
restructuring recess so children have choices of activities. She
suggested amending the bill to encourage districts to consider
active physical activity at recess or even in the classroom. She
said she hears from parents who believe their kids would not get
into trouble if there was a way for them to be more active. She
shared an experience in her son's classroom where students sit
on medicine balls instead of chairs. She concluded that
policymakers want healthy kids who are achieving in school and
taking advantage of the expertise of the teacher.
3:48:42 PM
SENATOR GARDNER recalled her own recess activities and students'
ability to check out equipment. She asked if schools still
provide that opportunity.
SENATOR DUNLEAVY said recess started to die with NCLB in January
of 2001 and due to the emphasis on testing. He said some schools
outlaw homework so students can be active after school. Also,
social media devices have contributed to lack of recess
activity. He predicted there might be feedback from schools
regarding how to incorporate the bill's requirements and how to
fund them. He agreed physical activity in schools was neglected
and causing health concerns.
3:51:42 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said more kids are being diagnosed with ADD and
medicated. She maintained that more physical activity would
lessen chemical dependency among children.
SENATOR STEVENS discussed structured and unstructured recess,
noting value in both.
3:52:34 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY opened public testimony.
3:52:50 PM
HARLOW ROBINSON, Executive Director, Healthy Futures, testified
in support of SB 200. He commended the sponsor for introducing
the bill. He reported on the positive impact in schools that
incorporate physical activity. All evidence-based research shows
that physically active students perform better. There would be
tremendous benefits from implementation of SB 200, including
decreased health care costs. He concluded that the bill makes
good business sense.
MR. ROBINSON commented on the UAA study mentioned by Senator
Giessel. He opined that unstructured play is critical. He said
the study was in a Title I school with social considerations. It
was probably more important in that setting to have structure.
3:57:43 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if high schools should be excluded in the
bill.
MR. ROBINSON thought high school students should be included,
but K - 6 would be the most important time to encourage active
play.
3:59:08 PM
NORM WOOTEN, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School
Boards, testified in opposition to SB 200. He supported the
intent of the bill, but considered it to be another requirement
of school districts and a mandate on time that would be taken
away from instructional time. The Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA) was about providing more flexibility to local school
districts and he opined that this is a local control issue.
4:00:57 PM
SENATOR GARDNER understood that teachers want to keep their
instructional time, but they also need a few minutes where they
are not in charge of students. She asked if that could also be a
benefit from the bill.
MR. WOOTEN agreed that teachers are stressed, but they also
value academic time. He said it is a dilemma that he does not
have the answer to.
SENATOR GARDNER said there is a trade off if kids learn better
and need less disciplining after running around.
MR. WOOTEN agreed.
4:02:15 PM
SENATOR STEVENS said he believes in local control, but does not
recall ever talking about physical education while on the school
board. He did believe that the school board should be involved
in the discussion and that there is merit to the idea.
MR. WOOTEN said his organization will look at a policy
concerning physical education.
4:03:43 PM
At ease
4:04:44 PM
WILFRIED ZIBELL, representing himself, testified in support of
SB 200. He said he supports the K - 8 aspect of the bill, but
would not want it to be mandatory for K - 12 because it would
put undue stress on already hard-working students. He related
that he has been taking college courses and would not have time
for a mandated PE class. He suggested considering extra-
curricular activities, such as cross country, as physical
activity.
SENATOR STEVENS said the study does include extra-curricular
sports.
4:06:47 PM
ALEC BURNS, representing himself, Mat-Su Career and Technical
High School, testified in opposition to SB 200. He said he
supports the intent of the bill, but is concerned about the 54
minute concept per school day in the bill due to varied middle
school schedules. He also was concerned with the 90 percent
compliance requirement. He suggested lowering the number. He
concurred that the ESSA was designed to give school districts
more flexibility and he encouraged the committee to allow school
districts flexibility regarding the issue.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked if they were with the Alaska State School
Board.
MR. BURNS said yes.
SENATOR GARDNER asked how their PE was handled in elementary.
MR. BURNS recalled that PE was scheduled throughout the year in
units.
SENATOR GARDNER asked if there was unstructured recess.
MR. BURNS said he saw changes in recess due to media devices. In
elementary school most kids played during recess.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked about recess in Noorvik.
4:10:37 PM
MR. ZIBELL explained recess varied based on the teacher, but was
both structured gym time and unstructured physical activity and
social skill building on the playground.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY said small schools engage more kids in sports.
MR. ZIBELL said there were outdoor temperature restrictions for
recess.
4:12:04 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY noted the arrival of Senator Huggins.
4:12:55 PM
TIFFANY JACKSON, Member, Aleutians East Borough School District
School Board, testified in opposition to SB 200. She said there
should be some responsibility on the parents to make sure their
kids get physical activity. She voiced concern about local
control issues and the press for time to get all subjects
covered. She said the district has a requirement for kids to go
out to recess outside or in the gym.
4:14:39 PM
SENATOR GARDNER asked if there is a recess and a play time after
lunch.
MS. JACKSON said yes. There's 15 minutes of play time after
lunch.
SENATOR GARDNER asked how long recess lasts.
MS. JACKSON was not sure, but thought it was 15 minutes.
4:15:11 PM
SENATOR STEVENS referenced the study and listed which districts
had policies regarding physical activity. It ended up being
about half. He asked if all districts should have policies.
MS. JACKSON said she saw it as part of the school board's role
to set policy concerning physical education.
SENATOR STEVENS thought all districts should be required to have
a physical education policy.
MS. JACKSON agreed.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY recognized Representative Reinbold and Chugach
School Board Member, Charlene Arneson.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY held SB 200 in committee.
4:17:04 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Dunleavy adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
at 4:17 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 1. SB 200.PDF |
SEDC 3/22/2016 3:30:00 PM |
SB 200 |
| 2. SB 200 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SEDC 3/22/2016 3:30:00 PM |
SB 200 |
| 3. SB 200 - Backup Documents.pdf |
SEDC 3/22/2016 3:30:00 PM |
SB 200 |
| 4. SB 200 - Fiscal Note.pdf |
SEDC 3/22/2016 3:30:00 PM |
SB 200 |
| 5. SB 200 - American Heart Association.pdf |
SEDC 3/22/2016 3:30:00 PM |
SB 200 |