Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2018 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Board of Education and Early Development | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): University of Alaska Board of Regents | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 19, 2018
7:58 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator John Coghill
Senator Tom Begich
Senator Shelley Hughes
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Education and Early Development
James Fields
Sandra Kowalski
Tiffany Scott
Lorri Van Diest
- CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Stephen (Joey) Sweet
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
JAMES FIELDS
Board of Education and Early Development
Glennallen, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee for reappointment to
the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development.
LORRI VAN DIEST
Board of Education and Early Development
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development.
SANDRA KOWALSKI
Board of Education and Early Development
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development.
TIFFANY SCOTT
Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development
Kotzebue, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development.
STEPHEN (JOEY) SWEET, Student Regent Appointee
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as student regent appointee to the
University of Alaska Board of Regents.
ALEC BURRIS, Student Body President
University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported the confirmation of Joey Sweet to
the University of Alaska Board of Regents.
ACTION NARRATIVE
7:58:00 AM
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 7:58 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Begich, Hughes, and Chair Stevens. Senators
Coghill and Giessel joined shortly thereafter.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Board of Education and Early
Development
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
Board of Education and Early Development
7:58:19 AM
CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of the governor's
appointees to the Board of Education and Early Development.
These are James Fields, Lorri Van Diest, Sandra Kowalski, and
Tiffany Scott. He asked each of the appointees to give their
personal background, what they bring to the board, why they want
to serve, and their goals for the year.
7:59:07 AM
JAMES FIELDS, Chair, Board of Education and Early Development,
said he has been the chair for three years and has been on the
board for five. He was on the school board for the Copper River
for nine years. He's lived in Glennallen for 15 years. He has
the longest tenure on the board. He brings a history of where
they have been the last five years. They are in a good place.
There's a different feel from two to three years ago. There's a
momentum to move forward.
8:01:18 AM
LORRI VAN DIEST, Appointee, Board of Education and Early
Development, said she is a retired Mat-Su educator, a lifelong
Alaskan who grew up in Seward. Her father was a teacher. Her
first teaching job was in Seward High School. It was rewarding
to teach the students she had babysat. She moved to Mat-Su. At
Colony High School she taught math, became a guidance counselor,
and coached girls' basketball. She spent her last 6 years as
curriculum coordinator. In 2010 she retired to become a full-
time teacher and mother to her three children. Now she works
part-time as a substitute counselor for the district and she is
president of the local community council. She offers the board
her experience as a teacher, counselor, curriculum coordinator,
and home school educator. She's interested in serving on the
board because of the commitment leaders and stakeholders have
taken to bettering Alaska's education for all children. The
Alaska Education Challenge has laid the foundation and
philosophy for this to happen [with the three commitments]--
increase student success, support responsible and reflective
learners, and cultivate safety and well-being. [Department of
Education and Early Development (DEED)] Commissioner Johnson
said their shared commitment to those shared values should be
deliberate and intense as they transition to a new, more
efficient and effective education system.
8:04:26 AM
SANDRA KOWALSKI, Appointee, Board of Education and Early
Development, said she is currently the Director of Indigenous
Programs for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Before that
position, she spent 28 years in K-12 education. She has been a
teacher and principal in rural and urban Alaska. She was
Assistant Superintendent for the Fairbanks School District. Her
perspective as a public administrator brings strength to the
position. She is interested in serving because of the work that
has been done by the Alaska Education Challenge, especially the
culturally relevant focus and student-centered learning
initiatives. She is interested as well in tribal compacting.
8:05:33 AM
TIFFANY SCOTT, Appointee, Board of Education and Early
Development, gave her Inupiaq name. She is from Kotzebue and her
family is from Noorvik. Her children attend school in Kotzebue.
She is from the Northwest Arctic Borough but graduated from
Colony High School. She just finished nursing school and is a
registered nurse at the emergency department at Maniilaq Health
Center in Kotzebue. She worked for Nenana Regional Corporation
in the government affairs department.
CHAIR STEVENS asked, reflecting on the happenings in the world,
such as the shootings in Florida [in Parkland February 14, 2018]
and the marching by young people in front of the Capitol
[Juneau-Douglas High School students protesting gun violence],
whether they have any reflections on things to be aware of and
how to deal with millennials.
8:07:28 AM
MS. KOWALSKI they are learning new ways in education to get
students engaged and own their learning. When young people are
out making statements, they are finding their way. They are
learning new skills to be future leaders. By giving them space
and providing leadership and respect for their actions so they
know they are listened to, they can have a conversation with
millennials (millennial or not, that is how young people should
be treated). It teaches them to be the emerging leaders that
they want them to be.
8:08:33 AM
MR. FIELDS said it was a horrible tragedy, but it goes back to
the Alaska Education Challenge. They talked about safety and
community involvement. They need to own their schools and
communities and what goes on in them. The students have said the
want to take ownership, they want to do what's right. The school
climate can be good, but there can be small pockets where it is
not good. In his district, they have guidance counseling, but
their emphasis is on getting a social and emotional counselor
who can reach out to kids and maybe avoid some of these
tragedies. In the Alaska Education Challenge, they have talked
about the importance of the behavioral side. Personalized
learning is critical. They need to get information out about
what some schools are doing. They want it to be locally owned,
not mandated.
8:10:51 AM
CHAIR STEVENS said they have spoken about civics education. The
figures are that 17 percent of young people vote. One of the
reasons for public education is to create citizens. He asked
what they can do to help young people become more involved and
voters.
8:11:24 AM
MS. SCOTT said hers began at home with her parents. Democracy
does not happen without an active and engaged public. This
continued through the classroom with her U.S. government and
history teacher at Colony High School who nurtured in her a
desire to be an active participant in the public process.
Encourage young folks to serve in various capacities. She hopes
her participation at this level encourages others as well.
8:12:22 AM
MS. VAN DIEST said focus on getting the message out that voting
is so important. She asked how many of them are supervoters who
vote in every election. Civics and government teachers should
work with students and have that be part of curriculum. The
students who don't vote probably have parents who don't vote
either. Schools have elections. Maybe those can be more like
public elections.
8:14:07 AM
CHAIR STEVENS said after the march the kids went back to high
school and those who were eligible registered to vote.
8:14:27 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said over the last few years the legislature
wrestled with the issue of the explicit prohibition of public
funds for private education and there have been efforts to
change that. The board sets policy for Alaska. He asked for
their thoughts on the use of public funds for private education.
8:15:27 AM
MR. FIELDS said as a businessman, he believes competition is
always good. Mat-Su does a good job of making sure it has
competition within its public school system. Competition makes
school district compete, whether homeschooling or whatever it
may be. Anything that makes competition is good for schools.
Next year he will have six kids in Copper River School District,
from a senior to kindergarten. The more he can get Copper River
to be competitive, whether it's in the homeschool program or
online curriculum, it will benefit kids.
8:17:17 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said competition almost always doesn't. He asked
Mr. Fields if he is in favor of a constitutional amendment to
change the prohibition of public funds for private education.
MR. FIELDS asked him to define private education.
SENATOR BEGICH said by private education he means not publicly
funded, not publicly-provided education. Alaska has amazing
amounts of different kinds of concepts, charter schools,
homeschools. He is talking about funding to private entities
with public funds.
8:18:14 AM
MR. FIELDS said would need to see specific details to state
whether he would be for or against something.
SENATOR BEGICH said fair enough.
8:18:40 AM
MS. KOWALKSKI said she does not have a straight answer. Schools
and communities need to develop educational systems to meet
needs of students in that community and the goals of that
community. They started a tribal school in Kotzebue when she was
a young mother and felt the public school didn't meet the family
goals of two of her four children.
8:19:36 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said Tiffany was on the school board in Mat-Su
and went to school with her daughter. The Alaska Education
Challenge is all about addressing the achievement gap,
particularly in the rural areas. She has lived in Hoonah,
Bethel, and Ft. Yukon and had children in the public schools in
the 70s and 80s. She grieves that the same challenges exist and
in some ways are worse. They are faced with a fiscal challenge
but still have this great need. They are second or third per
student spending in the nation, but their academic results are
at the bottom. She asked what strategies can transform rural
schools. That is at the top of her list and what she wants to
change.
8:21:29 AM
MS. SCOTT said that Northwest Arctic through tribal schools
serves as an excellent model for indigenous engagement in
education delivery, one that is culturally focused, culturally
responsive, and includes community. In rural areas it takes that
kind of effort to bring about outcomes in student achievement
required to insure a healthy future not only for their students,
but their community. Bringing in community, having those tough
discussions about how education is delivered is important to
success in rural areas.
8:22:31 AM
MS. VAN DIEST said she has not lived in rural Alaska. They do
need to involve community leaders. That is what excites her
about the Alaska Education Challenge. Part of that is the tribal
involvement. Tiffany and Sandra will bring in that perspective
that she doesn't necessarily have.
8:23:15 AM
CHAIR STEVENS said he does not understand the tribal compact.
Teachers have the responsibility to prepare kids for careers and
life and success. If they go down a different path and
concentrate on subsistence living and hunting and fishing, as
important as that is . . . He asked if they can help him figure
that out how they succeed with tribal compacts and still help
their kids succeed in life.
8:23:55 AM
MS. KOWALSKI said that what is important for her as a mother and
Alaska Native is that her children and grandchildren grow up
grounded. For rural Alaskan students to be successful, they must
have a sense of place about the world around them in their
educational system. Teaching a student to hunt and their own
traditional roots does not ground them in a way that holds them
back. It gives them a foundation to move forward. Two of her
four children went to a tribal school in Kotzebue. They were
well-grounded academically when they transitioned to the big
school where she was principal. They were grounded. Nikaitchuat
Ilisagviat has only 20 students. They are there for three to
five years immersed in Inupiaq language and culture. They are
participating in cultural activities. They're cutting seal,
they're cutting fish, they're preparing foods, they're gong out
on the ice with their teachers. When they come to June Nelson,
granted they haven't had the preschool kindergarten English
reading strategies taught to them, but they are grounded, they
are engaged. Academically they do well. As a principal, when
they gave out citizenship awards in a school of 500, many of the
students who got awards came from a tribal school of 20 kids
because they were grounded in character and in values as well.
Giving communities that space to plan their own educational
system is not going to hold any student back, it's going to
propel them forward.
8:26:13 AM
MS. SCOTT said including cultural and language components of an
education help reaffirm and, in some instances, restore the
cultural identity that is so important to creating a well-
rounded and a whole person, whether they stay in rural areas or
move to urban areas.
8:27:09 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said early education means a lot to him. He asked
about their positions on early education. He hopes that Alaska
will one day have universal pre-k.
8:27:38 AM
MS. KOWALSKI said she is hoping they can expand preschool
services across the state, especially in rural communities. When
she was in the Northwest Arctic, they had a two-year
kindergarten program. That was a strong foundation of early
learning experiences. Even in the tribal school in Kotzebue they
started at school at three years old. Families need that support
and opportunity.
8:28:26 AM
MS. VAN DIEST said she would like to see early education
expanded.
8:29:10 AM
SENATOR COGHILL said the Alaska Education Challenge will be a
big deal. For him, the focus is on sixth and seventh graders.
That is when they lose children as far as academic excellence.
They enter high school unprepared in many ways. Everything in
the world is marketed to them. They hit that emotional speed
bump of life. This is when predators and marketers go after
children and when they are emotionally intense with each other.
He asked how they can help kids get through that age in life.
8:30:32 AM
MS. KOWALSKI said as a former middle school principal in
Fairbanks, she did research on whether students in middle school
settings had a better chance of finishing high school. Students
who went through a middle school transition, meaning attending a
sixth or seventh grade middle school, were more challenged in
high school in grades 9 and 10 in making good grades and
completing high school. Fairbanks decided to decrease the number
of transitions and give middle school students a smaller school
setting. Fairbanks is working on having more K-8 settings next
year. Developmentally, that age group is focused on their social
setting more than their academic setting. The idea that students
attending middle school are lost has a lot to do with the type
of middle school they are in. Middle schools are harder settings
because they are larger. They need to work to provide
opportunities to form positive relationships with each other and
adults.
8:32:50 AM
MR. FIELDS said in Glennallen, K-12 is all in one building, but
at different ends of the building. Many times there is a
disconnect from elementary school to junior high and from junior
high to high school. If there is a connect between fifth and
sixth grade, teachers can provide personalized learning, which
gets the academic piece out of the way. Communication needs to
happen from K through 12. Early education is not something the
state has to do. Copper River Native Association has an early
learning program. Partnerships and collaboration between
districts and other Native organizations or private businesses
can happen. Communities must own education. If districts can do
this effectively, there are dollars and programs that can be had
if businesses are brought in. Education must be relevant;
otherwise millennials won't show up.
8:36:10 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said Sue Hull's [former board member] parting
words were old fashioned, back to basics, family engagement.
Great teachers will somehow bring families in.
8:36:54 AM
CHAIR STEVENS said he wished he had time to ask about
homeschooling. His district is losing two schools because of the
lack of population. The solution from the district is to offer
homeschooling. He would like to know if they are doing all they
can to help those homeschool parents.
8:37:49 AM
CHAIR STEVENS opened and closed public testimony.
8:38:24 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to forward the following names of
appointees to the Board of Education and Early Development to
the full legislature for consideration: James Fields of
Glennallen, Sandra Kowalski of Fairbanks, Lorri Van Diest of
Palmer, and Tiffany Scott of Kotzebue.
CHAIR STEVENS found no objection and the names were forwarded.
8:38:44 AM
At ease.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): University of Alaska Board of Regents
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
University of Alaska Board of Regents
8:38:48 AM
CHAIR STEVENS reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of the governor's appointee to the University of
Alaska Board of Regents. He asked Stephen (Joey) Sweet to tell
the members about himself, what he brings to the board, his
interest in serving, and his goals.
8:40:27 AM
STEPHEN (JOEY) SWEET, Student Regent Appointee, University of
Alaska Board of Regents, said he is originally from Mat-Su and
now lives in Anchorage. He graduated in the fall with a degree
in political science. In 2016 he took part in the legislative
internship program. Currently he is pursuing a master's in
public administration with an emphasis in criminal justice. He
brings the student perspective to the board. Students are
feeling a lot of stress because of budget cuts; they see that in
morale and declining enrollment. His goal is to course correct.
If they can get one good year for the university, it can break
the spell that has affected the university the last few years.
He feels that if they can get one good year they can go back to
normality.
8:42:25 AM
MR. SWEET said to be specific, he would like to see the
university increase degree completion. That means increasing
recruitment and keeping students at the university. The
university has undergone a lot of strategic thinking about what
pulls in and keeps student in a university and what pushes them
out. As an example, in 2019, the university will offer an
emergency scholarship fund that will be available for unexpected
costs. That can mean the difference between staying in or
dropping out during a semester. The university has put a lot of
thought and effort into a strategic plan for the future
regarding student enrollment, which is a mechanism for revenue.
They need to graduate on pace. The trend is students taking
longer time to complete undergrad degrees. Graduating students
diversifies the state economy. They are graduating political
scientists, such as himself, engineers, economists, a whole host
of diverse graduates at every campus.
8:44:17 AM
MR. SWEET said University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen says
having a college diploma increases any of the metrics used for
measuring success, such as likelihood for staying out of prison,
lifespan, amount of money made, etc.
8:45:00 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked how long the term is for a student regent
and whether he will be able to complete his term before he
finishes his degree.
8:45:15 AM
MR. SWEET said the appointment is May 31, 2017, through May 31,
2019. The other members serve eight years. He does anticipate
being a student for two years.
8:46:09 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked why it is important to have a student on the
board.
MR. SWEET answered for the student perspective. They see every
square inch of the campus. Students see things that staff and
administration wouldn't see. He is at the Legislature because of
the Coalition of Students Leaders legislative advocacy trip. At
the business meeting yesterday, one of the students from
Fairbanks said there are not enough family friendly bathrooms,
especially for single male parents. That won't occur to someone
who is not in that position.
8:47:57 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said one of the challenges to recruiting more
students and having them graduate on time is the alarmingly high
number of students who need remedial coursework. There was some
discussion of rather than have these students take zero level
courses could they be in 100 level courses with stronger tutor
supports.
8:48:47 AM
MR. SWEET said that as someone who took a zero level class as a
freshman, he would be supportive of that. Better tutoring hours
would be at the top of the list of what keeps students in
school.
8:49:24 AM
SENATOR HUGHES said she hoped he could be a bridge to school
districts across the state, so graduates will be ready for
college.
8:49:47 AM
CHAIR STEVENS asked him who is his favorite faculty member and
why.
8:50:06 AM
MR. SWEET said that when he started at the University of Alaska
Anchorage (UAA), he knew he wanted to study political science
but didn't know what he wanted to minor in. Introduction to
Justice completely changed his perspective. He found a world-
class staff with the Justice Center at UAA. There are many high-
caliber things about UA, but he would highlight the UAA Justice
Center.
8:51:02 AM
ALEC BURRIS, Student Body President, University of Alaska
Anchorage (UAA), supported the Student Regent confirmation. He
said he has worked with Regent Sweet for the past two years. He
has truly enriched their engagement with the Board of Regents.
He made it his mission to make students aware of what is going
on at the Board of Regents and making sure they have a seat at
the table.
8:52:16 AM
CHAIR STEVENS opened and closed public testimony.
8:52:22 AM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to forward the name of the following
appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents to the
joint session of the legislature for consideration; Stephen
(Joey) Sweet of Anchorage.
CHAIR STEVENS found no objection and the name was forwarded.
He reminded members that signing the reports regarding
appointments to boards and commissions in no way reflects
individual members' approval or disapproval of the appointees,
and that the nominations are merely forwarded to the full
legislature for confirmation or rejection.
8:52:37 AM
At ease.
8:52:48 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Stevens adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
at 8:52.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SEDC_ConfirmationHearing_Board of Regents_19March2018.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2018 8:00:00 AM |
Confirmation Hearing - Board of Regents |
| SEDC_ConfirmationHearing_Board of Ed_19March2018.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2018 8:00:00 AM |
Confirmation Hearing - Board of Education & Early Development |