Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
05/03/2021 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Presentation: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools | |
| Adjourn |
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
May 3, 2021
9:04 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Roger Holland, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Shelley Hughes
Senator Tom Begich
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Peter Micciche
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Presentation: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
PAUL LAYER, Ph.D., Vice President
Academics, Students, Research
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-delivered a PowerPoint on Alaska's
University for Alaska's Schools.
STEVE ATWATER, Ed.D.; Executive Dean
Alaska College of Education
University of Alaska Southeast
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-delivered a PowerPoint on Alaska's
University for Alaska's Schools.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:04:05 AM
CHAIR ROGER HOLLAND called the Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Stevens, Begich, Hughes, and Chair Holland.
^Presentation: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools
9:04:46 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND announced that the business before the committee
was a presentation: Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools.
CHAIR HOLLAND stated that the focus of today's presentation will
be on teacher preparation, recruitment and retention initiatives
at the University of Alaska. He stated that a biennial report is
required by AS 14.140.190(b).
9:05:45 AM
PAUL LAYER, Ph.D., Vice President, Academics, Students,
Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska,
Delivered a PowerPoint on Alaska's University for Alaska's
Schools. He reviewed the agenda on slide 2, which read:
• Summary of UA Teacher Preparation Activity 2019-2020
• Review of UA's activity to recruit students to its
teaching preparation programs
• Review of UA's work to retain K-12 teachers
• Preparing teachers to teach reading
• Looking ahead
DR. LAYER said today's presentation will summarize what has
happened during the past two years.
9:07:21 AM
STEVE ATWATER, Ed.D.; Executive Dean, Alaska College of
Education, University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, Alaska,
presented slide 3, UA Students Have Multiple Paths to Earn a
Teaching Certificate, which depicted a flowchart that showed UA
continues to offer multiple paths to earn a teaching
certificate. The university would like to offer students the
option to select the program that fits with their location and
lifestyle. Students can take courses on campus or complete a
degree online from their homes in Talkeetna or Wasilla. All
licensure programs have a clinical component of practicum and an
internship known as student teaching. Currently, UA offers 17
programs that lead to an initial teaching license.
9:08:00 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 4, Multiple Pathways from Multiple
Locations to Earn a Teaching License, which read:
• UAF-options to earn degree by distance, or on campus,
or a combination of the two
• UAA- 2+ 2 option of an on-campus Associate of Arts at
UAA and complete the Bachelor of Arts with UAS or UAF.
UAF offers education courses on UAA campus
• UAS- most education courses offered by distance with
some summer sessions on campus
DR. ATWATER related that students could select different
universities, programs or other options. Of note, UA Anchorage
will offer a 2+2 option that allows students to complete their
Associate of Arts (AA) degree at UAA and seamlessly transfer to
the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) or the University of
Alaska Southeast (UAS) to complete their Bachelor of Arts (BA)
in Elementary Education. UAS or UAF campuses do not require
students to take courses at their home campus, which means that
students could enroll at UAA in the fall and complete their
education degree without leaving Anchorage.
9:08:39 AM
SENATOR BEGICH clarified that the AA degree was not limited to
elementary education since the degree could be in any topic.
DR. ATWATER agreed. He explained that the degree would be an AA
degree but it is articulated with the BA degree programs at UAF
and UAS. Further, students have a prescribed set of courses that
they must take to meet the requirements.
9:09:07 AM
SENATOR BEGICH remarked that UA's School of Education no longer
is accredited for education degrees in Anchorage. He asked him
to speak to the value and quality of an Associate of Arts Degree
in Education in Anchorage.
DR. ATWATER answered that students at UAA will be allowed to
transfer to UAF or UAS to complete their BA degrees.
9:09:50 AM
SENATOR BEGICH said he was confused because UAA no longer offers
a degree in education. He acknowledged that UAF and UAS offer
degrees. He asked how an education degree from UAA would be
perceived since the university's education program is no longer
accredited.
9:10:10 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND related his understanding that the coursework
could be accomplished at UAA but the degree would be awarded
through the University of Alaska Fairbanks or the University of
Alaska Southeast campuses.
DR. ATWATER clarified that the UAA degree would not be an AA
degree in Education. Instead, students would be awarded a
general AA degree to meet the education degree requirements for
a BA in Elementary Education.
SENATOR BEGICH responded that answered his question.
9:10:48 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 5, UA Education Program Enrollment
Trend Is Down. He said the UA education program enrollment has
declined since 2016, which mirrors the national and overall UAA
enrollment trends. Fewer students are interested in becoming
teachers. He acknowledged UAA's loss of accreditation and the
subsequent Board of Regents' decision to discontinue UAA's
initial licensure programs can explain the drop in education
enrollment for the Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 semesters. However,
UAA is optimistic that the university's increased recruiting
efforts, current communication campaign and UAA's 2+2 program
will reverse this trend.
9:11:57 AM
DR. ATWATER discussed the table on slide 6, First Time Initial
Licensure Completers. The slide showed the number of UAA first-
time teaching certificates issued by fiscal year (FY): 93 in FY
2016, 88 in FY 2017, 100 in FY 2018, 61 in FY 2019 and 15 in FY
2020. UAF's figures were: 35 in FY 2016, 55 in FY 2017, 56 in FY
2018, 59 in FY 2019, and 63 in FY 2020. UAS's figures were: 71
in FY 2016, 78 in FY 2017, 83 in FY 2018, 66 in FY 2019 and 81
in FY 2020.
DR. ATWATER explained that this slide reflects the number of
students who completed their UA programs and earned their first
teaching certificate but the figures do not include teachers who
added additional teaching certificates. While not all new
teachers will go on to teach, about 82 percent of UA education
graduates work in education-related fields.
9:12:28 AM
SENATOR HUGHES, referring to slide 5, reported that between 2015
and 2020, UAS's education program enrollment stayed relatively
flat. However, UAA's enrollment dropped by 575 students due to
UAA's accreditation loss. During that same time, UAF's education
enrollment increased by 65 students, which means they likely
picked up a small number of UAA's students. She expressed
concern that other campuses were not making up for the
enrollment losses. She asked whether UA was conducting marketing
to increase their numbers. She related her understanding that
education enrollment was down nationwide but questioned if those
figures were down this much. She said she is disturbed and
troubled by these drastic numbers.
DR. ATWATER agreed that it was troubling but offered that UAA is
working on this issue. First, UAA is making a concerted ongoing
effort to recruit students. Second, some Anchorage students were
confused about their options after UAA lost its accreditation so
UAA is working to provide clear information to students.
Finally, UAA believes that its 2+2 option provides a safe way to
enroll at UAA and obtain an education degree. He offered to
further address recruitment efforts in later slides.
9:15:10 AM
SENATOR HUGHES related her understanding that by Fall 2021 it
will be three years since UAA lost its education accreditation.
She anticipated that there would be a tremendous increase this
fall if UAA's recruitment efforts were successful, which she
hoped would occur. She found it odd that suddenly there was less
interest in teaching in Anchorage or Southcentral than in other
areas of the state. It appears that this drop in education
enrollment is related to communications and marketing, she said.
DR. ATWATER stated that the report has a breakout of where
students reside. Although the vast majority of the students
reside in Southcentral, he agreed that UA needs to recruit more
teachers in Southcentral Alaska.
SENATOR STEVENS related his understanding that fewer students
nationwide were interested in becoming teachers. He expressed
interest in the committee further discussing that issue.
9:16:57 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 7, UA Prepared Teachers and Meeting
Alaska's Teaching Needs, directing attention to the table that
shows the number of teachers who received their certificates at
UA. While this figure has increased from 40 percent in 2016 to
43 percent in 2020, UA still does not a produce the majority of
teachers in Alaska. However, he stated the percentage still was
significant. For example, UA teachers stay longer in Alaska. He
said the goal is to have the percentages in the 60s and 70s. If
so, he predicted it would drive down the turnover rate.
9:17:37 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 8, UA-Prepared Teachers, which read:
• Stay in the teaching profession in Alaska longer than
teachers prepared out-of-state
• Through their courses, practicum and internship
understand the Alaskan context better than do those
prepared out-of-state
DR. ATWATER stated that teaching indigenous students in remote
villages poses challenges for some teachers. He offered his
belief that UA does a good job preparing its teachers. He
directed attention to the list of interns shown in Appendix B of
the report. He highlighted that UA was proud that many UA
students gained rural Alaska experience prior to obtaining their
first job teaching. While UA serves the entire state, it places
an emphasis on helping students achieve success in schools in
rural villages.
9:18:27 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 9, State Regulation Requires
Accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator
Preparation (CAEP) for Alaska's Educator Preparation Unit. The
slide consisted of a table of UA Education Units Licensure
Programs and CAEP Accreditation status. He reported that the UAS
School of Education was currently undergoing a site review for
its advanced programs. He explained that there are two site
reviews conducted for the education unit. The first covers the
initial licensure programs and the second review entails the
status of the advanced programs, such as when the university
adds an endorsement or principal certificate. He related his
understanding that UAA's site review went well earlier this
spring so he anticipates receiving the formal status for the
site review this fall.
9:19:19 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked when the university can expect to receive
full accreditation at UAA.
DR. ATWATER replied that decision is not fully made. Dr. Layer
will address UAA's accreditation in the final slide.
9:19:49 AM
SENATOR BEGICH recalled previous presentations by UAA indicated
that the Board of Regents did not intend to seek full
accreditation for UAA's education program. He expressed concern
if this is true. He recalled the earlier slide comments that the
loss of accreditation was the reason for declining enrollment in
education courses. Although UAA assured the legislature that
those figures would improve, they did not do so. He found this
disappointing but said he does not expect much change in the
fall or spring enrollment figures.
9:20:39 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 10, CAEP Accreditation based on
Quality Assurance, which consisted of bubbles that read: content
and pedagogical knowledge, candidate quality, recruitment and
selectivity, program impact, and clinical partnerships and
practice. Quality assurance and continuous improvement drives
the activity for the other standards. The faculty constantly
collects and reviews data that lead to program changes. For
example, this week UAS faculty will review data and make
recommendations for changes and program improvements. The point
is the quality assurance system provides the basis of
accreditation, he said. It is the unit that receives
accreditation, not an individual program.
9:21:43 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 11, How do we know that UA prepared
teachers are effective? It read:
• CAEP Standard 4.1- Impact on P-12 student learning and
development
• Annual survey of principals who hire grads- questions
on effectiveness of newly prepared (UA) teachers-
shows good preparation of UA grads
• Anecdotes-qualitative information from school
personnel is that UA grads are well prepared
He reported that during the accreditation process, UA must track
graduates. UAA conducts case studies by reviewing K-12 student
performance data. UAA triangulates it with the qualitative
information on their teaching experience and student
performance.
DR. ATWOOD stated that currently, UAA is conducting its annual
survey of all principals who hired a UA prepared teacher last
year. The survey results will help UA make improvements. He
directed attention to Table 7 on page 9 of the Alaska's
University for Alaska's schools 2020 report to a sample of the
survey statements and the percentage of the responding
principals who agreed with the statement. After reviewing the
survey results, it is easy to conclude that UA's graduates are
well prepared for their teaching positions, he concluded.
9:22:35 AM
DR. ATWATER addressed slide 12, The Challenge: Increasing the
Number of UA Prepared Teachers, which read:
More than 200 unfilled teaching vacancies in Alaska at
the start of the current school year
He pointed out that when teachers continue to teach in
subsequent years, districts do not need to recruit as many
teachers.
9:23:05 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 13, UA's Plan to Meet This
Challenge, which read:
• Coordinated Education Unit Activity
• Increased level of recruitment
• Improving teacher preparation programs
• Supporting teacher retention
He said UA wants students to have options so a general
coordination exists among the program for recruitment and to
provide courses at other UA campuses to meet degree
requirements.
9:23:26 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 14, Recruitment to UA for Teaching
Preparation Programs, which read:
• Educators Rising
• UA Recruiter
• K-12 Partnerships
• Paraprofessionals
• Outreach to non-traditional students
• Communications Campaign
• Raise the social esteem of teaching profession- UA
Foundation
He noted that the Educator Rising Program was designed to help
high school students orient themselves to the teacher profession
and teacher preparation programs after high school. He reported
that the program is available in more than 25 districts.
Although the Mat-Su School District is most active in the
program other districts throughout Alaska are becoming more
involved. Alaska is the first state in the nation to have a
middle school program for Educators Rising. Thus, students ages
12-14 are being introduced to the teacher profession. UA
recruiters reach out to counselors and attend K-12 college fairs
as part of the outreach effort. However, this effort has been
difficult due to the pandemic.
9:25:22 AM
DR. ATWATER spoke to the final bullet point, noting that raising
the social esteem of the teaching profession is a statewide
issue. He argued that the state's teachers are an important
resource but the responsibility of elevating the teacher
profession belongs to everyone. He said the UA Foundation is
promoting a culture of education for Alaska that includes
placing an emphasis on the importance of teachers. In terms of
the communications campaign, he stated that UA President Pitney
initiated an outreach campaign, which includes a new website
that allows someone to easily find options for education
students.
9:26:23 AM
SENATOR BEGICH, referring to the bullet point on teacher
retention on slide 13, asked whether Dr. Atwater was actively
involved in the Teacher Retention and Recruitment (TRR) Task
Force.
DR. ATWATER answered yes; he served as an advisor to the task
force.
SENATOR BEGICH reported that the TRR Task Force's number one
recommendation was to increase salaries and its second
recommendation was to improve teacher retirement plans. He asked
how many of the task force recommendations were integrated into
the seven bullet points noted on slide 14.
DR. ATWATER responded that the university is not able to affect
retirement and compensation other than to encourage increasing
them. However, the Educators Rising program is part of the TRR
Task Force recommendations. He emphasized that the university is
working to promote the teacher profession as a good field to
enter.
9:27:57 AM
SENATOR BEGICH asked where in the TRR Task Force findings it
shows that UA is working to raise the social esteem of teachers.
DR. ATWATER answered that raising social esteem wasn't something
teachers or retired teachers specifically identified but he
views it as significant. For example, after high school
graduations, he often visits schools with superintendents. He
said when parents told him their daughters are going to become
nurses, they say it with excitement, but he never got the same
reaction when parents told him their sons or daughters were
going to be teachers.
9:29:18 AM
SENATOR BEGICH suggested that the committee could identify what
works and has impacts and then correlate the TRR Task Force
recommendations with the university's actions.
9:30:30 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND remarked that the TRR Task Force Action Plan is
scheduled for next meeting.
9:30:41 AM
SENATOR HUGHES described a vicious cycle that she was not sure
how to break. She stated that other nations pay their teachers
more but their students must score high to get into teacher
education programs. The teacher profession is perceived as a
distinguished career in some countries but not in the U.S. She
recalled reading that lower-performing students in the U.S. go
into teaching, which just adds to the vicious cycle. She offered
her view that the term "social esteem" wasn't the right term to
use since it seems to refer more to how teachers feel about
themselves as teachers than to elevating the teaching
profession.
She suggested that higher salaries might attract higher
performing students to the profession just as medical schools
attract good candidates. She pointed out that it is not just
academics that make great teachers since they must also possess
the ability to care about their students and exude enthusiasm.
She expressed concern that increasing salaries for teachers
without expecting a higher caliber of student in teacher
programs was not the right approach. However, she was unsure how
to address the issue and make it happen.
9:33:10 AM
SENATOR STEVENS remarked that the questions and issues being
raised are not meant as an attack on the university but rather a
means to enlist the presenters to help the committee find
solutions to improve the situation. He said the university needs
people to choose to become teachers because they love it. He
pointed out that some people in midcareer decide to go into the
teaching profession because it is such a rewarding career.
9:34:25 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 15, Retention, which read:
• UA supports the Alaska Statewide Mentoring Project
• Mentors (retired teachers) work with early career
teachers across Alaska
He said the table of quantitative data on the slide shows it is
working even though all of the teachers are not mentored.
9:35:22 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 16, UA Supports K-12 Teachers'
Professional Development, consisting of a table of PACE-
Facilitated Course Enrollment for 2016-2020.
He emphasized the importance continuing education (CE) plays to
help teachers grow and develop and respond to changes in the
profession. He identified UAA's program for continuing education
as Professional and Continuing Education (PACE).
9:36:00 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 17, Preparing Teachers During
Pandemic, which read:
• Loss of in-person clinical experience was significant
• Greater emphasis with preparing teachers to teach
virtually
• Challenge of accessing bandwidth for rural students
He explained that although UA was experiencing a difficult time
due to the pandemic, UA continues to do its work to prepare
teachers. UA received feedback from schools that their
expectation is for graduates to be familiar with virtual
teaching so a greater emphasis is now being placed on providing
prospective teachers with those skills.
9:37:38 AM
SENATOR BEGICH remarked that the last few slides were
encouraging.
9:37:51 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 18, Preparing Teachers to Work with
Struggling Readers, which read:
• UA pre-service teachers are taught how to assess
readers to determine the source of specific struggles
and to respond instructionally
• UA pre-service teachers take special education courses
that address specific learning challenges (e.g.,
dyslexia)
• UA pre-service teachers are taught strategies for
supporting struggling readers, based on assessments
• UA education reading courses have been analyzed and
augmented as result of House Bill 64 (CH. 52 SLA 2018)
and conversations with stakeholders about the
increasing needs in the State
He said UA has followed SB 111 carefully, including hearing some
dismissive testimony about the way UA trains teachers to teach
students to read. Thus, he prepared this slide to further
explain the process and examine their own programs.
9:38:56 AM
DR. ATWATER presented slide 19, UA Responding to Stakeholder
Input on Reading, which read:
• The UA teacher education programs pursue data-driven
continuous improvement that includes substantive
stakeholder input about the needs of Alaska's
children.
• In the area of reading instruction, education faculty
from UAA, UAF, and UAS are working in collaboration to
strengthen literacy and special education courses in
response to the needs of Alaska's children,
stakeholder input and Alaska State Legislative action
such as CS SB 111
DR. ATWATER said the big takeaway on SB 111 is that it
stimulated faculty coordination. He said UA hopes to offer the
needed professional development called for in the bill. He
emphasized that UA stands ready to help in this area.
9:39:38 AM
SENATOR HUGHES stated that she participated in a Zoom meeting
with some superintendents. She reported that three
superintendents said UAF was the only UA campus preparing
graduates to adequately teach reading. She asked if the
university is conducting any surveys with superintendents
strictly focused on the first-year teachers ability to teach
reading. She acknowledged that the feedback she received from
superintendents could be because it was based on an older
curriculum that was not evidence based. She asked if the UA
curriculum for reading instruction is now evidence-based
curriculum.
9:41:26 AM
DR. ATWATER responded that his sense is that the feedback was
based on older curriculum due to lag time.
He directed attention to slide 20, UAF Graduate and Teaching
Reading, which read:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Shortly after the start of the school year I realized
just how well prepared I was to teach reading.
Seasoned teachers were overjoyed with my depth of
knowledge about reading. I was able to determine the
skills my students needed to strengthen or develop. I
was also able To talk with the teachers in-depth about
different things we could do to achieve the student's
individual goals. I attribute this to UAF Professor
Diane Kardash who spent a lot of time teaching the
class about the essential components of reading
instruction which includes the "Big 5".
We spent a lot of time studying the importance of
phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, phonemic
awareness, and fluency. Today, in my own 4th grade
classroom, I stress these skills with my students. One
of the first things I did when we returned in the fall
was test their fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary
so I could track their progress throughout the year. I
am grateful for the post-bac program at UAF because it
provided me with a strong foundation in reading
instruction that has proven valuable in my teaching
career.
UAS taught me how to teach reading and language arts
in a way that made students excited about reading. I
was taught that in order to meet the needs of a
diverse classroom, I need to teach strategies that
will not only make my students better readers, but
better thinkers.
Melissa McCumby
4th Grade Teacher
Hermon Hutchens Elementary
Valdez, Alaska
DR. ATWATER explained that he solicited comments from graduates.
He focused on the second paragraph of a graduate teacher from
Valdez. He pointed out that UAF training includes phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
DR. ATWATER directed attention to slide 21, UAS 2020 Graduate
and Teaching Read, consisting of a quote from a UAS graduate,
which read:
[Original punctuation provided.]
I have students that read on Kindergarten and sixth
grade levels. I have students that struggle with
various learning disabilities and impairments. The
strategies I use to teach the student who reads at a
lower level are going to be completely different from
the methods I use to teach a student with dyslexic
tendencies. With all students, I will start with what
I know to be the foundation of sound reading
instruction by assessing students in their ability and
awareness of the "big 5". I was taught by Robin
Dahlman, Assistant Professor at UAS, that any quality
program or curriculum adopted or used in schools to
teach reading must include and have explicit
instruction in these elements: phonemic awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. To
identify where a student is in their development is my
first priority so that I can directly teach each
student at their respective level.
Amanda Friendshuh
First Year 3rd grade teacher
Chapman School, Anchor Point
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
DR. ATWATER said the quote shows this first-year teacher felt
ready to teach reading. MS. Friendshuh also highlighted that her
students' reading skills were varied. Although, there is no
formal statewide survey about reading, the feedback is positive,
he said.
9:43:33 AM
SENATOR HUGHES asked if UA has removed older curriculum from
campuses to ensure that evidence-based reading is being taught
in all UA campuses.
DR. ATWATER answered that the foundations of literacy classes
were revised at the start of the Dyslexia Task Force so campuses
are currently placing a greater emphasis on the "Big 5."
9:44:12 AM
DR. ATWATER paraphrased slide 22, UAA and Early Childhood, which
read:
• UAA is advancing a proposal for the Board of Regents
and the State Board of Education to reestablish an
initial licensure program (BA) in Early Childhood
• If all phases of the proposal are accepted, students
would be eligible to enroll in classes as early as
January 2022
• Currently, the only way to earn the PreK-3 endorsement
in Alaska is by adding an early childhood minor to
UAF's BA in Elementary Education (K-8)
• The program will have a focus on the development of
reading and writing skills with PreK-3 children
• This proposal aligns with pending state legislation
and Federal interest in universal Pre-K
DR. ATWATER said this slide addresses Senator Begich's earlier
question. This represents the beginning of UAA re-establishing
itself with respect to offering initial licensure.
9:45:05 AM
SENATOR BEGICH remarked that this is exactly the action he wants
to see from the university. He commented that he runs a
scholarship program for high school students that focuses on
education and public service. He estimated that approximately 25
percent of the applicants interested in education want to work
in early education. He said he hopes the Board of Regents
supports the UA programs.
9:46:06 AM
DR. ATWATER turned the presentation over to Dr. Layer.
9:46:19 AM
DR. LAYER directed attention to slide 22. He said the Early
Childhood Program is not starting from scratch since UAA offers
an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood
Development accredited by the National Association for Education
of Young Children (NAEYC). UAA has retained faculty so it can
start this program quickly. He advised that it is a partnership
because UA requires the State Board of Education to approve
graduates for licensure even though the program will not
initially have accreditation from the Council for the
Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). He anticipated
that UA will be able to apply for CAEP accreditation. The
partnership allows for graduates to be licensed in Alaska. The
proposal will come before the Board of Regents in June 2021.
9:47:39 AM
DR. LAYER presented slide 23, UA Teacher Prep Going Forward,
which read:
• Interim President Pitney convened a working group
to review the structure of UA's education
programs and to then develop recommendations to
better align them with the needs of Alaska's
school districts
• Recommendations will be presented to the Board of
Regents at the June meeting
• A new UA education website highlights and guides
students to UA's education programs as part of a
comprehensive marketing campaign to recruit
students to its teacher preparation programs
DR. LAYER stated that first, even though UAA lost its
accreditation, the education program still has capacity to
expand the number of UA students. One way to do that is to
explain to prospective students the pathways for becoming a
teacher no matter where they live in the state. Second, UA could
consider other ways to provide support to teachers by initiating
a loan forgiveness program, providing scholarships or relaxing
out-of-state tuition requirements for education students.
Finally, UA must consider ways to address perception, given the
turmoil in the last few years. The university can reach out to
potential students to assure them that UA has quality and
accessible programs and UA wants them as students. "UAA is here
to stay" is part of the message that the campaign will address.
He paraphrased the bullet points on the slide. He emphasized
that each of the campus programs meet very different needs. In
response to Senator Steven's earlier question, he said people
with baccalaureate degrees were going into the UAS Master of
Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is critical.
9:51:08 AM
DR. LAYER explained that it is important to provide a clear
pathway for someone like a professional geologist who wants to
enroll in the MAT program at UAS. He said this is crucial for
people making a career change.
DR. LAYER offered to keep the legislature informed about UA's
efforts. He said UA hopes to see student enrollment up in the
fall but he does not see the university recapturing all of the
education students it lost. He pointed out that graduate numbers
were down but not to the same level as enrollment. UA has been
producing graduates who are moving forward in initial and
advanced licensure.
9:52:56 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND expressed an interest in the Alaska Statewide
Mentoring Project mentioned on slide 15 that uses retired
teachers as mentors. Second, he offered his view that the
committee cannot fix education in Alaska but it seeks to give
superintendents and teachers the tools to do so. Third, he said
he is encouraged to hear discussions about strategies to help
struggling readers as shown on slide 18. Finally, he apologized
for the length of time it took to move SB 111 out of committee.
This was after the committee spent years evaluating the issue.
He said he hopes that the work will inspire change in the field
even before the bill passes.
9:54:31 AM
SENATOR STEVENS asked for the status of the Board of Regents
(BOR) consideration of accreditation for UAA's education
program. He asked if it was true that BOR decided to not pursue
it.
DR. LAYER related his understanding that BOR has not made any
decision on pursuing accreditation. He elaborated that the Early
Childhood Education Program is the first of the initial
licensure programs that the board will discuss allowing to move
forward. He offered his belief that the board will insist that
the program move forward to apply for accreditation when it
becomes available. He said students need to graduate from
programs in order for UAA to gain accreditation but students
need to come from an accredited program to get licensure. By
working with the State Board of Education, UA hopes to provide
that pathway for students to achieve initial licensure in Alaska
while the university is going through the accreditation process.
9:56:27 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND asked if Dr. Atwater had anything to add.
DR. ATWATER said the key is that the State Board of Education
(SBOE) would have to give conditional approval to UAA. He
anticipated that the SBOE would give UAA a three year window in
which to attain accreditation. During that time the SBOE would
accept UA's recommendation for licensure to allow that process
to move forward.
9:57:08 AM
SENATOR HUGHES expressed an interest in obtaining more
information about the university's reading curriculum, including
the number of credit hours, reading endorsements or in classroom
requirement.
SENATOR BEGICH apologized for expressing frustration. He thanked
UA for its efforts to move the university forward. He said he is
cautiously optimistic about the direction the university is
taking on its education program to produce high-quality teachers
and retain them in Alaska. He asked them to convey their needs
to the committee and legislature.
DR. LAYER thanked Senator Begich for his longstanding support
for its education programs. He acknowledged that UA is not
achieving the goals of training students in the state to be
teachers in Alaska. He stated that UA has some distance to go.
He offered to continue to work with the committee going forward.
DR. ATWATER stated the legislature requires a biennial report.
He said he and Dr. Layer are available to assist the committee.
10:00:39 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Holland adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 10:00 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| UA 2021 Alaskas University for Alaskas Schools Report.pdf |
SEDC 5/3/2021 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 2021 05 03 - Univ. Alaska - SB 241 Report Presentation.pdf |
SEDC 5/3/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 241 |