Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/25/2023 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation Funding for Alaska's Schools | |
| Presentation Coalition for Education Equity | |
| Presentation Legislative Priorities and Supporting Resolutions | |
| Presentation Be a Hero for Alaska Students | |
| 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
January 25, 2023
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION FUNDING FOR ALASKA'S SCHOOLS
- HEARD
PRESENTATION COALITION FOR EDUCATION EQUITY
- HEARD
PRESENTATION LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND SUPPORTING RESOLUTIONS
HEARD
PRESENTATION BE A HERO FOR ALASKA STUDENTS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
LISA PARADY, Executive Director
Alaska Council of School Administrators
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the presentation Funding for
Alaska's Schools.
SARA SLEDGE, Executive Director
Coalition for Education Equity
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the presentation Coalition for
Education Equity.
LON GARRISON, Executive Director
Association of Alaska School Boards
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the presentation Legislative
Priorities and Supporting Resolutions.
TOM KLAAMEYER, President
NEA Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the presentation Be a Hero for
Alaska Students
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:25 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Bjorkman, Steven, Kiehl, and Chair Tobin.
^PRESENTATION FUNDING FOR ALASKA'S SCHOOLS
PRESENTATION
FUNDING FOR ALASKA'S SCHOOLS
3:32:15 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of the presentation
Funding for Alaska's Schools by the Alaska Council of School
Administrator's executive director Dr. Lisa Parady.
3:32:37 PM
LISA PARADY, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators (ACSA), Ketchikan, Alaska, stated that the ACSA
was created to serve as an umbrella for some of Alaska's premier
educational organizations, including the Alaska Superintendents
Association, the Alaska Association of Secondary School
Principals, the Alaska Association of Elementary School
Principals, the Alaska School Business Officials and many other
school administrators and educators across Alaska.
3:33:59 PM
MS. PARADY turned to slide 2 and stated that ACSA supports and
represents education leaders in all 54 school districts in
Alaska, both urban and rural. She said slide 3 shows facts
regarding education expenditures. DEED provided the data, and
Legislative Finance compiled it. The compilation shows that 74
percent of school districts' budgets go to instruction, of which
2 percent is spent on district administration.
3:36:06 PM
MS. PARADY moved to slide 4 and said Alaska ranks 6th in
national per pupil K-12 funding in raw dollars, but the cost of
living in Alaska, especially in rural areas, is higher than most
states. A study by the Institute of Social and Economic Research
(ISER) found that Alaska is underfunded by 2 percent when
adjusted to the national average cost of living.
MS. PARADY said that every year ACSA members put together joint
position statements. The statements envelop the highest
priorities for education policy positions in Alaska. Student
achievement is always the first priority. However, the current
most critical need is adequate funding. Flat funding of public
education cuts the budget of every public school in Alaska
because it does not account for inflation. Policymakers must
recognize the diminishing value of flat funding in relation to
inflation. Early notification and predictable funding are
crucial to financial and human resource management.
3:38:23 PM
MS. PARADY stated that inflation is at a 40-year high, resulting
in an unsustainable loss of purchasing power. She suggested
lawmakers put a trigger into statute that addresses inflation's
effect on the BSA so that schools are not affected by diminished
purchasing power. The graph on slide 7 demonstrates the impact
of inflation on education. It shows that a BSA of $5,930 in FY
23 has an FY 12 value of $4,776.
3:40:18 PM
MS. PARADY turned to slide 8 and said many Alaskan schools face
transportation issues. Alaskan children deserve safe and
reliable transportation to and from school. She noted that the
per-student amount provided to districts by the state has
remained the same since 2016, causing school districts to shift
funding from the classroom to transportation. Transportation is
one of the fastest-rising categories for inflation. From April
2022 to April 2023, costs rose 20 percent.
3:41:38 PM
MS. PARADY moved to slide 9 and said Alaska saw a consumer price
index increase of almost 8 percent over the past year. Flat
funding education causes districts to fill in the gaps of
increased costs to utilities, insurance, transportation,
deferred maintenance, shipping costs, and supplies. Money
appropriated for public schools with flat funding will not
stretch as far as it did in prior years. She said Alaskan
schools used to do more with less, but now less is being done
with less because costs have escalated beyond the control of
schools.
3:42:20 PM
MS. PARADY moved to slide 10 and said early notification and
stable funding are crucial to the sound financial management of
schools. To be good stewards, school administrators need timely,
reliable, and predictable funding. The national teacher shortage
makes it particularly crucial because administrators need to be
able to retain and recruit teachers. Alaska is experiencing the
greatest shortage of staff in its history. The crisis is at
every level of the K-12 education system, from services to
educators and administrators. In 2017, a study by the Institute
of Social and Economic Research (ISER) found that the cost to
Alaska's school districts to replace a teacher is over $20,000.
A RAND study in 2019 reported that replacing a principal was
$75,000.
3:45:11 PM
MS. PARADY turned to slide 11 and stated that since 2014, there
had been almost a complete turnover of the superintendents in
Alaska. Frequent turnover of superintendents, principals, and
teachers created instability in Alaska's school system. She
encouraged members to consider what the outcome would be if a
business were experiencing the same turnover of its management
and staff. Educators are in the business of educating students.
A school district is generally among the top three employers in
a community. School districts need to be stable to improve
student achievement. However, there were almost 400 teacher
vacancies on the first day of school in FY 23. Finding teachers
is a struggle in every content area, not just special education.
3:47:53 PM
MS. PARADY stated that the turnover of school principals also
hurts school budgets and deeply affects students. A school
leadership study by the Wallace Foundation reported that a solid
principal positively influences school culture and the
instruction quality of the whole system of teachers. According
to the American Journal of Education, when principal turnover
occurs, students achieve less in math and reading during the
first year after leader turnover. Schools that experience
principal churn year after year realize serious cumulative
adverse effects on students. The condition is exasperated by
schools serving underprivileged students. She stated that
Alaska's schools are in a perpetual state of uncertainty.
Unpredictable funding leads to district uncertainty which leads
to instability and ultimately impacts instruction negatively.
3:49:25 PM
MS. PARADY turned to slide 14 and said that through an ASCA
survey, its superintendent members were asked what percentage
the BSA should increase to compensate for years of flat funding.
The response was that a percent increase between 14 - 18 percent
is needed to balance current budgets. One district in Alaska
experienced a 46 percent increase in fuel costs, a 38 percent
increase in utilities, and a 20 percent increase in classroom
supplies. Another superintendent commented that FY 24 would be
the first increase to the BSA since 2017, and that increase is
to fund the Reads Act. However, it does not adequately cover
implementation costs. A comment from another superintendent said
Alaska would continue to lose high-quality teachers since
teacher funding is not competitive. ASCA is willing to share the
survey. Alaska can end the cycle of uncertainty that school
districts face by inflation-proofing the BSA. Doing so will
improve teacher recruitment and retention and ultimately improve
student outcomes.
3:52:02 PM
MS. PARADY said she hoped that the presented information and
solutions would help create good policies for Alaska.
3:53:04 PM
SENATOR STEVENS referred to slide 7 and asked that Ms. Parady
expound on triggers to the BSA.
3:53:18 PM
MS. PARADY replied that there had been discussion about
establishing a statutory trigger, such as the legislature acting
on the education budget by a date certain or an agreed-upon
metric to adjust for inflation.
3:54:12 PM
SENATOR STEVENS said the majority caucus is very interested in
education funding and ensuring funds are used as intended. He
asked if she could comment on the idea of establishing funding
criteria.
3:54:41 PM
MS. PARADY said educators are open to accountability and would
be agreeable to guardrails. Education's foundation is cracking,
and an increase in the BSA would shore up current underfunding;
it would not provide extra. The graph on slide 7 shows that an
increase is long overdue. She said making suitable triggers
needs further thought. The bottom line is that educators have
been problem-solving. They worked through the pandemic without
additions to the BSA. Teacher support is urgently needed.
Conversations about greater accountability can occur once
education's foundation is made whole. School districts can have
greater accountability once stabilized. The system can self-
right if Alaska continues to do good work in early education,
best practices, and career and technical education (CTE).
Educators are not asking for whip cream on top of the pie. They
are asking for the crust and filling.
3:58:03 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN reiterated that inflation costs require a 16
percent increase in the budget. An increase in the BSA between
14 - 18 percent makes up for inflation and allows school
districts to continue their current level of function. However,
over the past 10 years, education has seen cuts to CTE, world
languages, counseling services, librarians, nurses, lunch
programs, janitorial staff, and other programs. These programs
are why students are willing to get up and go to school.
Increasing the BSA to 16 percent will stop the bleeding.
However, Alaska's schools need an investment significantly
higher than 16 percent to return to where they were 10 years
ago.
3:59:57 PM
MS. PARADY stated she agreed with Senator Bjorkman's comment.
Alaska's students need to be competitive. It is a myth that
Alaska has the highest BSA in the country. It will take
significant investment to restore Alaska's schools. A forward
focus on filling the workforce's needs can begin once Alaska
restores its schools. Alaska's workforce is down by 20 percent
in most sectors. Members of ACSA want to be cutting-edge and
focus on pedagogy and design because student achievement is its
highest priority. Stabilized school districts are needed to do
this. A mechanism should be put in place to inflation-proof
school budgets. Educators were front-line heroes in helping
students, parents, and the community through the pandemic. They
pivoted on short notice to continue serving students with no
playbook. Some teachers gave students paper packets, and others
provided virtual education. Teachers did what was needed to keep
kids safe and educated. Now they need support to make education
healthy and stay current.
4:02:34 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN asked Ms. Parady to speak to the impact teacher
vacancies have on students' opportunities and outcomes.
4:03:01 PM
MS. PARADY said educators know that not having a teacher in the
classroom impacts student learning. Commendation goes to
paraprofessionals, office staff, principals, and superintendents
covering classes that do not have teachers. Still, expertise and
appropriate services are lost when a classroom does not have a
permanent teacher. Lack of recruitment is not the reason for
teacher vacancies. Alaska no longer draws teachers from the
Lower 48 because it does not offer a competitive retirement and
benefits package and salary. The University of Alaska is aware
of the need for teachers and is working to increase the number
of in-state teachers. Also, the marine simulator in Ketchikan is
impressive. Alaska should funnel its students into the workforce
experiences and programs offered within the state.
4:06:37 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked where in Alaska teacher vacancies located.
exist. The impact of a teacher vacancy in a small school differs
from a teacher vacancy in a larger school.
4:06:54 PM
MS. PARADY stated her belief that teacher vacancies exist across
the state. She will investigate it further and share the
information with the committee.
4:07:29 PM
SENATOR STEVENS stated he had seen a chart showing Alaska having
the highest BSA spending. However, it did not take into
consideration the cost of living. He said he would like a chart
depicting Alaska's state ranking with the cost of living
considered. He said Alaska is somewhere in the middle, not the
top.
^PRESENTATION COALITION FOR EDUCATION EQUITY
PRESENTATION
COALITION FOR EDUCATION EQUITY
4:08:20 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of the presentation
Coalition for Education Equity by Executive Director Sarah
Sledge from the Coalition for Education Equity of Alaska.
4:08:35 PM
SARA SLEDGE, Executive Director, Coalition for Education Equity,
Anchorage, Alaska, stated that some of the information in her
presentation might be repetitive of Ms. Parady's presentation.
She turned to slide 2 and said the Coalition for Education
Equity (CEE) is a member-based, statewide nonprofit organization
representing Alaska school districts, organizations, and
individuals concerned about the quality and breadth of
educational opportunities available to Alaska's children. The
organization, formerly known as Citizens for the Educational
Advancement of Alaska's Children, was founded in 1996. It
litigated and successfully settled both the Kasayulie and Moore
lawsuits. These landmark education court cases continue to guide
the coalition's work.
4:09:44 PM
MS. SLEDGE turned to slide 3 and said she was asked to present
what is needed to support education in Alaska adequately. CEE
membership has identified adequate investment in public
education, addressing the staffing shortage, and significant
investment in school construction and major maintenance as the
most urgent priorities for education. Coalition for Education
Equity believes that a successful education system is essential
to having a thriving state. There have been thorough articles in
Alaska's news that have detailed the impact of the budget
squeeze on schools. Continued flat funding is not in the best
interests of a successful education system and is damaging
Alaska's education structure.
4:10:41 PM
MS. SLEDGE said current education funding levels are
insufficient. Most school districts have been preparing for and
are already experiencing a significant budget deficit. Historic
40-year high inflation has resulted in rising costs in all
areas. She turned to slide 4, which provides examples of fixed
cost increases experienced by three Alaskan school districts.
She focused on the cost of new construction and stated it was up
20 percent. School districts receiving the Alaska construction
grant program currently in the building process need more funds
to complete their projects because bids were made in FY 19 and
FY 20 when materials were 20 percent cheaper. All school
districts are facing increased costs:
[Original punctuation provided.]
District cost increases FY22 to FY23
•Fuel: up 46%
•Utilities: up 38%
•Cost of new construction: up approximately 20%
•Travel: up 40% •Supply costs: up 10- 20%
•Insurance: up 26%
District cost increases FY17 to FY23
Total cost increase of 21% from FY17 to FY23
•Maintenance costs: up 12%
•Electricity: up 45%
•Heating fuel: down 3%
•Liability insurance: up 61%
•Health insurance: up 30%
•Workers Comp: up 48%
District cost increases FY21 to FY22
•FY21- Oil purchase to keep our facilities heated-
$569,870
•FY22- Oil purchase to keep our facilities heated-
$870,900
•Electricity costs increased by an estimated 30%.
•No carry over funds in our CIP account
4:12:11 PM
MS. SLEDGE added that school districts put money into carry-over
accounts to cover unexpected costs. However, some Alaska school
districts have had to use reserve funds to cover fixed costs and
no longer have funds in reserve. One Alaska school district
reported a shortfall between $600,000 - $700,000 in its budget.
Another school district reported an $800,000 - $1 million
shortfall since the last BSA increase in 2017. From 2011 to
2022, the BSA has increased only 4.29 percent, while Alaska's
urban consumer price index has risen by 24.6 percent.
MS. SLEDGE said rising costs and budget shortfalls impact
multiple aspects of education in Alaska, such as:
• Fuel and energy costs.
• Facilities maintenance and repair.
• Capital improvements.
• Teacher housing.
• Insurance premiums.
• Funding for teacher and other staff salaries.
MS. SLEDGE stated funding shortfalls affect the ability of
school districts to provide counselors, nurses, special
education aides, arts and sporting programs, and career and
technical education for Alaska's children. Additionally, budget
uncertainty and late decision-making mean schools cannot plan
effectively and efficiently, which results in lost purchasing
power, increased fuel and maintenance costs and teacher
turnover.
4:14:08 PM
MS. SLEDGE turned to slide 5 and asked the legislature and
administration to ensure the following for public schools:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Stable, sustainable, and predictable education budget
• Education funding decisions made in a timely manner
that enables school districts to plan efficiently and
responsibly
• A fiscal plan with diversified revenue to ensure
education funding sources are reliable and adequate
• Increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) to close
the funding gap created by inflation
MS. SLEDGE stated that education funding directly impacts the
ability to hire and retain teachers. It affects salaries and
other factors associated with teacher satisfaction, such as
available instructional resources and support staff, building
conditions, and housing.
4:15:25 PM
MS. SLEGE turned to slide 7 and said recruiting and retaining
quality educators has a significant impact on student outcomes.
The highest teacher turnover often occurs in the highest need
schools. Virtually every CEE school district member has reported
that it is becoming nearly impossible to fill all their teacher
vacancies. Stability for principals and superintendents has also
become volatile, which influences overall institutional
stability.
MS. SLEDGE shared an anecdote from one school district to
demonstrate the effect of staff vacancy:
We currently have three certified vacancies - one
elementary teacher, one SPED teacher, and one
administrator (middle/high assistant principal). To
address the elementary teacher vacancy, we had to
collapse three classes into two; both class sizes are
now larger than optimal. The SPED teacher vacancy is
being addressed by the two other SPED teachers taking
on additional caseload responsibilities with stipend
pay, and our SPED director is spending a part of the
day providing services to our pre-K and homebound
students, as well as picking up IEP writing
responsibilities for some students. The administrator
vacancy has played havoc with our discipline system at
the middle/high school, exacerbated when we also lost
our behavior specialist for about a month. Our
principal is brand-new and has not been able to do
some of the key work with instructional coaching,
relationship building with staff, parents and
students, and our out of school suspension rate at the
beginning of the year was very high, as we had no
place to put students for ISS. We have finally managed
to hire a new assistant principal who is coming on
board in a week, but there has been a lot of fallout
in terms of staff morale, the principal's self-
efficacy, etc.
4:17:13 PM
MS. SLEDGE
We have also had to cut several positions over the
last few years due to flat funding, and the expiration
of COVID funding, including our elementary school
counselor (for next year), our music teacher at the
elementary school, and the behavior specialist
position at the elementary school. This puts a lot
more strain on the administrators to support students
in a time when mental health issues are rising. Arts
and music are also a crucial part of student
education, so cutting those impacts both our students,
and our community at large which looks forward to
student performances each year.
We have seen a large amount of turnover in classified
positions - continue to struggle to hire special
education paraprofessionals, custodians, and the
substitute shortage is REAL. We've had to shut down
our high school twice and do remote learning days
because we had too many staff out and not enough subs
to have any safe way to hold school.
4:18:03 PM
MS. SLEDGE advanced to slide 8 slide and said teacher housing is
an increasingly prevalent issue for school districts on and off
the road system. Appropriate housing is unavailable in some
villages and unaffordable for teachers in urban areas due to
high housing costs. There is a continued issue with the teacher
retirement system, which is one of the top cited factors
affecting teacher turnover. Compounding these other issues is
the ongoing concern around the lack of perceived value of and
respect for educators, education as a profession, and the state
public education system.
4:18:56 PM
MS. SLEDGE turned to slide 9 and stated that school facilities
need assistance. Between 2015 and 2022, schools requested 1,047
major maintenance projects. Only 114 projects have received
funding. Although the FY 23 budget included funding to backfill
a severe backlog of Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA)
construction, major maintenance, and school bond debt
reimbursement, the number of projects currently on the major
maintenance list is ninety-seven which totals $217.6 million.
Many school facilities remain in serious disrepair, resulting in
unsafe, unhealthy environments for children and school staff.
Material costs are skyrocketing, contractors are scarce and
expensive, and routine maintenance has become challenging.
4:19:59 PM
MS. SLEDGE said the capital improvement project (CIP)
application process is thorough and ensures school capital
projects are needed, well planned, and are a good use of state
funding. However, depending on the scope of the project, this
process can cost school districts between $2000 - $100,000 to
prepare for and submit. Getting design teams to rural village
schools for assessments and cost estimates can be especially
expensive. Many school districts use outside assistance to help
them put grant application packets together, ranging from $2,500
to $10,000, depending on the number of projects. In addition to
this initial cost, there is an ongoing cost to reapply for
project funding. The cost to resubmit can be $8,000 every two
years. There are also costs associated with maintenance and
making temporary repairs while waiting for major maintenance to
be done. These are lost funds to school districts because
problems are not solved.
MS. SLEDGE shared slides 11 and 12 and said maintenance issues
when not addressed lead to more damage. The school pictured in
the slides was built in 1979 and has never been renovated. The
roof is damaged and leaks. Repairs are done each summer but last
only one season. The foundation is deteriorating due to moisture
in the soil. The weight of the building is causing the school to
sink. The building is re-leveled every year. Water from the
leaking roof flows through the walls to the foundation. The
moisture in the walls causes windows to break due to warping.
The bowing walls and pressure from the sinking building causes
the main power box to rip off the building in high winds.
4:24:04 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if the state is in compliance with the
Kasayulie and Moore lawsuits or if it has put itself at risk.
MS. SLEDGE replied that funding levels are low enough that
Alaska is dangerously close to not meeting the adequacy
benchmark for student education. Kasayulie school major
maintenance projects are significant across the state, not just
REAA schools. She expressed gratitude that the REAA fund was
made whole last year with appropriations from the legislature.
However, failure to fund would be a violation of the Kasayulie
settlement.
4:25:05 PM
At ease.
^ PRESENTATION LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND SUPPORTING RESOLUTIONS
PRESENTATION
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND SUPPORTING RESOLUTIONS
4:26:15 PM
CHAIR TOBIN reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of the presentation Legislative Priorities and
Supporting Resolutions by the Association of Alaska School
Board's Executive Director, Lon Garrison.
4:26:29 PM
LON GARRISON, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School
Boards (AASB), Juneau, Alaska, stated the AASB is a nonprofit
association that serves 52 of Alaska's 54 school districts.
Sufficiently funding Alaska's public education system is a
necessity and moral responsibility. AASB's Board of Directors
has adopted three legislative priorities for 2023:
• Sufficient, sustainable, and predictable education
funding
• Retention and recruitment of teachers, administrators,
and staff
• Student wellness and safety
MR. GARRISON stated he would focus on sufficient education
funding, which is a critical factor affecting the retention and
recruitment of staff as well as the safety and wellness of
students. Under Article 7, Section 1 of Alaska's Constitution,
the state has statutorily fulfilled its responsibility to fund a
public education system. However, for over a decade, it has yet
to sufficiently invest the resources necessary to ensure every
student receives an excellent education daily. The AASB
membership has resolved that the base student allocation (BSA)
increase should be at least $860. The amount was determined by
an analysis done by the Anchorage School District based on the
difference between the current FY 23 BSA of $5,930 and an
estimated inflation-adjusted value of $6,820, using the consumer
price index urban Alaska rate, compounded over the past six
years. The BSA needs to keep up with inflation because the
state's ability to provide quality education is being damaged.
4:29:22 PM
MR. GARRISON said further comparison of the BSA to inflation
shows that the BSA increased by $250 in 10 years or 4.29
percent. The cumulative inflation for that same period was 24.6
percent. AASB strongly advocates for statutorily inflation-
proofing the BSA. Underfunding of Alaska's public education
through the BSA is a chronic issue. One-time discretionary funds
previously provided to schools outside the BSA do not lead to
the stability and predictability of a statutory increase in the
BSA. AASB resolution 2.5 addresses inflation-proofed base
student allocation investments.
4:30:45 PM
MR. GARRISON said that the schools are impacted by how the state
governs. School boards by statute must establish, approve, and
implement balanced budgets each year. School board members are
tasked with governing their districts and allocating funds to
execute an educational plan for all public-school students. It
is a highly complex task. Schools have had to reduce staffing,
eliminate programs, curtail extracurricular activities, and
diminish many programs supporting student learning to adhere to
the statute.
4:31:54 PM
MR. GARRISON said that Alaska's school boards have no taxing
authority. They rely solely on state and federal government
revenue and, in some areas, a local contribution to fund
education. Each year school board members and education
advocates appeal for education funding to provide an excellent
education for every student every day. Over the past year,
school board members and superintendents across the state have
faced tremendous strain on their budgets. Operational costs have
increased, putting pressure on the operating revenue necessary
to employ a full school system, and student achievement has
suffered due to a lack of necessary support. Inflated fuel costs
have been difficult for schools off the road system. The US
Energy Information Administration reported in March 2022 that
the summer heating fuel costs for unsubsidized rural Alaska
communities were 26 percent higher than the Winter 2021 average.
Many locations reported fuel prices higher than $7 per gallon.
The cost of heating school buildings and transporting goods
impacts the funding available to hire teachers and support
personnel. For example, one superintendent of a remote district
noted that for every $100 of materials purchased, an allocation
of $200 would be needed for freight charges.
4:34:29 PM
MR. GARRISON opined that the uncertain nature of the annual
legislative appropriation for education funding as part of the
state's general fund budget, and the potential executive vetoes,
continually creates uncertainty that makes it challenging to
sustain a maintenance of effort (MOE) effectively and
efficiently. School boards and superintendents continually must
decide whether to reduce staff, eliminate programs, or cut
services. Locally elected school boards have served Alaska well
but depend on legislative support. AASB strongly encourages an
increase to the BSA by not less than $860 as a way of further
supporting Alaska's public school system and Alaska's future.
MR. GARRISON added that school boards have also experienced a
lot of member turnover due to stress from the pandemic and
reduced funding. Part of the reason for turnover comes from
making tough decisions when resources are scarce, and
communities push back. Continual turnover in leadership creates
instability. He stated that he agreed with Governor Dunleavy's
State of the State address to focus on moving the state forward.
However, he disagreed with the statement that educators measure
student success by the amount spent on education.
MR. GARRISON asserted that educators measure success by students
receiving diplomas, entering post-secondary education, and
creating a life for themselves better than they imagined. People
must discontinue the false narrative that spending and investing
in students is a measurement of success.
4:38:08 PM
MR. GARRISON said legislators should consider decoupling
education funding from the general fund budget. The state should
seek innovative ways of creating an opportunity to fund Alaska's
public education system that does not dramatically impact its
operating budget. Today, the permanent fund funds state
operations for the coming year. He questioned why Alaska could
not establish a similar process for education. He recalled
former Governor Cooper's attempt to change funding for
education.
4:39:36 PM
SENATOR STEVENS stated that school board members did not
appreciate the attacks they received for creating mask and
vaccination policies. He stated his belief that COVID had much
to do with current leadership instability. He asked for Mr.
Garrison's opinion on leadership instability due to COVID.
4:40:09 PM
MR. GARRISON stated he did see pressure placed on school boards
due to COVID. Local control allowed each school board to make
decisions for its community. Larger areas, such as Anchorage,
experienced many trials due to the diversity of its population.
Although school board experiences varied, it was a challenging
task for all school boards and districts. AASB has seen a lot of
turnover and is working to educate people on how to become a
board member and its duties.
4:41:27 PM
SENATOR STEVENS said school board members should not have been
abused.
4:41:33 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said she agreed with Senator Stevens comment.
^PRESENTATION BE A HERO FOR ALASKA STUDENTS
PRESENTATION
BE A HERO FOR ALASKA STUDENTS
4:41:42 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of the presentation Be a
Hero for Alaska Students, by NEA Alaska President Tom Klaameyer.
4:41:54 PM
TOM KLAAMEYER, President, National Education Association (NEA)
Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, said he is proud to testify on behalf
of NEA members.
4:42:40 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to slide 3 and said NEA members are in
classrooms and know that students are struggling. Alaska's
students disproportionately faced challenging situations before
COVID. The pandemic exacerbated already high social, emotional,
and academic trauma levels. According to Institute of Education
Sciences data, the pandemic has taken a dramatic toll on
staffing, student behavior, nutrition, attendance, and mental
health.
4:43:17 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER turned to slide 4 and stated that statistics from
Alaska Kids Count rank Alaska's students 44th in economic well-
being and 41st in overall well-being. It is a fact that 14
percent of Alaska's students live in poverty, and 32 percent of
students' parents lack secure employment, which is 5 percent
higher than the national average. The report also stated that
their levels of anxiety and depression are up 51.9 percent since
2016. These difficulties are the reality for many of Alaska's
students. School may create an additional challenge for the
students who are already struggling. Now is not the time to cut
support to schools.
4:44:05 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER advanced to slides 6 - 10 and stated that the
headlines on the slides are a small sample of impacts on
education around the state due to flat funding. Schools face
deficits, positions and programs have been cut, and class sizes
are up. Data from the Anchorage School District shows that
student attendance is down, and the number of students who
witnessed or experienced violence in school has increased.
Students cannot learn if they are not attending school. They
cannot reach their potential if they do not feel safe.
4:45:05 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER referred to slides 11 - 12 and said he has heard
from NEA members that the number of open positions in Alaska may
be more than 1,098 because job postings that remain vacant for a
long time are removed. Additionally, the Department of
Education's website shows that since the 2010-11 school year,
1,041 fewer classroom teachers are working in Alaska's schools.
When combined, this means 2,100 fewer adults are working with
kids in school today than ten years ago. On average, the pupil-
to-teacher ratio has gone up 10 percent. This statistic is
alarming because teacher efficacy is the number one factor in
student learning. Flat funding has decimated the most effective
learning support for students.
4:45:11 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to slides 13 - 14 and stated that the
educator turnover rate in Alaska is 22 percent for teachers and
25 percent for principals and superintendents. The percentages
are higher for areas that are off the road system. Published
data on classified staff is limited, but there are school bus
driver and school lunch program staffing issues.
4:46:10 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER turned to slide 15 and said educator turnover
directly affects students and schools. A shortage creates
momentum and a cyclical effect in one area that places an
increased workload in a different area, eventually leading to
more turnover. Sadly, this cycle disproportionately impacts
vulnerable, remote, and Title I school students.
4:47:46 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to slide 16 and shared research from the
Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), demonstrating
a clear connection between teacher turnover and student
outcomes. He stated that having stable, consistent, experienced,
and talented staff builds relationships and nurturing
environments for students. Students' performance in schools with
the lowest teacher turnover is almost twice that of those with
the highest. Other factors contribute to student performance,
but retaining educators must be emphasized. In 2017, hiring and
training a teacher was $20,000 per teacher. Statewide the cost
was $20 million. The cost to replace an administrator was
$75,000. An environment must be created where educators are
respected to avoid these costs. Restoring a defined benefit
retirement option is one of the most effective retention tools
to reverse Alaska's "teach and leave" problem.
4:49:36 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER advanced to slide 19 and thanked Governor Dunleavy
for creating the Alaska Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task
Force. Creating a task force has led to an extensive survey of
certificated educators and an action plan entering its
implementation phase. The public can find information about the
task force on DEED's website.
4:50:00 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER turned to slides 20-23 and said the four factors
most important to certified teachers for retention in Alaska
were salaries, working conditions, connection with students, and
fixing the retirement system. For administrators, the most
important retention factors were retirement and benefits.
Funding schools does not fix retirement. Three of the top eight
solutions for retaining teachers were retirement based. The most
valued solution is a return to a defined benefit retirement
system. Alaska is the only state not offering a defined benefit
to teachers. Teachers participating in the Teachers' Retirement
System (TRS) are denied the safety net of Social Security. TRS's
members who earned Social Security in other jobs before becoming
an educator lose a substantial portion of their social security
benefits due to the government pension offset windfall
elimination provision (GPOWEP). This provision also applies to
employees hired after 2006, even though they will not receive a
pension. He opined that Alaska puts educators at financial risk
at retirement by only offering a defined contribution. This lack
of stability is a massive incentive for teachers to leave
Alaska. The turnover of teachers in Alaska has become so common
that the term "educational tourism" has been coined.
4:52:14 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to slides 24 - 26 and stated that the
Department of Revenue developed a simulation at the request of
the Department of Administration. The simulation determined the
probability of 10,000 Tier III 30-year-career teachers having
enough savings for a 30-year retirement. The study found that 69
percent would likely run out of money early in retirement. He
stated that this percentage is appalling and must be corrected.
4:53:16 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to slide 27 and said increasing and
inflation-proofing the BSA are the first and most urgently
needed actions to address the crisis facing Alaska's students,
families, and schools. He appreciated AASB's determination that
the BSA should be at least $860 per student. It is the minimum
amount that only considers the rise in costs since 2017, when
schools have been flat funded for the last 10 out of 12 years.
The BSA needs to be much higher to do right by students.
4:53:29 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER moved to side 30 and said that people often talk
of tying accountability to an increase in the BSA. Educators
recognize the value of tests and appreciate that testing helps
identify students' abilities and needs. However, a national
standardized test score or any single assessment measure does
not capture the innovative thinking, character, or richness of
academic knowledge. It does not capture students' talents,
abilities, or chances of success in life. A single metric should
not be used to assess an entire school system. He opined that
more must be done to improve student outcomes. Educators should
use assessments to direct instruction, and schools should not be
punished for falling short of expectations. Dentists are not
punished when patients get cavities for failing to follow
advice. They are rewarded for fixing the patients' teeth.
Educators identify an area of need and direct resources to that
need to provide the support that helps students grow.
4:56:28 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER turned to slide 31 and proclaimed that Alaska's
Education Challenge is an excellent example of taking a holistic
policy approach to direct Alaska's school system in using
multiple measures to evaluate progress. The education challenge
uses five positive trajectories that use various metrics to
determine success by 2025. The timeline for achieving the goals
is short, but the Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED) is doing great work. The funding famine is undermining
the ability of school districts to achieve the task force's
goals. The bipartisan READS Act is an excellent start to
providing early learning opportunities for students and
supporting professional development for elementary teachers. The
NEA also looks forward to seeing the progress on tribal
compacting.
4:59:07 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked Mr. Klaameyer whether he had said defined
benefit pensions were the most expensive or the most effective
tool to fix the issue of teacher retention.
4:59:31 PM
MR. KLAAMEYER replied that he had said effective. He noted that
several defined benefit pension models would save the state
money.
4:59:43 PM
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the testifiers for their participation in
the hearing.
5:00:53 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 5:00 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| ACSA Presentation 01.24.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| ACSA 2023 Joint Position Statements 01.24.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| AASB Testimony 01.23.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| AASB 2023 Legislative Priorities 01.19.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB2023 |
| AASB Legislative Priorities and Supporing Resolutions 01.23.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| AASB Priorities with Resolutions 01.23.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| AASB CPI vs BSA 2012 to 2022 01.23.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| ASD BSA vs CPI Comparison 01.23.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Coalition for Education Equity Testimony 01.25.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| CEE presentation to Senate Education 01.25.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |
|
| NEA Alaska Presentation to Senate Education 01.25.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/25/2023 3:30:00 PM |