Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/06/2023 01:00 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Discussion School Funding in Alaska Association of Alaska School Boards Legislative Fly-in | |
| 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
February 6, 2023
1:04 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Senator Forrest Dunbar
Senator Donald Olson
Senator Matt Claman
Senator Bill Wielechowski
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
DISCUSSION: SCHOOL FUNDING IN ALASKA ASSOCIATION OF ALASKA
SCHOOL BOARDS LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
DAVE JOHNSON Board Member
Kodiak Island Borough School District
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
SHANNON JOHNSON, Parent
Lake and Peninsula School District
King Salmon, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
REBECCA HAMON, Board Member
Bristol Bay Borough School District
Naknek, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
FERDINAND SHARP, Board Member
Southwest Region School District
Dillingham Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
JOHN CLOUSE, Board Member
Dillingham City School District
Dillingham, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
FRANK HAUSER, Superintendent
Sitka School District
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
RACHEL UTIC, Student
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
JESSE TYRRELL, Student
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
DANIELLE LEWIS, Teacher
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
SHANE ZOLSIE, Student
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
MIKA BELL, Student
Anchorage School District
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
KELLY LESSENS, Board Member
Anchorage School Board
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
ISABELLA KNESS, Student
Mount Edgecumbe High School
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52 with concerns.
TIM DAUGHARTY, Board Member,
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
DANIELLE WILLIAMS, Board Member
Unalaska City School District
Unalaska, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 24.
EDWARD RICHARDS, Student
Sitka School District
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
DEEDIE SORENSEN, President
Juneau School District
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
KYLIE MORRIS, Student
Juneau School District
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
JEWEL CORBUS, Student
Juneau School District
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
RALPH WATKINS, Superintendent
Chatham School District
Angoon, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52 and SB 56.
IVAN IVAN, Board Member
Yupiit School District
Akiachak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
JAMIE ALING, Student
Yupiit School District
Akiachak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
MOSES OWENS, Chairman
Yupiit School District
Akiachak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
JAMIE ERICKSON, Board Member
Hoonah City School Board
Hoonah, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
NORA SALTONSTALL, Student
Kodiak High School
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
FELIX MYERS, Student
Sitka School District
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
SANDY MARTINSON, President
Nome School Board
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
DOROTHY CALLAHAN, Student Board Member
Nome School Board
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 52.
ETHAN MERCULIEFF, Student
Mt Edgecumbe High School Agency
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 24 with concerns.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:04:43 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 1:04 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Bjorkman, Gray-Jackson, Stevens, Kiehl, and Chair
Tobin.
^DISCUSSION SCHOOL FUNDING IN ALASKA ASSOCIATION OF ALASKA
SCHOOL BOARDS LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN
DISCUSSION:
SCHOOL FUNDING IN ALASKA
ASSOCIATION OF ALASKA SCHOOL BOARDS LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN
1:05:45 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced a special meeting to hear from school
districts and students across Alaska to discuss school funding.
The committee held the meeting in conjunction with the
Legislative Fly-In, which comprised the Leadership Academy and
the Youth Advocacy Institute sponsored by the Association of
Alaska School Boards.
1:07:04 PM
DAVE JOHNSON Board Member, Kodiak Island Borough School
District, Kodiak, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He
provided a brief history of how his family came to Alaska and
stated that when he was a high school student in 1997, none of
his teachers were new to the profession. In contrast, 40 percent
of his children's elementary school teachers have less than two
years of teaching experience. Throughout the Kodiak school
district, one-third of teachers have less than five years of
teaching experience. He opined that low wages and no retirement
benefits cause the district to suffer from educational tourism.
Teachers come to Alaska and leave after five years because they
cannot afford to stay. He said a teaching couple when he was in
high school had a combined annual income of $160,000. The
equivalent, if adjusted for inflation today, would be $355,000,
The turnover of teachers also has a financial impact on the
school district. The Society for Human Resource Management
estimated that the turnover costs were between 50 - 200 percent
of a salaried employee's base salary. He stated he ran for a
seat on the Board of Education because he wanted his children to
have the same opportunities that he had growing up. He expressed
his belief that with his expertise, he would be able to correct
the problems the school district faced by administering funds
correctly. He stated that he had yet to find a way to balance
the school district's $4 million deficit or increase teachers'
salaries. Consumer price indexes have risen 14 percent, while
teachers have received a 2 percent salary increase. During this
same time, the BSA increased by just 0.5 percent. He said the
district had leveraged a grow-your-own program, hired nine
teachers from the Philippines, and cut the discretionary budget
to keep budget growth at zero for the past three years. He
stated he is proud of what the school district has accomplished
but looks forward to when teachers do not have to live with
their parents to afford to live in the community. Alaska's
schools would need a BSA of $7,153 to keep pace with inflation
and provide the same spending as in 2017. He noted that this
increase would not address recruitment and retention or the
mental health and achievement gaps that schools struggle to
close.
1:11:36 PM
NORA SALTONSTALL, Student, Kodiak High School, Kodiak, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. She read the following statement
from the Kodiak High School Student Government:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Rural communities are all too familiar with the
challenges schools face to educate all students with
limited resources. We write to you today to encourage
you to do all in your power to support our Alaskan
students.
Our schools are faced with staffing shortages,
facility challenges, and limited resources. There are
literally no incentives for new teachers to stay nor
come to our state because of the exorbitant cost of
living and inadequate salaries and benefits, and
virtually nonexistent retirement. This constant
revolving door of educators does not provide
consistency in our schools and our students suffer
from this instability.
Districts are being forced to make difficult decisions
regarding curriculum, providing obligatory student
services, building maintenance, utilities, and more.
Living in a rural community, professional development,
sports and activity travel, and training are
inherently more expensive than in urban settings. Our
district does really well leveraging technology to
help with some of these challenges, but as we know
coming out of the pandemic, face to face interactions
are more meaningful and effective.
Some may say "throwing more money at the problem"
isn't the solution. We could agree. However, the thing
is we haven't been "throwing money" and the "problems"
of education, as the BSA hasn't changed since 2017!
Schools are being forced to close statewide.
Please support our schools. Please support our
students. Please support our future.
We thank you for your service to our State. May you
keep in mind the future of our schools through your
continued service.
1:14:22 PM
SHANNON JOHNSON, Parent, Lake and Peninsula School District,
King Salmon, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated
she came with the Bristol Bay, Southwest, and Dillingham school
districts, which comprise the Bristol Bay Regional Career and
Technical Education Program (BBRCTE). Last year the BBRCTE
served over 300 students. Many of the students receive
certifications and college credits. BBRCTE empowers students to
be workforce ready. Dorm space limits participation in the
program. Currently, only 30 percent of applicants can attend.
Funding for the program is primarily through a 3-year federal
grant. However, BBRCTE is looking for ways to be sustainable.
Priorities to grow the BBRCTE program are:
1. Add sustainable funding for the intensive
residential learning program through statewide
funding.
2. Expand and develop dorm facilities through
completion of the half-built BBSD dorm facility.
3. Purchase renovation of a Dillingham dorm facility.
She said the three districts have been accountable and would
appreciate the legislature's support of SB 52.
1:16:45 PM
REBECCA HAMON, Board Member, Bristol Bay Borough School Board,
King Salmon, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated
she is proud to be part of a coalition formed to meet unmet
needs. The community entrusts board members to make decisions
for the benefit of children in the community. The value of
children is more than a test score or headcount; the whole child
should be the community's focus. Fifty-nine percent of adult
women in Alaska have experienced sexual violence. One in three
women and one in four men have experienced physical violence at
home. Eighty-four percent of Native women have experienced
violence during their lifetime. In the Bristol Bay Borough, 25
percent of children have been in foster care within the past
year. Children have been placed in the community by the state,
but no local resources are provided to deal with the foster
population and their needs. Children are placed in the community
and age out of the program without ever receiving counseling.
She stated that teachers are often the only resource these
students have to assist them with their burdens. She said
cutbacks place duties on teachers they are not always equipped
to handle. A special curriculum or test cannot heal layers of
trauma. The state wants students to shine academically but
ignores emotional wounds. She stated her belief that mental
health should be integral to education. Through outside grants,
Bristol Bay Borough School District has a school nurse and two
social and emotional learning coaches. Still, grants are
temporary, so eventually, the school district must find other
funding. She stated some people believe cutting top-heavy
administrative positions is a solution, yet Bristol Bay schools
have just two administrators. SB 52 is a good start to fixing
the issues schools face.
1:21:12 PM
CHAIR TOBIN stated Senator Claman was in attendance.
1:21:17 PM
FERDINAND SHARP, Board Member, Southwest Region School District,
Dillingham Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He opined that
teachers serve the community by educating children, and they
deserve more. He shared an anecdotal story of a grandmother
being an example to her grandson by valuing his work and the
resulting benefit she received.
1:23:47 PM
JOHN CLOUSE, Board Member, Dillingham City School District,
Dillingham, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He stated
that he also appreciates the collaboration of the four districts
and the opportunities it has provided the region's students. A
$1,000 increase to the BSA is a great start to re-establishing
baseline funding to address significant increases to fixed costs
such as utilities, shipping, and insurance. School districts
continue to face cuts to positions and programs to address the
crisis of increased fixed costs. Insurance premiums have risen
10 - 18 percent in the last three years. Shipping costs are 1.5
times the value of the goods shipped. Schools are predicting
student transportation costs will double. The Dillingham school
district cut four positions to achieve a $500,000 cost reduction
only to have it consumed by a $780,000 increase in fuel costs.
He stated the $1,000 increase to the BSA might also allow school
districts to address teacher wages and benefits. He said housing
is another issue the districts face. Six teachers turned down
contracts when they were unable to secure housing.
1:27:25 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON agreed that mental health should be
addressed in schools. She said she hopes the legislature will
pass mental health bills this year.
1:28:12 PM
CHAIR TOBIN stated Senator Wielechowski was in attendance.
1:28:31 PM
FRANK HAUSER, Superintendent, Sitka School District, Sitka,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He stated that the Sitka
school district faces a $2.8 million deficit even with
stabilized enrollment. This amount is more than 12 percent of
the school district's budget.
1:29:01 PM
EDWARD RICHARDS, Student, Sitka School District, Sitka, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. He said he is a mental health
advocate who experienced a challenging time during his first and
second years of high school. He noted that although he was able
to see a therapist and receive help outside of school, many
students are less fortunate. He opined that tragedies would
result without mental health assistance in schools. He stated it
is imperative to increase the BSA.
1:30:10 PM
FELIX MYERS, Student, Sitka School District, Sitka, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. He said that the BSA would need
to be increased by $2,200, adjusting for inflation to 2019, by
$1,700 if changed to 2012, and $1,300 to match 2017. He said
legislators should ask how much education is underfunded rather
than whether education is fully funded. He provided three
reasons why it is essential to address underfunding the BSA:
• Cutting teaching positions leads to a loss of programs for
students, which ultimately hurts Alaska. He opined that
when schools cut special programs, students lose their
passion for school and fail to acquire certifications that
benefit Alaska.
• Alaska's ability to compete for and retain teachers is
minimized because salaries in Alaska are not competitive,
and retirement is the worst in the nation. Furthermore,
housing in Alaska is either not available or unaffordable.
• Mental health programs are not funded, and student-teacher
connections are not made when teachers only stay for 1 or 2
years. Lack of bonding makes it difficult for students to
find needed help and leads to the loss of life.
MR. MYERS opined that schools are in crisis, and if steps are
not taken to correct underfunding of the BSA, Alaska will feel
the effects for decades.
1:34:27 PM
SANDY MARTINSON, President, Nome School Board, Nome, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. She stated that the BSA should
not be increased by less than $1,100. Full and predictable
funding is needed to cover the costs of providing quality
education in rural and urban Alaska. She described similar needs
and concerns that other school districts experience. The
longest-tenured teacher is six years at the high school and 32
years at the elementary school. Increasing the BSA provides a
starting point for future school offerings.
1:36:33 PM
DOROTHY CALLAHAN, Student Board Member, Nome School Board, Nome,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated Nome is
experiencing firsthand the effects of a national teacher
shortage. High teacher turnover negatively affects the school
district's curriculum and extracurricular activities. She
described the impact of losing a music teacher. She opined that
long-term teachers are essential in developing safe school
environments, and it pains her to think that underfunding might
take extracurricular activities away from underclassmen.
1:38:17 PM
MS. MARTINSON added that alumni and the community are
desperately trying to support Nome's school music programs.
1:39:13 PM
RACHEL UTIC, Student, Anchorage School District, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated she is
enrolled in Anchorage Family Partnership Charter School. She
said she watched the school grow and advance in various learning
opportunities over the past ten years. She plans to attend UA's
nursing program and remain in Alaska. She commented that
although her school experience in the Anchorage School District
has been great, many brick-and-mortar schools need more funding
to meet vast needs due to a pandemic, earthquake, and severe
inflation. Teacher retention needs to be better, and there needs
to be more class variety and better execution of existing
classes. She opined that school administrators could properly
plan cost-effective school budgets and improve the quality of
education statewide with funding that compensates for inflation.
1:40:38 PM
JESSE TYRRELL, Student, Anchorage School District, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He named the various
programs that helped him discover his passion for politics and
recognized that other programs have helped fellow students find
their passions. He opined that the legislature threatens these
passions and Alaska's competitiveness if it does not raise the
BSA. He was in fourth grade the last time the legislature
increased the BSA. He urged increasing the BSA and keeping
Alaska a state that encourages the future.
1:41:47 PM
DANIELLE LEWIS, Teacher, Anchorage School District, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She said she had been a
Tier II Anchorage School District teacher for 23 years. She
graduated from East High School in Anchorage in 1996. She stated
that she is an example of what investing in teachers looks like
and that teachers are worth the investment because they will
serve for many years. She expressed her desire for younger
colleagues to have similar opportunities.
1:43:04 PM
SHANE ZOLSIE, Student, Anchorage School District, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52 and spoke about how world
language classes have impacted his life. He opined that not
offering world language courses in Alaska is a mistake because
of the state's cultural diversity. He stated that the US lags
behind other countries on a global scale.
1:45:00 PM
MIKA BELL, Student, Anchorage School District, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated she was in
fourth grade when the BSA was last increased and is now in tenth
grade. She said primary and secondary education is about
exploration, self-discovery, and preparing to contribute to
society. Extracurricular activities assist in preparing students
for the future. She listed the many activities she participates
in, stating math is her favorite subject. She said she has heard
that a core math class may be cut from her school's curriculum
and urged legislators not to look at the budget crisis with a
reductionist mindset. She questioned the purpose of students
working hard and scoring high on standardized tests if they are
not supported. She stated that if society invests in students,
students will be a return on the investment.
1:47:51 PM
KELLY LESSENS, Board Member, Anchorage School Board, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated that the
Anchorage School Board is prepared to present a balanced budget
as an action item on February 21, 2023. This occurred through
the judicious use of a $16 million one-time rainy day savings
account, remaining federal funds, and a substantial fund balance
due to hundreds of positions that went unfilled in the Anchorage
school system. Typically, 150 - 200 vacancies are across all
positions in any given year. However, this year the vacancies
have been 400 - 450, which means schools that do not have
cafeteria managers receive subpar lunches that children do not
like and are sometimes moldy. She said there are 58 unfilled
custodial positions across the district. A teacher informed her
that there were classrooms that had not been vacuumed since
August, and a substitute teacher told her about rats passing in
front of a class as they waited for a custodian to arrive to
clean up vomit in the classroom. Schools are often considered
reliable places for meals and stability for disadvantaged
families. Providing foundational elements is essential to
learning and producing future leaders. She urged the legislature
to contemplate the path forward and what adequate funding really
looks like.
1:52:28 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN asked how many teaching positions the Anchorage
school district would need to cut to balance its budget if it
did not have savings.
MS. LESSENS replied that for the upcoming school year, Anchorage
is raising its pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) by one across the K-12
system. That saves the district $7.3 million and equals
approximately 60 teaching positions. She stated the school
district has tried to avoid raising the PTR for years and
allocated $56.2 million of federal relief funds to maintain it
for this year. She stated 99 percent of ASD classrooms are above
an evidence-based class size. ASD has 37 elementary classrooms
that have greater than 30 students. After the expiration of
federal funds and savings, ASD will no longer be able to
maintain levels of classroom service.
1:54:39 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN asked what ASD's total budget deficit is this
year.
1:54:45 PM
MS. LESSENS replied that the estimated deficit before using
savings and relief funds was $60 million. She said the following
are the predicted deficits for the next three years if the BSA
is unaltered:
FY 24-25 $78 - 85 million
FY 25-26 $91 - 105 million
FY 27 $104 - 125 million
1:56:29 PM
ISABELLA KNESS, Student, Mt Edgecumbe High School Agency, Sitka,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 24 with concerns. She said
she is from False Pass in the Aleutians East School District but
has attended Mount Edgecumbe Boarding School for three years.
She stated high rates of substance abuse, poor education, sexual
assault, and domestic violence exist in her hometown and other
small communities. These issues and an extreme lack of emotional
support from teachers and staff have led to a high rate of
depression among students. She opined that mental health needs
to be of more concern in schools. She has been diagnosed with
bipolar II disorder and ADHD. Alaska ranks second in the nation
for suicide. She stated she is aware of four students who
attempted suicide. Schools should address mental health as part
of a decent education. She said she supports SB 24, but it
should be amended. She opined that mental health support could
be life-saving to youth and should not be considered a luxury.
Alaska cannot afford to lose more lives. She urged the
legislature to give students hope for a better tomorrow.
1:59:04 PM
ETHAN MERCULIEFF, Student, Mt. Edgecumbe High School Agency,
Sitka, Alaska, testified in support of SB 24 with concerns for
stronger language in defining mental health guidelines and
mental health education. He stated his desire for an amended SB
24 stems from his experience with depression. Nationally every
27.7 seconds, someone attempts suicide, which equals 11 people
in five minutes that are someone's children, siblings, and
friends. SB 24 is a step towards taking action but is far from
what is needed to correct the state and federal crisis.
2:00:46 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON invited the students to her office to
discuss their ideas.
2:01:51 PM
TIM DAUGHARTY, Board Member, Kenai Peninsula Borough School
District, Soldotna, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52 and
shared how he became a teacher in Alaska when schools were well
maintained, students received a quality education, and salaries
attracted the best teachers. He realized he did not experience
discipline problems in exploratory and vocational education
classes. He was allowed to teach whatever subjects interested
the students. The learning environment and school climate were
unmatched. No child left behind changed the focus of education
to high-stakes testing, and the education climate in the school
diminished. He opined that to understand Alaska education, a
person needs to have spent quality time living in the Bush. He
shared an anecdotal story of a student that slept in a doghouse
and only received food from school. He opined that "no one size
will ever fit all" regarding the needs of urban and rural
students in Alaska. He stated that he speaks openly and honestly
as a school board member without fear of retribution. His
children teach outside of Alaska because he cannot, in good
faith, encourage young people to pursue an education career in
Alaska. He opined that the state had squandered incredible
amounts of money in education on valueless items. He supports
increasing the BSA and creating a long-term plan to achieve
educational stability. He opined that it is time to repair
community schools, take care of teachers, fund real-world
interest-promoting classes, grow our own teachers, and remember
schools become safe when people, place, and funding become
consistent.
2:09:01 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN asked what things were being done in education
10 - 20 years ago that are not available to students now.
2:09:33 PM
MR. DAUGHARTY replied that exploratory classes were open to
students and the community. There were extracurricular
activities such as music, debate, and sports. Schools no longer
offer courses that grip students' attention, so students do not
want to attend school. He recalled a former student who
remembered that he taught her how to read a ruler, which was
math taught in a woodshop class.
2:10:45 PM
DEEDIE SORENSEN, President, Board of Education, Juneau, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. She stated she is a retired
schoolteacher who has submitted written testimony and would like
the committee to hear from two students.
2:11:23 PM
KYLIE MORRIS, Student, Juneau Borough School District, Juneau,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She described being happy
living with her family despite poor living conditions because
the family was together and had food to eat. That changed when
her mother lost her job, the family was evicted, and they had
had no money for food. She said this situation is like Alaska's
school system because the state has stopped funding what
matters, and schools need money to meet basic needs. Society
tells students that they are the future of Alaska, but she
questioned how students are to create a beautiful future without
quality education.
2:13:47 PM
JEWEL CORBUS, Student, Juneau Borough School District, Juneau,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She described
participating in various activities. She stated that the
legislature had not increased the BSA since 2017, and the
opportunities available to her are different from her older
siblings. Schools have had to cut programs and support services.
There are fewer teachers handling classes with a greater number
of students. As a member of the student government, she said she
hears complaints from students about the loss of programs. She
urged the legislature to fund schools because students have lost
interest in having an education that does not provide what they
need and want.
2:15:33 PM
DANIELLE WILLIAMS, Board Member, Unalaska City School District,
Unalaska, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She said that a
one-way flight from Dutch Harbor to Anchorage costs between $675
- $900, teacher housing is limited, and there are few rentals.
School District insurance has increased by $483,000, and energy
has increased by $283,000. After a $213,000 supplemental
increase outside of the BSA last year, the school district debt
for these two items was $553,000. The district still needs to
cover salary increases and shipping and supply costs. The school
district estimates it will cost $800,000 to cover energy and
insurance costs in FY 24. She stated that the school district
worries that Unalaska will lose teachers, staff, and families
without increased funding.
2:17:30 PM
RALPH WATKINS, Superintendent, Chatham School District, Angoon,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52 and SB 56. He said he came
to Alaska with his family ten years ago to be an administrator.
One of the factors in deciding to move to Alaska was an
education system comparable to other states. He has worked hard
as an administrator to hire quality teachers and fully supports
increasing the BSA. However, he said he would like to speak to
SB 56 as his daughter and son attend the University of Alaska
(UA). He said his son was in a car accident and suffered a
traumatic brain injury. SB 56 realigns how the UA performance
scholarship is used. The UA performance scholarship is a tool
that helps Alaska's students gain access to college and
vocational training. The time limit for the student's use of the
funds is four years. SB 56 would lengthen that time to six
years. Students do not always complete college in four years for
various reasons. SB 56 would provide extra time to get a degree.
The students that have testified are proof that Alaska's schools
are amazing. Legislators, teachers, staff, and administrators
are all working to ensure Alaska's students have a quality
education.
2:22:28 PM
IVAN IVAN, Board Member, Regional School Board, Yupiit School
District, Akiachak, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He
stated that the Yuupiit School District's methods of travel are
riverboats in the summer and snow machines and airplanes in
winter. Spring and fall are tough times to travel. Living in
rural areas off-the-road system is more expensive. He said the
administrators do their best to cover costs with the available
funding and that there will be hidden costs in achieving the
mandates in the Reads Act. Teachers are already overworked, and
their time will be taken away from students. He asked the
legislature to take another look at the Reads Act and make it
easier to manage financially and administratively. The school
district will ask for community support in implementing the
Reads Act, but additional funding would be appreciated.
2:28:45 PM
JAMIE ALING, Student, Yupiit School District, Akiachak, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 52. She stated she represents the
students of Tuluksak, Alaska.
2:29:18 PM
MOSES OWENS, Chairman, Regional School Board, Yupiit School
District, Akiachak, Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. He
stated the Yupiit School District serves the communities of
Akiachak, Akiak, and Tuluksak. The schools are rural with a high
cost of living. He said 90,000 gallons of fuel cost $436,000.
Money is needed to light and heat schools for the students.
Chartering a plane from Akiak to Bethel for student activities
costs $460 one way. Funding is also necessary to recruit and
retain qualified teachers. Without additional funds, the
district cannot provide teachers with wage and cost of living
increases. The Yupiit School District must offer competitive
salaries and housing or it loses teachers to other school
districts. He said it scares him when he sees that Alaska's
teachers have the lowest pay in the nation. He expressed
appreciation to the legislature for introducing and hearing SB
52 and allowing the school district to follow a subsistence
calendar so they could continue hunting and gathering food.
2:36:25 PM
JAMIE ERICKSON, Board Member, Hoonah City School Board, Hoonah,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 52. She stated that she is a
single parent of a 12-year-old son. She grew up in Hoonah when
schools were fully staffed with great teachers. The shortest
tenured teacher was fifteen years. Hoonah was among the top
rural schools in Southeast Alaska. The school is now short-
staffed and needs custodial staff, substitutes,
paraprofessionals, and certified teachers. The school needs more
than five certified teachers and anticipates losing four more.
When fully staffed, the school has eleven teachers. Passing SB
52 would provide funds to hire teachers, stop teacher burnout,
bring back elective courses like auto shop, and assist with
teacher housing. Lack of funds inhibits bonding between
teachers, students, and staff. She agreed that having resources
and counselors available is critical to inform and assist
students with the various types of abuse and mental health
issues they face.
2:41:11 PM
CHAIR TOBIN thanked the students, teachers, and board members
for their testimonies.
2:41:52 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 2:41 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 52 Testimony - Kodiak High School students 02.06.2023.pdf |
SEDC 2/6/2023 1:00:00 PM |
SB 52 |