Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/07/2024 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: School Choice for Alaska's Students | |
| Presentation: Aleutian Region School District Models | |
| Presentation: Yukon-koyukuk School District Education Models | |
| Presentation: Fireweed Academy | |
| Presentation: Idea Homeschool Program | |
| Presentation: the Nations Charter Report Card | |
| 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 7, 2024
3:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: SCHOOL CHOICE FOR ALASKA'S STUDENTS
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: ALEUTIAN REGION SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION MODELS
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: YUKON-KOYUKUK SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION MODELS
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: FIREWEED ACADEMY
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: IDEA HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: THE NATIONS CHARTER REPORT CARD
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
NORM WOOTEN, Advocacy Director
Association of Alaska School Boards
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on School Choice for
Alaska's Students.
MICHAEL HANLEY, Superintendent
Aleutian Region Schools.
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on Aleutian Region
School District Education Models.
SCOTT MACMANUS, Director
Grants and Special Projects
Yukon-Koyukuk School District
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on Yukon-Koyukuk
School District Models.
TODD HINDMAN, Presenter
Fireweed Academy
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on Fireweed Academy.
DEAN O'DELL, Director
IDEA Homeschool Program
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation on the IDEA
Homeschool Program.
PAUL PETERSON, Professor
Public Policy
Harvard University Professor
Cambridge Massachusetts
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a presentation The Nations Charter
Report Card.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:33:30 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:33 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Kiehl, Gray-Jackson, Bjorkman, and Chair Tobin.
CHAIR TOBIN stated that the meeting's agenda would focus on the
different education models used by Alaska's public schools.
^Presentation: School Choice for Alaska's Students
PRESENTATION:
SCHOOL CHOICE FOR ALASKA'S STUDENTS
3:35:16 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation School
Choice for Alaska's Students.
3:36:10 PM
At ease
3:38:51 PM
CHAIR TOBIN reconvened the meeting and asked Mr. Wooten to begin
his presentation.
3:39:15 PM
NORM WOOTEN, Advocacy Director, Association of Alaska School
Boards, Kodiak, Alaska, introduced himself and began his
presentation on School Choice for Alaska's Students.
3:39:37 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slide 2 stated the Association of Alaska
School Boards has always understood that the first and best
teachers are parents. Parental choice is important across the
state. He said he would discuss the following types of
educational choices:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Alaska Families Enjoy a
Wide Variety of School Choice
• Traditional "Brick & Mortar" Neighborhood Schools
• Correspondence Programs
• Charter Schools
• Residential Schools
• Home Schools
3:40:29 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slide 3 and mentioned two types of schools
in Alaska and that schools in Alaska have vast differences:
[Original punctuation provided.]
The Uniqueness
of Alaskan Schools
The system is made up of 54 school districts divided
into two types:
• 34 city & borough school districts
• 19 Rural Education Attendance Areas (REAA's)
Alaska's schools have
vast differences
• Anchorage School District 50,000 students & 300
teachers
• Aleutian Region School District 12 students and 2
teachers
• Pelican School District 12 students and 2
teachers
MR. WOOTEN stated that the main difference between the two types
of schools is municipalities have a tax base and must make a
required local contribution (RLC). On the other hand, Rural
Education Attendance Areas (REAAs) do not have a tax base and
education costs are the state's responsibility.
3:41:45 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slide 4 which shows a map of Alaska and
described traditional brick and mortar schools across Alaska:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Traditional "Brick & Mortar" Schools
• 502 separate schools in 54 school districts
• 131,600 students
• North Slope School District to Annette Island
School District
• Aleutian Region School District to Alaska Gateway
School District
MR. WOOTEN added that most of Alaska's school districts are
larger than many states. Kodiak Island Borough School District
is about the size of West Virgina, and the North Slope School
District is about the size of Montana.
3:43:15 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slide 5 and mentioned the following points
about correspondence programs in Alaska:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Correspondence Programs
• 1st correspondence program was a territorial
program begun in 1939.
• 35 programs in 16 districts exist today.
• Alaska Statute (2002) allows a state centralized
program as well as those operated by local school
districts.
• Learning plans, allotments to families are
allowable (non-sectarian).
• General oversight provided by DEED.
• Partisan/sectarian/ denominational prohibited.
• Funded through the BSA at 90 percent of BSA.
• Very popular with Home School families.
3:44:41 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slides 6 - 7 and discussed charter schools
in Alaska:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Charter Schools
• Alaska's charter school bill enacted 1995.
• 2001 amendment increased allowable numbers from 30 to
60 extended length of charter from 5 yrs to 10 yrs
dropped geographical restrictions.
• 2010 amendment removed restriction on number of
allowable charters.
• 2014 amendment clarified rental of district space to
charters limited indirect rate to 4 percent.
• Charter school funding is determined the same way as
traditional schools through the BSA.
• Charter schools are public schools, chartered by local
school districts.
• Governed by an Academic Policy Committee under the
general oversight of the local school board.
• Charter school staff are district employees although
hiring latitude is common within each charter.
• 31 charters exist in Palmer, Anchorage, Fairbanks,
Kenai, North Pole, Wasilla, Bethel, Eagle River, Nome,
Homer, Juneau, Soldotna, Ketchikan, Utqiagvik, and
Hooper Bay.
3:47:51 PM
MR. WOOTEN moved to slides 8-10 and spoke about Residential
Boarding Schools:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Residential Boarding Schools
• 1st boarding school was in Sitka in 1878 & operated by
Presbyterian missionaries.
• Unfortunately, the story of Alaska's boarding schools
is a sordid tale that did unspeakable harm to many of
our citizens.
• Sadly the early boarding schools motive was to
detribalize our indigenous citizens and assimilate
them into Euro-American culture.
• By the late 20th century most of these schools had
closed.
• School districts with approved residential boarding
schools may be reimbursed with a per-pupil stipend to
assist in with operational costs. The district must
provide appropriate dormitories, food service & daily
access to a public school.
• Residential school construction costs allow
cities/boroughs/municipalities to apply for funding
through bond debt reimbursement. However, there is a
moratorium on new construction through 2025.
• In addition to the state operated Mt. Edgecumbe
residential program, there are 7 district operated
district residential schools.
• Galena Interior Learning Academy
• Kuskokwim Learning Academy (Bethel)
• Nenana Living Center
• Northwestern Alaska Career & Technical Center (Nome)
• Ready Academy (Bethel)
• Star of the Northwest Magnet School (Kotzebue)
• Voyage to Excellence (Chugach Anchorage)
• Mt. Edgecumbe (Sitka)
3:50:13 PM
MR. WOOTON moved to slide 11 - 13 and discussed the following
points about homeschooling formats in Alaska:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Home School
Alaska's Homeschooling Formats:
• Parents may contact their local school district
and select correspondence programs that the
district has designed or supports.
• Each district correspondence program and student
funding allotment will vary.
• Parents aren't limited to district correspondence
programs. They may select a recognized statewide
correspondence program that is sponsored by
another school district in Alaska.
• Statewide programs are similar to the local
school district option, except that parents will
contact a school district in which they are not a
residence. Statewide correspondence programs and
the student funding allotment will vary.
3:51:18 PM
• Parents may also elect to participate in the
centralized option, which has evolved into the AK
Virtual School. This statewide program provides a
virtual classroom environment for students across
Alaska. Some school districts have opted out of
participating in the AK Virtual School, but
parents in those school districts may still
choose to have their children participate in the
program.
• For more information, visit Alaska Statewide
Correspondence Schools or contact Donald Enoch,
Education Administrator II (907) 465-2972.
3:52:05 PM
MR. WOOTEN shared that his granddaughter participated in the
Galena program. He stated he served on the Kodiak Island Borough
School District Board for 30 years, and the board reached out to
work with homeschool programs, which was a benefit to the
schools and students. School choice is alive and well in Alaska
and is willingly embraced by the public school system.
3:53:38 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked if homeschool programs receive money
from the state.
MR. WOOTEN replied that if they participate in a correspondence
program, most school districts offer a stipend to all students
to purchase materials, such as books and computers.
3:54:32 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON clarified that homeschool programs receive
funding for correspondence materials, but they do not receive a
BSA contribution.
3:54:46 PM
MR. WOOTEN replied that is correct.
3:54:54 PM
SENATOR KIEHL noted that Alaska is not a mandatory enrollment
state. Alaska students can attend private schools and families
in Alaska can homeschool without public programs, which receives
no funding. He stated his family has used the full spectrum of
options except private school. He thanked Mr. Wooten for
focusing on the public options that are paid for by citizens.
^Presentation: Aleutian Region School District Models
PRESENTATION:
ALEUTIAN REGION SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION MODELS
3:56:03 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation on
Aleutian Region Schools and introduced Mr. Hanley.
3:56:30 PM
MICHAEL HANLEY, Superintendent, Aleutian Region Schools,
Anchorage, Alaska, introduced himself and stated the Aleutian
Region School District is one of the smallest school districts
in Alaska and is the furthest out on the Aleutian chain. The
district recently received permission to reopen the Nikolski
school after being closed for 12 years.
MR. HANLEY said the opportunities he had to serve at both the
classroom level, sitting beside students, and at the state level
have shown him the importance of personal interactions with
children, families, and the community, as well as having a
system that ensures all 54 of Alaska's districts work towards a
common goal. That goal is for Alaska's kids to be prepared with
the necessary skills for further education and jobs when they
graduate, keeping every door of opportunity open. He appreciated
that Mr. Wooten highlighted the public-school options recognized
in statute.
MR. HANLEY stated the state's role is to set parameters,
guidelines, and expectations for what kids need when they
graduate, accomplished through setting educational standards. As
commissioner, he noted that while many students were reported
proficient in basic skills, they often required remedial courses
in university. In response, new higher standards were adopted in
2014 to aim for higher levels of proficiency necessary for
success. He emphasized that the state supports districts by
providing guidelines but allows them to determine how best to
meet these standards.
4:00:03 PM
MR. HANLEY highlighted the flexibility in Alaska's educational
system, noting the existence of variable-term residential
schools where students can attend 2 4-week intensive courses
not offered at their home school. He mentioned other
performance-based models in use, where age does not dictate
grade level, allowing students to learn at their appropriate
skill levels. For example, in Chugiak, a student graduated with
both a diploma and an associate degree, while another received a
diploma and a pilot's license.
MR. HANLEY described various school models, including four-day
weeks and subsistence calendars, which meet the state
requirement of 170 student days within a 180-day school year. He
explained that Anchorage has 37 alternative schools and eight
charter schools, each focusing on specific needs and interests,
such as the ABC School with rigorous expectations, an open
optional model, Montessori, Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math (STEM), Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math
(STEAM), and multiple language immersion schools.
4:04:24 PM
MR. HANLEY noted that these programs are successful, and data
supports their effectiveness. However, he cautioned against
trying to make all schools like charter schools, as each one is
unique and specialized. He said the Harvard study that shows
Alaska's success with charter schools shouldn't be used to
promote the idea that one size fits all. Each district knows its
community best and offers tailored programs to meet specific
needs. He said that in his tiny district, the focus is on
individualized education, akin to homeschooling with a certified
teacher, to best serve the small student population.
4:06:26 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked what category of school are
Specialized Academic Vocational Education (SAVE) schools 1 and
2.
MR. HANLEY replied that the SAVE schools in Anchorage are
alternative schools.
4:07:09 PM
CHAIR TOBIN asked Mr. Hanley for his thoughts on consolidating
school districts to save administrative costs and potentially
put more money into the classroom.
4:07:37 PM
MR. HANLEY replied that, speaking objectively and without
concern for job security, consolidation offers minimal financial
benefit and significant drawbacks. His district already operates
with minimal administrative costs. Consolidating with a distant
district like Lake and Peninsula could save some money but would
result in losing local school board members and their influence,
distancing decision-making from the students. He said experience
when they lost ADAC last year makes him questioned the overall
benefit of consolidation given these costs.
^Presentation: Yukon-Koyukuk School District Education Models
PRESENTATION:
YUKON-KOYUKUK SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION MODELS
4:10:03 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation Yukon-
Koyuku School District Education Models.
4:10:31 PM
SCOTT MACMANUS, Director, Grants and Special Projects, Yukon-
Koyukuk School District, Fairbanks, Alaska, said he was asked to
talk about his personal experience with the models of education
that are available in Alaska. He described his education in
Alaska as a child and as an adult, and then went on to describe
his work history as a teacher. He has strived to complete tasks
efficiently and effectively and his experience in education has
informed him of what works and why. He said Alaskans have a
broad selection of opportunities to meet their educational needs
and listed the options. Alaska's education system is highly
flexible, and students can achieve associate degrees or a pilot
license while still in high school. This flexibility is
necessary because no single model addresses the varied needs of
students. Core skills, like those learned in the military, are
different from academic skills, which require a different
learning model. Governor Dunleavy's Alaska Education Challenge
provided him guidance through COVID, school closures, and the
design of remote delivery systems. While village schools are not
the same, there are some similarities. As a child, most of the
children in the village spoke Yupik as their first language. In
his lifetime, this has changed, and the purpose of rural schools
has shifted from supporting a nomadic, subsistence-based economy
to providing skills for jobs.
4:15:29 PM
MR. MACMANUS said he and the students he grew up with were from
low-income families. Although some of these students have died
from suicide and drug abuse, others have become successful in
their careers. Village schools use multi-level instruction, and
schools are the center of the community.
4:16:29 PM
MR. MACMANUS said there are many homeschool programs but
basically two types. First, there are unmonitored homeschool
programs where the parent is the teacher. Many of these
homeschool students do not take assessments because it is not
required, so their effectiveness is unknown. The students who do
test do well, but the results are anecdotal. At Alaska Gateway
School District (AGSD), approximately 90 percent of
correspondence students in the REACH program did not test, and
at Yukon-Koyukuk School District (YKSD), approximately 70
percent did not test. Homeschool programs are also required to
file for financial education services even though they do not
receive funds, which is an added burden. Facilitated homeschool
programs are different. They are hybrid programs where students
are required to check in daily, receive teacher support, take
assessments, and have peer interaction. The hybrid program
emerged during COVID, and students in the program are
successful.
4:18:00 PM
MR. MACMANUS said the Harvard study on Alaska's charter schools
was done five years ago and only addressed grades 4-8. He is
excited that Alaska's charter students lead in education and is
interested to know why they are successful.
4:18:20 PM
MR. MACMANUS said Alaska has a successful language immersion
school in Bethel with 100 percent teacher retention over the
last five years. Only 5.3 percent of the students are in special
education. Parents must apply for enrollment and participate in
the school, and class sizes are limited to 20 students. Schools
with these types of benefits do well. By comparison, Tok has 18
percent of enrolled students in special education, and YKSD has
25 percent. He opined that these percentages change outcomes.
4:19:03 PM
MR. MACMANUS addressed district consolidation, stating it is
promoted as a cost-saving measure, but he does not see how it
will save money unless there is a change to the Base Student
Allocation (BSA). Studies indicate that a loss of local control
will result in negative student performance. He opined that he
does not see how it will save even five cents and believes it
will increase the complexity of how students are served. He said
the key question is what works because education excellence is
what Alaskans want. Educational excellence is simple but hard to
achieve because it requires a stable team of excellent teachers,
involved and committed parents who believe in the value of
education, and sufficient resources for schools. However, both
the country and state denigrate teachers, which discourages
people from entering the profession. The damage from this is
greater than realized.
4:20:10 PM
MR. MACMANUS stated Alaskan children are not lazy and will work
for something that interests them. He remarked that it is easier
to tear something down than to build it up. The education system
has become politicized and weaponized by individuals dedicated
to undermining it. He opined that it is important to maintain
local control and adjust where needed. Simply asking for more
money is not the answer. Creating more accountability measures
for administrators and schools is unnecessary because they are
already accountable to parents, school boards, state
legislators, and the state education system.
CHAIR TOBIN noticed Mr. Macmanus's new title as Director of
Grants and Special Projects. She asked what auditing
requirements he must adhere to and provide to the federal and
state government.
4:21:45 PM
MR. MACMANUS replied there are about 20 different federal and
state funding sources. Currently, monitoring is taking place for
Tanana as it becomes part of Yukon-Koyukuk School District
(YKSD). Monitoring is extensive, and he has spent over a month
addressing questions on parent communication, teacher
qualifications, funding, and procurement. Every school district
undergoes a comprehensive fiscal audit, including tests of
various funds, reviews of retirement system payments, and all
large payments. Preparing for the audit takes an entire business
office three months while continuing daily work and one
exclusive week to answer auditors' questions. Grant audits
differ as they involve a close examination of individual
purchases and ensuring money was correctly spent.
^Presentation: Fireweed Academy
PRESENTATION:
FIREWEED ACADEMY
4:23:54 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation
Fireweed Academy.
4:24:40 PM
TODD HINDMAN, Presenter, Fireweed Academy, Homer, Alaska, said
he is a recently retired principal. He gave a description of his
33-year work history in education at schools of choice. He
provided information based on his experience working in schools
of choice within the public school system and shared his
opinions about proposed changes to charter schools in the state.
He stated his belief that the success of schools relies on the
collaboration of staff, supportive parents, and students. He
emphasized that everyone must have a say in the process to
achieve the school's goals, which fosters a sense of ownership
and responsibility. He has observed that shared responsibility
among students, parents, teachers, support professionals, and
administrators leads to better problem-solving, and a strong
school culture based on local needs.
MR. HINDMAN highlighted that Alaska's charter schools are
unique, established by parents, teachers, and community members
across the state, each with a specialized educational focus. He
suggested that the Alaska legislature can support charter
schools by providing a localized, flexible, and responsive
system with meaningful oversight and resources. He noted that
the process of authorizing charter schools is crucial for their
success and that having authorizers based in the same community
as the schools is best practice.
4:27:42 PM
MR. HINDMAN cited the National Conference of State Legislatures
(NCSL) as stating that while school districts were initially the
main authorizers of charter schools in the U.S., other entities
were later allowed to increase the number of charter schools.
The NCSL determined that the quantity of charter schools did not
affect the quality of education that charter schools provided.
In addition, states that saw the largest increase in charter
schools also experienced increased rates of charter school
failures. He argued that limiting authorizers to local school
districts is not a barrier to charter school development and
that financial support and suitable facilities are more
significant factors.
4:27:48 PM
MR. HINDMAN discussed the roles of various authorizers,
including institutions of higher learning and state boards of
education, noting their limitations in supporting K-12 schools
effectively. He emphasized that local school districts are the
best suited to authorize charter schools because of their
experience with day-to-day operations, ability to provide timely
assistance, and understanding of the local community. Local
districts make up 90 percent of authorizers. Outside authorizers
may hinder community trust and local control.
4:31:54 PM
MR. HINDMAN stressed the importance of local control in public
education, which is a fundamental belief in Alaska and the U.S.
He stated his belief that those closest to the schools are best
suited to determine their needs. Charter schools in Alaska
thrive on this philosophy, given autonomy to make decisions
about academic focus, instruction, staffing, leadership, and
daily operations. Local control is the greatest strength of
Alaska's charter school system.
4:32:58 PM
CHAIR TOBIN asked why one of Alaska's most successful charter
schools has had very low teacher turnover.
4:33:16 PM
MR. HINDMAN replied that teacher turnover in any school is a
major concern. He said that having lived in Nome for 17 years he
witnessed the impact of high turnover in rural Alaska. New
teachers often do not know the students, instructional
philosophies, or curriculums well. Schools must spend money and
time on training, and new teachers are not as effective
initially. He stated that he was fortunate to work in a school
in Nome where the staff remained consistent for most of his
tenure. When staff members work together over time, they
understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, collaborate
effectively, and build strong relationships with students,
enhancing their education.
^Presentation: IDEA Homeschool Program
PRESENTATION:
IDEA HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM
4:34:28 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation IDEA
Homeschool Program. IDEA is the longest operating and largest
homeschool program in Alaska.
4:34:50 PM
DEAN O'DELL, Director, IDEA Homeschool Program, Anchorage,
Alaska, said the Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA)
Homeschool Program is part of the Galena City School District,
is accredited through Cognia, and is a school of universal
support.
4:35:29 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 2 and said IDEA is a school of choice
but we are a public school which means that we have open
enrollment year-round. Some homeschool programs are charters,
but most are public schools. IDEA serves more than 7,300
students in Alaska, currently in 111 communities. IDEA has six
regional offices, two extension offices and two business offices
in Fairbanks and Galena:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Service to Alaska
IDEA is a public school, and a school of choice.
IDEA serves approx. 7,300 students living in 111
communities, and we do so from six regions and 10
offices including two business offices in Fairbanks
and Galena.
Region A/GA Anchorage
Including rural communities with an Anchorage hub
• Region ER Eagle River
• Region F/GF Fairbanks
Including rural communities with a Fairbanks hub
• Region K/GK Kenai Peninsula, with an extension
office in Anchor Point.
Including Kodiak, Seward, Homer
• Region MS Wasilla, with an extension office in
Palmer
• Region SE Juneau
Including rural southeast communities
4:36:01 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 3, which provided IDEA's core values
and purpose. He said the general information about homeschooling
that he shares will be tied to IDEA's program policies and
offerings and may not always represent every program.
4:36:32 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 4 and stated that IDEA was created by
homeschoolers for homeschoolers and honors parents as the most
important teacher a student will ever have. IDEA believes that
regardless of whether children are homeschooled, individualized
education is the goal of every educational model. Homeschooling
is perhaps the most unique opportunity to meet a student's
individual needs. Building relationships is at the core of IDEA.
Relationships are needed to learn about the students and their
families and to build open lines of communication. Families know
their students best, but IDEA can contribute to that formative
data in new ways. IDEA builds a toolkit of curriculum resources,
instructional strategies, and interventions with families to
help them discover their own educational goals and achieve them.
He said one of the reasons more families are homeschooling is
that student socialization is no longer seen as an issue. IDEA's
calendars are full of clubs, groups, and activities. IDEA works
to develop learning communities in its offices, remotely, and
virtually. The success of IDEA's students takes many forms.
4:38:11 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 5 and discussed enrollment criteria at
IDEA:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Enrollment criteria (simplified):
• Physically present in Alaska and able to
homeschool.
• Requires a minimum number of classes, type of
classes and 'fundable' classes.
• Faith-based courses can be done for credit but
cannot be counted toward fundable enrollment
criteria: State funds cannot be used for
sectarian materials.
4:38:44 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 6 and said the following are
requirements to remain in the program:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Ongoing requirement (simplified):
• Families must be willing to communicate and
collaborate with certified staff.
• An individual learning plan (ILP) documenting
required enrollment criteria and other classes
must be created in that collaboration.
• Quarterly samples and semesterly grades must be
reviewed in that collaboration.
4:39:35 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 7 and discussed family allotments:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Allotment purchases (simplified):
• Purchases must be tied to the established
learning plan, must not conflict with regulation,
and must abide by policies that IDEA has
established as 'not excessive' and 'appropriate'.
• Allotments are monitored through our Family
Allotment System Tracker (FAST) electronic
system.
• Regulation requires that materials be returned to
IDEA if they are not consumable or otherwise
depreciated.
4:40:16 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 8 and said IDEA always strives to go
beyond what is required in support of services to families. She
stated the following is a partial list of services. Parent
advisory committees play a key role in IDEA's continuous
improvement:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Service to Alaska
IN EACH OF OUR REGIONAL FACILITIES, WE PROVIDE:
• Certified Contact Teachers and private meeting
spaces
• Libraries, curriculum resource rooms and Resource
Room Coordinators
• Public spaces for clubs, activities and
educational community events.
• A series of Curriculum Fairs that draw curriculum
providers from across the nation.
• Tech departments and tech support
• Field Representatives to support enrollment,
advocacy and event planning
• Parent Advisory Committees
• Classified staff (receptionists, coaches
clerical, and/or administrative) to support
general needs, student records and ordering
• Certified Special Education Teachers, and special
education services: Consultation on interventions
and tools; evaluations by school psychologists;
speech/language pathologists; occupational
therapies; arrangements for physical therapies
and counseling
• Site Administrators
• Allotment, equipment
• & more
4:41:03 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 9 and 10 and stated special education
is a significant responsibility that IDEA takes seriously:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Special Education
Like all public schools, IDEA must live into the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and
provide a free and appropriate public education.
IDEA Homeschool serves
• Over 500 special needs students (2023- 2024)
Put in perspective
• Of the 54 school districts in Alaska:
• 31 of those districts have a total enrollment
(regular and special education) of fewer than
500 students. (Most recent data published by
DEED, 2022-2023)
The number of special needs students in IDEA is
greater than the total enrollment for many individual
school districts in Alaska.
IDEA HOMESCHOOL PROVIDES:
• Certified Special Education Staffto develop IEPs
(together with parents and other certified staff)
and to provide ongoing consultation,
interventions, tools and support
• School psychologists
• Speech/language pathologists
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapy
• Mental health services
• Classified special education record keepers
• Significant ongoing support from our regular
education certified and classified staff
4:42:05 PM
MR. O'DELL moved to slide 11 and discussed post-secondary
opportunities and success as part of IDEA's strategic planning
goals:
IDEA supports the post-secondary goals of all
students!
College bound students can begin university courses in
high school, and they have access to a wide range of
college prep opportunities as well as IDEA created
post-secondary planning and workshops.
Career and vocational students have access to a wide
variety of curriculum, as well as a growing number of
partnerships in trades, apprenticeships, welding,
industrial training, aviation, carpentry, video
production, emergency services? and more!
Counseling, SEL, and general mental health support
Non-competitive clubs, groups and activities
Competitive clubs
Individualized success through individualized
education
2022-2023 IDEA State Champions!
Pentathlon
Lightbotics (Robotics)
Gadget Girls (Robotics)
Battle of the Books grs. 5/6
2022-2023 IDEA State 2nd Place!
Academic Decathlon
Battle of the Books high school
Battle of the Books grs. 3/4
Hungry Robots (Robotics)
MR. O'DELL opined that it is only a matter of time before IDEA
students beat every school in the country in one or more of the
competitive groups because they place well at nationals.
4:43:57 PM
MR. O'DELL said success looks different depending on the child.
The flexibility of homeschool provides students the opportunity
to follow their dreams. He referred members to the appendix
[IDEA: Measuring Success One Story at A time!] for examples of
student's success stories.
4:45:09 PM
MR. O'DELL expressed gratitude for the students and families
that IDEA serves and for colleagues in traditional residential
schools and alternative programs, because education is never
one-size-fits-all.
4:45:24 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the testing rate among Alaska
homeschool students and ideas for improving data collection,
noting that the statewide rate is much lower than IDEA's rate.
He mentioned hearing once that if a person walked into the
Department of Education claiming two-thirds of homeschool kids
do not know how to read, the department wouldn't have data to
prove otherwise. He asked what could be done to increase these
rates.
4:46:06 PM
MR. O'DELL admitted there are challenges. He noted that the most
recent testing rate with AK STAR has been 15 percent. Before the
change to AK STAR, the rate was initially 15 percent when
parents could opt out, which grew to 30 percent. He mentioned
the hope of reaching 40 to 50 percent or higher because parents
find value in the data. He said maintaining consistency in the
test and addressing the delays in score reporting would be
beneficial because parents struggle to see the value in data
when they can't trust or predict the timing of results.
4:47:40 PM
SENATOR KIEHL derailed train of thought.
4:47:53 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said Mr. O'Dell could send additional suggestions to
the committee in writing.
^Presentation: The Nations Charter Report Card
PRESENTATION:
THE NATIONS CHARTER REPORT CARD
4:48:04 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of a presentation, The
Nations Charter Report Card and introduced Mr. Peterson.
4:48:34 PM
PAUL PETERSON, Professor, Public Policy, Harvard University
Professor, Cambridge Massachusetts, moved to slide 2 said he
directs the program on education, policy, and governance. He
conducted a study of charter schools in the United States using
data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP), also known as The Nation's Report Card. Set up initially
in 1969 and greatly expanded in 1990, NAEP has provided high-
quality data on student performance in math and reading since
2000. Every two years, representative samples of students in
each state are tested, with other subjects tested less
frequently. Sample school districts and charter schools are
expected to participate. Although NAEP was not specifically
designed to evaluate charter schools, it has collected a
representative sample of charter school students over time. This
data allows for an analysis of states with high-performing
charter schools and those with lower performance.
4:50:05 PM
MR. PETERSON moved slide 3 and said his research looked at the
results from 24 of surveys. He stated that they combined them
into a total of 145,000 tests nationwide, with Alaska having
2,430 tests, which is sizable enough to draw reasonable
conclusions. Peterson mentioned that a good poll typically needs
1,000 students.
4:50:39 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 4 and said the study adjusted for
the background of the students to compare similar students from
different states. Adjustments were made for students' ethnicity,
gender, grade, eligibility for free and reduced lunch, location
(urban or rural), special education status, English Language
Learner status, computer availability at home, number of books
at home, and parental education. These adjustments aim to put
the students on a common scale.
4:51:09 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 5 and said the students were ranked
based on their scores from 2009 to 2019. He emphasized that
high-quality data has not been available since 2019 and that
post-COVID data for this analysis is still unavailable. He
clarified that the study compares charter schools to one another
across the country, not charter schools to district schools. The
analysis examines whether schools in one state perform better
than those in another, measured in standard deviations. Peterson
noted that one standard deviation equals four years of learning,
so 0.3 standard deviations represent a little more than one
year's worth of learning.
4:52:09 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 6 and stated the study has some
limitations. He noted that trends over time cannot be traced,
there is no information about virtual charter schools, and only
fourth and eighth grade data is available. Peterson mentioned
that the study does not include high schools and that the data
ends in 2019.
4:52:29 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 7 and said he and other charter
school researchers were surprised to find that Alaska has the
highest student performance in the country. Alaska's charter
school students outperform those in Colorado, Massachusetts, New
York, New Jersey, and Florida, all known for strong performance
in this sector. The difference between Alaska and the average
charter school student in the United States is equivalent to one
year's worth of learning. If compared to Tennessee, the
difference in learning is two years. Peterson noted that not all
charter schools are alike. He concluded that Alaska has a
constellation of effective charter schools or at least high-
performing students in those schools.
4:53:54 PM
SENATOR KIEHL noted that the standard deviation for these tests
is presented in terms of points on the website. He mentioned
that a third of a standard deviation for fourth-grade reading
equates to 13 points on a 500-point scale, which corresponds to
a year of learning. He asked if, on average, a fifth grader
would score 13 points higher in reading than a fourth grader on
a 500-point scale.
4:54:27 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that he did not have the point scale on
hand. He estimated that a standard deviation in points is
approximately 32 points but was not certain.
4:54:43 PM
SENATOR KIEHL observed that the tests are normed by years and
asked if the tests are given in years other than fourth and
eighth grade.
MR. PETERSON replied that the tests are administered in fourth,
eighth, and twelfth grades. However, twelfth grade was not
included in the study due to an insufficient number of twelfth-
grade charter school students. He stated that a fourth-grade
student would score one standard deviation below an eighth-grade
student on the eighth-grade test and vice versa. He explained
that if an eighth grader took the fourth-grade test, the eighth
grader would perform four years of learning better than the
fourth grader. He clarified that one standard deviation higher
is equivalent to four years of learning.
4:55:42 PM
SENATOR KIEHL said he would take a closer look at how the test
is devised.
MR. PETERSON said he would provide a written explanation to the
committee.
4:55:52 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 8, a chart comparing state charter
and public-school rankings. He noted the chart was created by
the Urban Institute based on National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) results. He explained that not all states are
included because some do not have charter schools or have too
few charter schools for statistical analysis. Among the 35
states compared, Alaska ranks first for charter schools and last
for public schools. He highlighted this as remarkable since
states usually have similar rankings for both public and charter
schools, citing Massachusetts and Colorado as examples of high
performance in both categories.
4:57:23 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 9 and stated that Alaska ranks
number one only after making background adjustments, such as
eligibility for free and reduced lunch. Using raw scores, Alaska
ranks seventh.
4:58:21 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 10, a chart showing the ranking of
states on adjusted fourth and eighth grade performances of
charter students in math. He said that in math Alaska charter
students did a lot better than Massachusetts and Colorado
charter students.
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 11, which displayed a chart ranking
states on adjusted fourth and eighth grade performances of
charter students in math and reading. He noted that in reading,
Alaska charter students ranked third, with scores slightly below
New Hampshire and Colorado but slightly above Massachusetts. He
added that when reading and math scores are combined, Alaska
ranks number one due to the high math scores.
4:58:51 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 12, which displayed a chart ranking
states on adjusted fourth and eighth grade performances of
lower-income charter students. He stated that the study also
analyzed findings based on income, determined by a student's
eligibility for free and reduced lunch. He highlighted that
lower-income Alaska charter school students ranked first.
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 13 and said the chart shows that
higher-income charter school students in Alaska ranked third. He
stated this data suggests that Alaska charter schools are
effectively serving students across the socioeconomic spectrum.
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 14 and noted that the population of
White charter students in Alaska was large enough to compare
against other states. When this comparison was done, Alaska
charter students ranked third. This indicates that Alaska's high
ranking is not solely due to White students, as the overall
ranking rises to first when all students are included. He
mentioned that Indigenous students make up the second largest
population of charter students in Alaska, at approximately 17
percent of the NAEP sample. He affirmed that although the sizes
of this and other groups are too small for statistical
comparisons against other states, the data does not suggest that
charter schools are more effective for White students. In fact,
the data implies that charter schools are more effective for
non-White students.
5:00:27 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slides 15 - 16 and said Alaska ranked
first for both urban and rural classifications. Alaska generally
performs well statewide.
5:01:07 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slides 17 - 18 and said both boys and
girls do well in Alaska's charter schools.
5:01:17 PM
MR. PETERSON said that it is reasonable to say that the findings
from the National Assessment of Educational Progress are quite
consistent. Alaska's charter sector shows consistency in all
domains and does remarkably well compared to charter schools
elsewhere.
5:01:45 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 19 and discussed additional findings
from the study:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Additional findings
• Charters authorized by state agencies (board or
department) outperform charters authorized by
other entities
• Charters authorized by higher education
institutions show lower performances
• Standalone and for-profit charters do not perform
as well as those in nonprofit charter school
networks
• Specialized charters outperform those with
generic objectives
• No effects of funding level, or the percentage of
charter students in state
5:05:19 PM
MR. PETERSON moved to slide 20 and concluded with the following
points:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Take-aways
• Charter student performance varies widely by
state even after adjusting for student
background.
• Alaska stands first in overall rankings and for
many subgroups.
• Alaska stands first in math and third (tied for
second) in reading performances
• Charter performance is highest in schools
authorized by state agency.
• Student performance is higher at specialized
charter schools.
5:05:37 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN inquired about the sample size of students
taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
test. Based on his experience teaching middle school, he
observed that a very small group of students, if any, took the
NAEP test each semester. [Referring to slide 3 of the
presentation,] he noted that Alaska's ranking is based on 24
NAEP surveys over a 10-year period, involving 2,430 Alaska
charter students. He asked if this means that 243 students were
tested annually, with a sample size of 121 students per
semester.
MR. PETERSON replied that the test is administered every two
years, not every semester. He clarified that there are 24 waves
of tests, including fourth and eighth grades, and covering
reading and math. He emphasized that conclusions should not be
drawn from any single test. However, when combining
representative samples over an 11-year period with 24 different
surveys and ensuring the sample sizes are representative of the
population, it is reasonable to conclude there are enough
observations to draw a conclusion.
5:07:35 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN replied that according to his quick calculation
that would be 61 kids per test taken.
MR. PETERSON replied no conclusions should be drawn based on one
test.
5:07:46 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN agreed but asked if the study is based on [61]
students taking each test per grade.
5:07:54 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that he does not know the exact number of
students per test, but the combined total number of tests taken
by students was 2,400. He explained that the study is not broken
out by year to show growth over time to avoid drawing
conclusions based on a single test. Instead, the study examines
results over time to determine the overall performance level.
5:08:25 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said statewide NAEP is unable to make assumptions on
black students in Alaska because the sample size is too small.
She therefore found it curious that the study by Mr. Peterson
could draw conclusions about students of color in Alaska
attending charter schools.
5:08:56 PM
SENATOR KIEHL noted that there are about 30 charter schools in
Alaska. He asked what assurance exists that charter school
administrators are not selectively sending Ivy League-bound
students to take the NAEP assessment.
5:09:33 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that state proficiency tests, administered
and required by No Child Left Behind and subsequent legislation,
test every student, making each classroom's results and teacher
performance estimable from the data. Schools are held
accountable for student performance, which raises concerns about
data manipulation to appear more favorable. He noted that
cheating has occurred in cities like Atlanta and Chicago,
indicating efforts to manipulate test performance are a known
issue with high-stakes tests. State testing regimens are high-
stakes tests, whereas NAEP is a low-stakes test, with student
identities kept anonymous. This anonymity makes it difficult to
access and analyze specific data. The Department of Education
has ensured that no information is leaked that could identify
individuals. Because NAEP is a low-stakes test, it is unlikely
that administrators would selectively send only high-performing
students to take the test.
5:11:27 PM
SENATOR KIEHL [indiscernible]
5:11:33 PM
CHAIR TOBIN mentioned that she looked for the data used in the
charter school study and found that it is restricted. She
questioned how the study could be replicated.
5:11:57 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that the data is available to qualified
researchers. Anyone can replicate the study, if they are willing
to go through a long-complicated process to obtain the data.
5:12:17 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said she might go through that process as she is
going through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process for
another study. She noted that Mr. Peterson's report referenced
data from a 2003 report by Caroline Hoxby, which had sparked a
significant academic debate regarding its efficacy. She
expressed concern about Mr. Peterson referencing that data and
questioned how members can trust the accuracy of the presented
data.
5:12:49 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that his study did not rely on Ms. Hoxby's
work. He referenced the 2003 data to highlight the limited
research on Alaska's charter schools. He stated he had no
comment on the quality of that study. He questioned whether
members trust the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) to obtain a representative sample of students, given
their 75 years of expertise. He emphasized that he would not
have conducted the study if he did not believe in the
government's capacity to perform this task effectively.
MS. TOBIN responded that she looks forward to knowing when NAEP
would be able to quantify folks like her.
5:14:08 PM
SENATOR KIEHL remarked that a cynic might suggest maintaining
the status quo. However, he acknowledged people have significant
interest in expanding and replicating successful models. He
referred to a potential cause for success mentioned in the
presentationauthorizers. He noted that the presentation pointed
out state agencies as authorizers lead to greater success, but
in Alaska, local school districts authorize with the potential
for appeal. He asked for thoughts on why Alaska is an outlier in
the data regarding authorizers as a potential causal factor.
5:15:14 PM
MR. PETERSON replied that he did not know why and that
discovering the reason would be remarkable. He admitted he had
not studied Alaska's culture, traditions, and practices in
depth, so no conclusions should be drawn from his work regarding
the reasons behind the data. His study aimed to highlight a
level of performance in Alaska's charter schools that had not
been previously recognized and to suggest that the Alaska
charter sector warrants further consideration. He emphasized
that understanding why requires more study and that insights
from people who have lived in Alaska would be more valuable. He
suggested that this question be directed at fellow members of
the legislature.
5:16:28 PM
SENATOR KIEHL replied that with 60 members there would be at
least 80 strong opinions.
5:16:34 PM
CHAIR TOBIN mentioned that an excellent principal started a
charter school in Nome with her father. She expressed her
excitement about the information presented and her anticipation
for future research.
5:16:55 PM
MR. PETERSON clarified in response to Chair Tobin's previous
comment about data on Black students that the population size is
too small to draw conclusions. He reiterated that White charter
students in Alaska ranked third, but all charter students in
Alaska ranked first. He noted that other students are lifting
the ranking, but there is no data to indicate which group(s) are
responsible.
5:18:12 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 5:18 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Norm Wooten Presentation 02.07.2024.pdf |
SEDC 2/7/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Education |
| IDEA Presentation 02.07.2024.pdf |
SEDC 2/7/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Education |
| IDEA Document - Success 02.07.2024.pdf |
SEDC 2/7/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Education |
| The Nation's Charter Report Card 02.07.2024.pdf |
SEDC 2/7/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Education |
| Paul Peterson Presentation 02.07.2023.pdf |
SEDC 2/7/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Education |