HB 106-TEACHER RECRUITMENT; LUMP SUM PAYMENT  8:11:29 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 106, "An Act authorizing lump sum payments for certain teachers as retention and recruitment incentives; and providing for an effective date." 8:11:58 AM SUSIE MCKENZIE, Director, Division of Innovation and Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early Development, presented HB 105 on behalf of the bill sponsor, House Rules by request of the governor. She stated the bill addresses Alaska's Education Challenge priority number four, which is "to prepare, attract, and retain effective education professionals." She stated the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) acknowledges that teachers have a tremendous impact on student achievement, and notes there are approximately 7,300 teachers working in Alaska public schools, and teacher stability and effectiveness are essential components of student achievement. She gave examples of teacher turnovers and the number of teachers coming from out of state. She reminded the committee that the governor ordered a task force to examine teacher retention and recruitment back in 2020. Reported from a previous survey, she explained, the highest-ranking issue with teacher retention is salary, and HB 106 proposes to address the highest ranked finding of the report. She noted the bill discusses three tiers that Ms. Riddle will go over in the sectional analysis. 8:16:09 AM DEBORAH RIDDLE, Operations Manager, Division of Innovation and Educational Excellence, Department of Education and Early Development, presented the sectional analysis for HB 106 [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Section 1: Amends uncodified law by adding a new section that establishes a program that would pay certificated full-time teachers with a lump sum payment on, or around, July 1, 2024, July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. The payment of the lump sum appropriation is contingent on appropriations made for this purpose in the relevant fiscal years (FY2025, FY2026, and FY2027). The bill limits the payment to full-time teachers assigned to a classroom teaching assignment and specifically excludes temporary, substitute, or assistant teachers. To be eligible for payment, a teacher must occupy a teaching position for the entire school year immediately preceding the date of payment. In addition, to be eligible for payment, teachers would be required to submit an application and school districts would be responsible for certifying the applications. The Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) would develop the application and it would be due no later than the last day of school for the eligible school year. Once the application and certification requirements are met, DEED would grant school districts funding to pay the retention and recruitment incentive as a lump sum payment to eligible teachers. The bill also considers all lump sum payments compensation for the purposes of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS). Finally, DEED may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this bill. Section 2: This bill is effective on July 1, 2023 8:18:35 AM MS. MCKENZIE further synopsized the tiers and proceeded to briefly go over the fiscal note [included in the committee packet.] 8:21:44 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced HB 106 was held over.