HB 148-AK PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP; ELIGIBILITY  8:08:02 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 148, "An Act relating to the Alaska performance scholarship program." 8:08:47 AM BUD SEXTON, Staff, Representative Justin Ruffridge, Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 148 on behalf of the House Education Standing Committee, sponsor by request, chaired by Representative Ruffridge. He paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is a highly valuable program in Alaska which provides Alaska's brightest students with an incentive to attend postsecondary education in Alaska. Studies show that upon completion from college, students most often will choose to live and work near the college where they graduate. In order to meet current and future workforce needs, we need more Alaskan students to learn at Alaskan colleges. HB 148 makes meaningful changes that will encourage a greater number of Alaskans to attend postsecondary schooling by providing them with financial resources to help students reach their educational goals. Since the APS program began, award levels have remained constant while the cost of education has risen. HB 148 increases the award levels and provide students with greater financial resources they can apply towards the cost of higher education. HB 148 makes changes to recognize the increasing role of career and technical education (CTE) for many students in high school by adding CTE curriculum as a qualifying path to earn an APS. Parents, students, and educators have expressed desire for the earlier notification of awards for the Alaska Performance Scholarship Program. HB 148 legislation provides for earlier notification of financial scholarships available to assist families when determining which postsecondary school to attend and the net cost for in-state versus out-of-state institutions. HB 148 removes the APS requirement for college entrance exams such as SAT/ACT testing prior to attending college. A large number of colleges across the United States are taking similar measures since the pandemic. In Alaska, the current requirements for testing often create a hardship for students who are required to travel to Anchorage or other locations where testing services are offered. The cost of travel from many communities off the road system are very high. When combined with testing fees, hotel, food, and other travel related expenses, many families may choose to forgo the potential of earning an APS based solely on whether they can afford for their student to travel to a testing center. Some students in high school may not fully achieve their educational goals in high school for one reason or another, and their grade point average (GPA) may not reflect their true abilities. HB 148 includes a "step-up" provision which allows the college to review the student's GPA on an annual basis after completing two semesters. If the student works diligently in college, and their GPA increases as a result of their hard work, the amount of funding they receive for their APS will increase to the level commiserate with their new GPA. The "step-up" provision encourages diligent effort by students during their postsecondary education. The Education Committee believes these enhancements to the Alaska Performance Scholarship Program will help foster a greater level of benefit to attend University of Alaska schools, and will prepare Alaskans to meet the current and anticipated workforce development needs for many years to come. 8:10:23 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE noted that the committee had received four amendments and a conceptual amendment to Amendment 4. 8:10:44 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:10 a.m. to 8:11 a.m. 8:11:02 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 148, labeled 33-LS0624\B.1, Marx, 3/31/23, which read: Page 2, following line 28: Insert a new subsection to read: "(h) Not later than January 15 of each year, a district shall provide to each student in the district who is enrolled in grade nine or grade 10 information about the Alaska performance scholarship." Reletter the following subsections accordingly. Page 3, line 9: Delete "(l)" Insert "(m)" Page 3, line 11: Delete "(k)" Insert "(l)" CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected for the purpose of discussion. CO-CHAIR ALLARD spoke to Amendment 1. She stated that the amendment would move the notification timeframe of when students are notified of the scholarships to grades nine and ten. She added that for the purpose of student retention in Alaska, the sooner they know they have the funds to do so, the better, and outside universities would not have the advantage of enticing students to leave Alaska. 8:12:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her understanding that districts do this already. She requested that Sana Efird be asked to confirm that. 8:13:05 AM SANA EFIRD, Executive Director, Postsecondary Education, Department of Education & Early Development (DEED), responded that she cannot speak to the school district; however, she stated that she works closely with the counselors in the districts, and they provide information about the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) with hopes of every student being informed as early as possible. 8:14:00 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the mandate proposed under Amendment 1 would place a burden on schools. 8:14:22 AM MS. EFIRD replied that she cannot speak to the impact on districts. She reiterated that she provides information and training about the scholarship that is accessible for the school district, anything else would have to be directed to the district, she added. 8:15:04 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE withdrew his objection to the Amendment 1. There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 8:15:15 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 148, labeled 33-LS0624\B.2, Marx, 4/4/23, which read: Page 2, line 30: Delete "academic" Page 3, line 6: Delete "and" Page 3, lines 7 - 11: Delete all material and insert: "(2) inform the applicant that the commission may disburse the award only if the applicant meets the requirements described in (l) of this section; (3) for an applicant awarded an Alaska performance scholarship under AS 14.43.825(a)(1), inform the applicant that the commission will adjust the applicant's award under the circumstances described in (k) of this section; and (4) inform the applicant that the commission will adjust the applicant's award under the circumstances described in (m) of this section." Page 3, line 16, following "scholarship": Insert "under AS 14.43.825(a)(1)" Page 3, line 26: Delete "and" Page 3, following line 28: Insert a new subparagraph to read: "(C) met the minimum score on a college entrance examination if required under AS 14.43.825(a); and" Page 3, following line 31: Insert new subsections to read: "(m) If a student is awarded an Alaska performance scholarship under (1) AS 14.43.825(a)(1) and enrolls in a qualified career and technical school program during the scholarship eligibility period described in AS 14.43.825(b), the commission shall adjust the student's award to the award level described in AS 14.43.825(a)(2); (2) AS 14.43.825(a)(2) and enrolls in a qualified university or college during the scholarship eligibility period described in AS 14.43.825(b), the commission shall adjust the student's award to the applicable award level described in AS 14.43.825(a)(1); the commission shall make the adjustment based on the student's high school grade- point average and college entrance examination scores. (n) The commission may adjust a student's scholarship under (m) of this section only once." Page 4, lines 1 - 15: Delete all material and insert:  "* Sec. 4. AS 14.43.825(a) is amended to read: (a) The maximum annual awards for the Alaska performance scholarships are as follows: (1) for a student enrolled at a qualified  university or college (A) the first award level is $7,000 [$4,755] and requires a (i) [(A)] 3.5 grade-point average or above; and (ii) [(B)] very high minimum score on a college entrance examination; (B) [(2)] the second award level is $5,250 [$3,566] and requires a (i) [(A)] 3.0 grade-point average or above; and (ii) [(B)] high minimum score on a college entrance examination; (C) [(3)] the third award level is $3,500 [$2,378] and requires a (i) [(A)] 2.5 grade-point average or above; and (ii) [(B)] moderately high minimum score on a college entrance examination; (2) for a student enrolled at a qualified  career and technical school program, the award level  is $5,500 and requires a 2.5 grade-point average or  above." Page 5, line 4, following "scholarship": Insert "under AS 14.43.825(a)(1)" CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected. CO-CHAIR ALLARD spoke to Amendment 2. She related a story about her husband as a former student to illustrate that not everyone does well as a student, but can score high on the SAT. CO-CHAIR ALLARD proposed a conceptual amendment to Amendment 2 by making an "and/or" option for a score of 1100 or higher.. 8:18:24 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:18 a.m. to 8:26 a.m. 8:26:38 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD, in response to Co-Chair Ruffridge, withdrew Amendment 2. CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that Amendment 2 had been withdrawn. He noted that he would not be offering Amendment 3 [in the committee packet, but not moved for adoption]. CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE stated that before the committee moved on to Amendment 4, Co-Chair Allard had a conceptual amendment to offer. [The conceptual amendment had been intended as an amendment to Amendment 2, which had been withdrawn.] CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, beginning on page 2, line 13, following ";" to insert "or" and reinstate the language on page 2, lines 14-22 that would be deleted under HB 148; on page 4, line 5, following ";" to [replace] "and" with "or" and reinstate the language on lines 6-7 that would be deleted under HB 148; on page 4, line 9, following ";" to replace "and" with "or" and reinstate the language on lines 10- 11 that would be deleted under HB 148; page 4, line 13, following ";" to replace "and" with "or" and reinstate the language on lines 14-15; CO-CHAIR ALLARD explained that "Conceptual Amendment 1" would give the opportunity for students to qualify based on their GPA or SAT scores. 8:29:23 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE objected for the purpose of discussion. 8:29:29 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD, in response to Representative Story, repeated the changes that would be made under "Conceptual Amendment 1." 8:30:48 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY surmised that the committee would probably need the amendment written by Legislative Legal Services, but she welcomed discussion presently. In response to Co-Chair Ruffridge, she said she would like to hear from Ms. Efrid regarding "Conceptual Amendment 1." 8:31:14 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:31 a.m. to 8:43 a.m. 8:43:15 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE indicated that the committee would get some amendments redrafted. He announced that HB 148 was held over.