SB 83-TEACHER BOARD CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES  8:23:24 AM CO-CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of SB 83. 8:23:57 AM CO-CHAIR THOMAS moved to adopt the work draft for CSSB 83( ), labeled 27-LS0425\I, as the working document. CO-CHAIR MEYER objected for the purposes of discussion. MURRAY RICHMOND, Staff to Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair of the Senate Education Standing Committee, sponsor of SB 83, said teachers have a difficult job. SB 83 provides incentives for teachers to improve their teaching skills by becoming nationally certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). If a teacher gets certified they would receive an extra $1,000 per year as an incentive. For teachers working in a high poverty, low performing area they would receive an additional $500 per year. Finally, for teachers working in a rural area they would receive an additional $1,000 in order to become certified. He explained that the certification process is rigorous and is equivalent to a master's degree in education. Section 2 of version I would allocate interest free loans, run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE), to the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) for teachers who are employed by either the department or public school districts. This section would also ask the commission to develop an application process to define who is eligible for the loan. He noted that NBPTS is the only recognized board for national certification. A list of the 25 different areas for certification is included in the document packet [labeled NBPTS: Field of Certification]. 8:28:54 AM CO-CHAIR THOMAS concurred; the national certification process is very comprehensive. He added that the attached information in the document packet is very informational and complimentary to the bill. CO-CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony. 8:30:38 AM JOHN ALCANTRA, Lobbyist, National Education Association-Alaska (NEA-Alaska), stated support for SB 83. He said that the members of NEA had some suggested changes to the CS that he would review with the committee. He turned to page 3, line 4, of version I where the current language used could possibly deny funding to professionals working in preschool or special education. Members of NEA-Alaska suggested that the CS be amended to include preschool, at a minimum. He explained that some of the larger school districts that already pay a supplemental incentive are concerned that this will supplant any additional incentives. He said that the members of NEA-Alaska hope that an additional income incentive will supplement what these teachers are already receiving. Page 2, lines 2-5, discusses the loan amount that a teacher can receive to become certified. He explained that while the process to achieve certification is a $2,565 process, teachers often retake individual sections at an additional cost of $350 per section. The members of NEA-Alaska asked that this section be more specific, by reading: "$1,000 paid toward the cost of initial certification and no more than $1,000 annually for teachers retaking one or more components". Finally, he explained that the quarterly payment system used by the commission to pay NBPTS on behalf of teachers could prove difficult for applicants. He mentioned that NEA-Alaska has a jumpstart program held at the University of Anchorage (UAA) in the summer. This lays out the national board certification program and encourages individuals to become certified. He said that similar funding and loan programs have worked well in other states to encourage individuals to become certified. 8:36:13 AM SENATOR FRENCH asked how many members of NEA-Alaska are currently certified. MR. ALCANTRA answered that about 110-120 individuals are certified out of the 8,000 teachers who are members of NEA- Alaska. He said that the fiscal note for SB 83 speaks to about 20 individuals going through this certification per year. He said that NEA-Alaska is trying to assert that, as a minimum, this number remain at 20. SENATOR FRENCH asked for clarification that certification is equivalent to a master's degree. MR. ALCANTRA replied yes. SENATOR FRENCH asked if the Anchorage School District pays extra for a master's degree and by how much. MR. ALCANTRA answered that they get paid about $1,500 extra per year. SENATOR FRENCH asked if the Anchorage School District pays the same amount extra for national certification. MR. ALCANTRA replied that the annual addendum in Anchorage is $2,000. SENATOR FRENCH asked if this varies by school district. MR. ALCANTRA replied yes. CO-CHAIR THOMAS asked whether a teacher who has both a master's degree and is nationally certified would receive both amounts. MR. ALCANTRA replied that he believes this is correct but would need to confirm. 8:39:31 AM MARTHA FLEMMING, representing herself, stated support for SB 83. She said she is a counselor in the Seward School District and while she is speaking for herself today, she believes that the Seward PTSA [Parent Teacher Student Association] would support this bill as well. She explained that there is a huge difference between having a master's degree and being nationally certified. There are many watered down versions of a master's degree. The practice of going through this certification is so in depth that it would help to have some incentive to get through the process. Those who go through this certification improve their teaching style and their communication with parents and the public. 8:43:18 AM CYNTHIA CURRAN, Director, Division of Teaching & Learning Support, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), said she is a former NBPTS certified teacher. SENATOR FRENCH asked what the process is like for teachers to become certified. MS. CURRAN answered that the process is very rigorous and gives teachers the opportunity to look at their practice. She explained that there are five core propositions in national board certification; on top of this each of the 25 areas of focus has additional set standards. She explained that she looked at how children's language develops, math, social studies as building a community, and science. Within each focus she had to create a portfolio showing how particular lessons fit into the district's curriculum and standards. After turning in her portfolio she took an assessment exercise to show what she knew about each of her chosen topics and how she incorporated these into her teaching practice using the standards and core propositions. The certification occurred while she was teaching and it gave her an opportunity to look at what she was doing in the classroom. It changed the way that she looked at the classroom and the patterns she had as a teacher. SENATOR FRENCH asked if every teacher who embarks on this certification can finish it. MS. CURRAN answered no, at the time that she was nationally certified the pass rate was 67 percent. SENATOR DAVIS asked when she completed her certification. MS. CURRAN answered that she was nationally board certified in 1998. She explained that she chose not to be recertified when she moved to DEED and was no longer a classroom teacher. SENATOR DAVIS asked if a teacher must recertify every year. MS. CURRAN replied every 10 years. CO-CHAIR MEYER said the bill addresses additional incentive payments for teachers employed in a high poverty area that has received a low performance rating. He asked if it is fairly easy to tell which schools are in high poverty areas. MS. CURRAN answered the AYP [Adequate Yearly Progress] calculations go to the school level. She said that she believed low performance is what the bill is addressing. CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if this only pertains to public schools. MS. CURRAN replied that a teacher can teach in a private or charter school and become nationally certified. 8:52:03 AM CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if teachers in private or religious schools would be eligible for the proposed incentive program. He said he believed the answer was no. MS. CURRAN replied in order to become certified a teacher must "hold a bachelor's degree, have completed three full years of teaching/counseling, possess a valid state teaching/counseling license for that period of time, or if teaching where a license is not required (which is not in the state of Alaska) have taught in schools recognized and approved to operate by the state." CO-CHAIR MEYER asked if schools in high poverty areas can easily be identified or if it is solely based on academic performance. MS. CURRAN answered yes, Title I schools are considered high poverty through NBPTS. SENATOR FRENCH said it seems the committee is getting conflicting answers from the aides and the department in regards to teacher eligibility. SENATOR DAVIS asked what her connection is, through the department, to nationally certified teachers in the state. MS. CURRAN replied that she is currently the director for the Division of Teaching & Learning Support for DEED, which oversees the office for Teacher Certification. SENATOR DAVIS asked what she does to oversee this office. MS. CURRAN answered that the office for Teacher Certification receives approximately $20,000 per year from the federal government to allow teachers to defray some of the costs involved with national certification. This funding is allotted to teachers according to the criteria set by the NBPTS. Only $1,000 of the certification process is covered by this funding, which leaves $1500 for the teacher to pay. SENATOR DAVIS asked for confirmation that they receive $20,000 per year from federal funding. Ms. CURRAN replied yes. SENATOR DAVIS asked whether a teacher, in a school district that gives a monetary incentive for certification already, would also be eligible to receive money from the department. MS. CURRAN answered that the $2,000 paid by certain districts is the incentive a teacher would receive after they are nationally certified. SENATOR DAVIS said she would like to get clarification from the school districts that offer this incentive. She explained that, to her knowledge, these districts also give teachers money towards certification. 8:57:30 AM CO-CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony. MR. RICHMOND explained that SB 83 provides incentives only to public school teachers employed by state districts or the department. He explained that NBPTS has different standards for certification. He noted that the CS reflects Mr. Alcantra's concern about the quarterly payment system [page 3, lines 11-12]. CO-CHAIR MEYER added that public schools also include charter and alternative schools. 8:58:59 AM CO-CHAIR MEYER announced he would hold SB 83 in committee.