SB 30-COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS  9:00:56 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of SB 30 and his intention to take up the Committee Substitute (CS) for SB 30, work order 31-LS0052\K. He solicited a motion. 9:01:36 AM SENATOR BIRCH moved to adopt the CS for SB 30, version K, as the working document. 9:01:45 AM CHAIR STEVENS objected for purposes of discussion and asked Mr. Lamkin to explain the changes in version K. 9:01:54 AM TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that SB 30 is an effort to recognize the accomplishments of 47 other states that have established collaboration between secondary and postsecondary schools. The goal is to encourage students to finish their formal education. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education show that in Alaska, of 100 freshmen, just 76 finish high school. Of those 100 freshmen, only 33 enter college and just 22 remain enrolled for their sophomore year. SB 30 will help these poor statistics by establishing a hybrid Middle College Program in Alaska, which is proven to help students finish high school and launch, if not finish, some type of post- secondary education, including vocational technical training. MR. LAMKIN said that the traditional sense of middle college includes students going to a university campus. That clearly will not work for Alaska. Another model is early college high school. This bill crafts a hybrid between those two, where the university can come to the high school campus rather than the other way around. The bill sets goals and focuses on the outcomes, not the process. The goals are flexible for districts and responsive to the needs of those communities. The idea is to avoid creating barriers. Evaluation is key as well. The bill sets up some basic parameters and attempts to maximize flexibility between school districts and the University of Alaska. 9:05:05 AM SENATOR COSTELLO joined the committee. MR. LAMKIN said he would present the CS in the same manner as a sectional: Section 1 of the CSSB 30 on page 2, lines 8-11. "Alaska" was added to create the phrase "Alaska middle college program" to emphasize that this is a distinct, Alaska hybrid middle college program. On page 2, lines 8-11 add the "rate of subsequent enrollment" to the report summary that is given to the legislature. Subsequent enrollment refers to how many students complete the dual-credit program and pursue postsecondary education. The second piece of data added is the number of students who complete the program and must complete remedial courses in college. CHAIR STEVENS clarified that this requires the State Board of Education to make the report to the legislature. The information on enrollment and remediation rates would be available through the board's work with the university, but it is the state board who is responsible for the report. MR. LAMKIN confirmed that the intention is that the state board would be responsible for issuing the report and the expectation is that they would collaborate with the university. MR. LAMKIN reviewed Section 2: Subsection (a) is intended to reduce barriers. Making the program accessible to students is important to the program's success. Line 16 says a student "shall" earn both high school and college credit. That is needed to make it clear that a student who completes a dual credit course will get university credit along with high school credit. Lines 18 and 19 make it clear that the credits are transferable between various campuses throughout the system. SENATOR BIRCH asked if there had been any dialog with the Board of Regents and university in this effort. MR. LAMKIN answered that he had not had any direct conversations with the Board of Regents. Most of his work and communication had been with the university administration, in particular with Dr. Paul Layer, the Vice President for Academics, Students, and Research, who will testify. CHAIR STEVENS added that there will also be careful coordination between the district and university. He asked Mr. Lamkin to explain what type of classes would be offered. MR. LAMKIN said the intention is that these would be core courses applicable to a high school diploma that in turn can be applied toward general education requirements at the university level. 9:10:14 AM SENATOR HUGHES joined the committee. 9:10:23 AM SENATOR COSTELLO said she is very supportive of district efforts to accommodate all students, including those ready for classes through a middle college program. She noted that when Mr. Lamkin came to her office, they spoke about school districts that currently don't have a middle college program and how this bill would take effect. She asked if districts could talk about how this would affect their budget or how they foresee putting something in place if they don't have a program now. She also asked if there is adequate Internet access for districts that might offer online classes. CHAIR STEVENS said adequate Internet is an important issue that needs work, but all districts are not equal. Some simply do not have adequate bandwidth to offer online courses. 9:12:40 AM SENATOR HUGHES said she was very pleased to say that students in her area have the middle college opportunity. She said she wanted the record to include discussion of whether online courses taken in a rural area without a campus would be comparable to courses taken in person on a campus. She said she doesn't want the state to have to provide funding to bring students to campus and house them but wonders if there is information to show that the two delivery systems are equitable. MR. LAMKIN replied that subsection (b) in Section 2 addresses that question. Subsection (b), page 2, lines 20-23. The intent is a not one size fits all. It is intended that every district enter into an agreement with the university. Each district will identify what it can and can't do. Some districts may find they do not have any eligible students. Their agreement could state that they have no one eligible for the program. Other districts may have one student and offer one class. That could be their middle college program. MR. LAMKIN said the bill compels districts and universities to address and collaborate on things like inadequate Internet. There are efforts now to improve broadband. Presumably over time, broadband will grow and provide better opportunities for all students. SB 30 is carefully worded so the state is not put in a position that requires flying students to campuses to attend class. He said he is interested in reaching out to the attorney general's office to confirm that. He has been assured by Legislative Legal that the bill is crafted so that it does not trigger litigation on the basis of equity. CHAIR STEVENS said it's an important question. He added that many students take classes online through the university today in places like Sitka, Ketchikan, Kodiak, and Kenai. He said it's happening right now but he would admit that it is not equitable. Taking a class in front of a professor is a better form of education than taking it online. Equity is an important issue but it can't be solved in this bill. He emphasized that there is no intention to fly students in to take these classes. SENATOR HUGHES said many young people feel that if the course is interactive and live, they feel as though they are in the room and able to get to know the professor and classmates. She related a story to show that the generation coming up might consider online courses equitable. She noted the committee heard the bill about broadband funding and she has a bill that would set up a statewide virtual education system. She said she supports this concept because students should be given access. She suggested that if the university were to partner with DEED to set up a virtual education system and make the university courses that are suitable for middle college available, it would take the burden off districts. If the "shall" language in the bill was maintained, it would already be set up and students could be sent to the menu to select classes. She said that might be a solution for districts that are concerned about not being ready or have hesitation about the "shall" language. She acknowledged that other bills would need to pass for that to happen, but it would complement and dovetail nicely with the middle college concept. CHAIR STEVENS said he knows she's right and commented on the enormous strides in technology. MR. LAMKIN added that Dr. Layer will speak about an online portal that will complement what Senator Hughes is describing and the purpose of the bill. 9:20:11 AM SENATOR BEGICH said the changes in Section 2 addresses most of his concerns about a forced relationship that might exist between school districts and the university. The idea of the two entities negotiating and entering into an agreement is a unique and careful crafting of an answer to that question. 9:20:52 AM CHAIR STEVENS highlighted that a district could negotiate to offer just one class if that suited their purpose. MR. LAMKIN continued to review Section 2 of the committee substitute. Subsection (c), page 2, lines 24-28, addresses eligibility and access. It is important that it be open not just to grades 11 and 12, but to grades 9 and 10 as well. In prior hearings it was mentioned that there could be gifted students who should be given the opportunity to do college work while in high school. Subsection (d) on the bottom of page 2 going to page 3 is about awareness. One pitfall is that parents and students don't know these dual credit programs exist. This section requires that school districts provide information about the program when students are signing up for classes. Lines 10-12 on page 3 address making it clear that there are specific academic and social responsibilities and consequences of failing. The costs and the benefits of enrolling in the program should be clear. Subsection (e) goes into the financing of the program. Students are not required to pay. Lines 14-20 on page 3 speak to the agreements between the districts and university about what they can do and how to go about paying for it. The bill leaves it up to parties involved to sort it out Subsection (f) on the bottom of the page 3 speaks to the quality of the program. A key component of middle colleges is that both the district and the university acknowledge and agree that the program itself and the courses taught are of high quality. They agree on the content and curriculum and the quality of instruction given at the high school level. Subsection (g) on page 4 puts a cap on the numbers. Twelve credits is a full-time load. Students should not be burdened with more than 12 credits in a semester. The conversation to date has been about a student leaving high school with a diploma and possibly 60 credits toward an associate degree. SENATOR HUGHES said she would prefer no cap, but she wouldn't hold up the bill for that reason. Occasionally there are students who can handle a higher course load. In some cases it saves the school district money if students take more credits through the middle college. She suggested the committee consider removing subsection (g). CHAIR STEVENS said Paul Layer from the university may have more information about that. MR. LAMKIN added that the cap is only on this program; students could take more classes on their own. Research shows a possible abuse of the system is a student lingering in high school to take advantage of free or cheap college tuition. SENATOR HUGHES said student lingering is a good point. She asked if a student were to pay for additional courses, would those courses still apply for high school credit. MR. LAMKIN responded that he would imagine the student would have two high school diplomas at that point, which would be a very unusual situation. That would be a super student. 9:28:27 AM SENATOR BEGICH said he too questioned the cap but the point about students lingering was convincing. SENATOR COSTELLO said that she would like to get on the record a response about how these types of courses will appear on student transcripts. MR. LAMKIN said that is a question for the districts. He suspects that every district has its own method. SENATOR BEGICH pointed out that Section 2 on page 2 says that the way that credits are reported will be in the agreement between each school district and the university. MR. LAMKIN continued the review of the committee substitute: Section 2, page 4, lines 3-11 have no change from the original bill. That holds harmless school districts with funding for their enrollments and ADM [average daily membership]. It also provides that the parties can share transcript information. Section 3, lines 13-25, syncs the University of Alaska statutes with this program, making it clear that the university and districts will form agreements and the university will evaluate and review courses. Section 4 provides for an effective date of July 1, 2020. CHAIR STEVENS thanked Mr. Lamkin for the extensive work he's done, including talking to various agencies to find out what models are working in other states. 9:32:55 AM PAUL LAYER, Ph.D., Vice President for Academics, Students and Research, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, said the Board of Regents has a dual enrollment policy P10.05.015 that says, "Dual enrollment refers to enrollment at the university by a student who is simultaneously enrolled in a K-12 (or homeschool) for which the student may receive credit at both the K-12 and postsecondary levels. The university encourages dual enrollment. No additional restrictions on dual enrollment beyond those applicable to all students, or to avoid violations of law or ensure informed consent by a parent or legal guardian (including financial obligations), shall be allowed." He said the university and Board of Regents encourage this kind of collaboration. They also have regulation regarding minors being involved in classes. DR. LAYER said that regarding the question about equity, in areas where a university center or university is nearby, the options will be wider. For online courses, student learning outcomes or objectives are the same throughout the system. A lot of students today prefer online option versus the face-to-face option. He explained that the university has developed a portal, which is going to be a one-stop shop for students to show what is available, both face-to-face and online. From the university's standpoint, students would be taking a university class and it would be shown on the university record as a college class. They He said the university already has some very successful programs and partnerships. The university would like to see this option for parents and students throughout the state and is working toward this with districts right now. SENATOR BIRCH asked how the costs associated with the program are allocated and shared between the participating school district and the university. DR. LAYER replied that the university has agreements with Anchorage School District and Mat-Su School District and those districts use their student allocations to pay tuition at University of Alaska rates. The rates are low enough currently that it is affordable for districts to pay the university tuition, student fees, and transportation costs. The university views these students as regular students; there is nothing unusual about their funding pattern. The university may want to look at that as it looks at options for other districts. Subsection (e) says students enrolled in the program may not be required to pay tuition or other associated costs. That is an agreement the university would have to make with the district and they are developing templates for that right now. SENATOR BIRCH asked if the university allows students to audit classes on a space-available basis. DR. LAYER confirmed that the university provides a mechanism for students to audit classes on a space-available basis. The student does not receive credit for the class. 9:40:09 AM CHAIR STEVENS asked if he had any comments about the proposed cap of 12 credits per semester and 60 credits total per student. DR. LAYER replied the university does not see the need to limit student access to their courses. If they are qualified, they are welcome. He noted that some students in the Anchorage and Mat-Su middle colleges take 15 credits and sometimes more working toward their baccalaureate degrees. He acknowledged that he had not thought about it from the district perspective of students exceeding what is needed for a high school diploma and that might be worth consideration. CHAIR STEVENS asked if he sees the bill as a way to improve the problem of many students needing remedial classes when they enter the university. DR. LAYER answered yes; students who participate in the program must meet the standards for college-level math and writing so they won't need remedial services. In essence, it puts pressure on the students and parents and schools to make sure those students are college ready. The Mat-Su program has existed long enough that the university is seeing this in the students who have graduated high school and are entering the university as full, degree-seeking students. SENATOR COSTELLO asked if this would not affect any existing agreements with colleges outside of Alaska. She cited the example of students who are not in high school yet that are taking online language classes from Middlebury College. CHAIR STEVENS answered no. 9:43:57 AM DR. LAYER said UA would like parents and districts to think first about the university when they're considering college credit for students, but nothing in the bill precludes any existing agreements. Students who meet UA standards and have parent permission are welcome to come to the university. SENATOR COSTELLO said the Anchorage School District has several language immersion programs in Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and German and those students want to take four years of language in high school. The bill will allow those language learners to advance further than what is currently provided in the high school setting. CHAIR STEVENS asked the Department of Education and Early Development representative if the committee substitute affects the fiscal note. 9:45:53 AM DEBORAH RIDDLE, Division Operations Manager, Student Learning Division, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, said the committee substitute does not change the fiscal note. 9:46:13 AM CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony. POSIE BOGGS, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, said she fully supports SB 30. She shared that she graduated from high school one year early in 1975 because she took college courses every summer. If the Internet and strong broadband had been available, she could have graduated even earlier. She said it took a lot of strong self-advocacy on her part and her father's part to get the high school to accept those credits. She fully supports the ability of high school students to take college classes and to make a smooth way for high schools to accept those credits. 9:49:00 AM CHAIR STEVENS closed public testimony. SENATOR COSTELLO said the second paragraph on page 2 of the analysis of the fiscal note says that to be eligible, the student must have completed 10th grade. Her understanding is that the current version doesn't limit this to 11th and 12th graders. CHAIR STEVENS replied that is correct and that is on the record. 9:50:02 AM CHAIR STEVENS removed his objection and solicited a motion. 9:50:17 AM SENATOR BIRCH moved to report CSSB 30, [Version 31-LS0052\K], from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSSB 30(EDC) moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee.