NEW! (posted Oct. 14, 2010)
Resolutions Committee Workbook 2010 (doc)
Draft AASB Belief Statements and Core Resolutions with amendments proposed by the Board of Directors and member districts for consideration by the Resolutions Committee on Nov. 11, 2010.

AASB Resolutions Discussion Paper - Oct. 11, 2010 (doc)
This document is intended for use with “Resolutions Committee Workbook 2010,” the draft AASB Belief Statements and Core Resolutions that will be reviewed by the Resolutions Committee on November 11th at the AASB Annual Conference. Various changes proposed by the AASB Board of Directors and our member school districts are explained in this discussion paper.

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PERSONNEL

4.1 SUPPORT FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT
AASB supports funded opportunities and sufficient resources for quality and relevant staff preparation and demonstrably effective continuing development in both urban and rural settings for those educating Alaska’s public school students. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Pre-service: State training programs through postsecondary and other institutions (e.g. RANA–Rural Alaska Native Adult education program out of Alaska Pacific University and REPP–Rural Education Preparation Program out of University of Alaska Fairbanks);
• Expanding Department of Education & Early Development packaged training programs for all school districts to use in providing consistent mandated training to employees and in meeting the requirements of the new federal law, No Child Left Behind;
• Quality in-service programs at the local district level;
• Necessary training for paraprofessionals and special needs educators.

Rationale. Perhaps the greatest factor affecting the ability of the state's students to master Alaska’s student performance standards is the quality of the teacher who delivers classroom instruction to the student. Compounding this critical concern is the shortage of qualified teachers, administrators and paraprofessionals. Issues such as teacher, administrator and paraprofessional recruitment, distribution, preparation, and in-service continue to impact the supply and retention of qualified staff. While the state has recently increased efforts to attract teachers and staff from both conventional and non-traditional sources and to more effectively prepare teachers, the promise of these efforts has yet to reach most school districts. Adopted 2002, Amended 2004 (Sunsets Nov. 2012)

4.2 NATIONAL CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
AASB supports efforts to establish a financial incentive mechanism for state support of teachers and districts wishing to participate in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process. State support for this resolution should be outside the foundation formula. Additional incentives to attract NBPTS teachers to under-performing schools should be considered.

Rationale. NBPTS is an organization of teachers, administrators, board members, and other education stakeholders working to advance the teaching profession and to improve student learning. The mission of the NBPTS is to establish high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Linked to these standards will be a new generation of fair and trustworthy assessment processes that honor the complexities and demands of teaching. The NBPTS certification process is offered on a voluntary basis for teachers wishing to demonstrate exemplary performance around the five core propositions:

• Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
• Teachers know the subjects they teach, and how to teach those subjects to students.
• Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring students learning.
• Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
• Teachers are members of learning communities.

These standards are well aligned with the Alaska State Board of Education adopted teaching standards. Adopted 1998, Amended 2007 (Sunsets Nov. 2013)

4.3 TIERED LICENSURE
AASB urges the state Board of Education and Early Development to reconsider its regulations for tiered licensure to take into account costs – both money and effort – as well as effects on recruitment and actual improvement in teacher quality generated.

Rationale. Alaska issues approximately 3,000 certificates to teach each year. They are good for three years. After that period, teachers must satisfy a variety of requirements, including a performance review by EED. If teachers pass the review, they are entitled to a Professional Certificate good for five years. In June of 2005, the state Board of Education and Early Development passed regulations implementing tiered licensure for new teachers in Alaska. While teachers bear the primary responsibility for securing their licenses, AASB is concerned about adequate support and assistance from the State EED. AASB also believes the state should develop alternative methods for documenting teacher competency.

The resistance by teachers and districts to some features of the tiered licensure system has raised worries about its impact on recruitment and retention of teachers. Adopted 2005, Amended 2008, 2009 (Sunsets Nov. 2012)

4.4 THE ALASKA STATEWIDE MENTOR PROJECT
AASB applauds the willingness of veteran educators to serve as mentors to Alaska’s teachers and principals. While this state training program has been launched with federal grants, AASB believes that more secure funding should be identified to continue professional staff mentoring and to expand to the district level in future years, and that there is an evaluation process in place to monitor the effectiveness of the mentor.

Rationale. Surveys have shown that far too many teachers and principals leave the profession within their first five years out of frustration or lack of success. Mentors who serve to provide advice and support during these critical early years are a proven remedy to this drop-out phenomenon. Alaska should invest money in mentoring programs to ensure that they exist into the future, when federal funds may not be available. Adopted 2005, Amended 2008 (Sunsets Nov. 2010)

4.5 SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES TRAINING
The Association of Alaska School Boards promotes the establishment and expansion of post¬secondary educational programs to train additional individuals as certified special education teachers and the initiation of programs to train related services providers (i.e. school psychologists, physical therapists, and speech therapists) within our state university system.

Academic programs to train special education-related service providers are not currently available within Alaska. Therefore, AASB supports providing financial relief while attending professional certification programs elsewhere to Alaska residents who are committed to providing services to children in Alaska public schools.

Rationale. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA-97) mandates appropriate educational services be provided to all certified special education students; the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities (34 C.F.R. Part 300), Section 300.381 identifies the role of “the State (to) undertake (activities) to ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel including special education and related services personnel...necessary to carry out the purposes of this part;” and, the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities (34 C.F.R. Part 300), Section 300.382 identifies the role of “Each State plan (to) include a description of the procedures and activities the State will under take to ensure that all personnel necessary to carry out this part are appropriately and adequately trained...to include a system for continuing education of regular and special education and related service personnel to meet the needs of children with disabilities.”

School districts throughout the State of Alaska are having difficulty meeting the educational requirements of our special needs students due to a significant shortage of certified special education personnel. Furthermore, the University of Alaska has limited special education and related services professional preparation program opportunities available to individuals aspiring to become certified special education or related service professionals. Adopted 1998, Amended 1999, 2000 (Sunsets Nov. 2013)

4.6 ADDRESSING THE TEACHER, SPECIALIST, AND ADMINISTRATOR SHORTAGE
The Association of Alaska School Boards urges the Alaska State Legislature, Alaska State Board of Education, and Teacher Education Programs in Alaska’s universities to address the severe shortage of teachers, specialists, and administrators in the State of Alaska.
Suggested strategies may include:

• Incentives (salary bonuses, loan forgiveness, loan assumption, competitive retirement benefits, interest rate reduction, etc.);
• State supported marketing and licensure assistance to recruit teachers;
• Flexibility in certification requirements and reciprocity;
• Improve availability and/or quality of teacher housing;
• Mentoring programs for new teachers;
• Rehire of retired (RIP’d) teachers and administrators;
• Professional support/development.

Rationale. It has been painfully demonstrated that a severe shortage of teachers, specialists, and administrators is being experienced in the school districts in every region of Alaska. Attracting and retaining quality teachers has become a critical issue facing school districts as they work to improve education in Alaska’s public schools.

A teacher’s job satisfaction is gauged by a number of factors, including a sense of accomplishment, professional support, decent living conditions, and adequate compensation/benefits. The degree to which Alaska meets these needs is a statement of the value we place on our educators. Adopted 1999, Amended 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008 (Sunsets Nov. 2013)

4.7 REPEAL THE SOCIAL SECURITY GOVERNMENT PENSION OFFSET AND WINDFALL ELIMINATION PROVISION
AASB supports the elimination of two little known amendments to the Social Security Act that unfairly penalize certain public employees by reducing earned retirement benefits. They are the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). 

Rationale. The Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision unfairly reduce the Social Security rights of at least one-third of America's education workforce, including Alaskans enrolled in either the Teacher’s Retirement System or the Public Employees Retirement System.

In 1977, Congress began treating government pensions, such as those earned by educators, as Social Security benefits. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces an individual's Social Security survivor benefits (available to a person whose deceased spouse had earned Social Security benefits) by an amount equal to two-thirds of his/her public pension.

In 1983, Congress enacted the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). It changes the formula used to figure benefit amounts – reducing an individual's own Social Security benefits (earned while working in a job covered by Social Security). For example, a teacher taught 17 years in one state, then moved to a different state and taught another 14 years. According to the Social Security Administration, she earned monthly benefits of $540 per month for her contributions paid into the Social Security system while she worked in the first state. Because public employees in the second state do not participate in the Social Security system, her actual monthly benefits will be cut $196 due to the (WEP). She will receive $344 per month from Social Security instead of the $540 she earned.

Congress further tightened the law in 2004 through passage of PL 108-203) which eliminated the “last day covered employment exemption” to the government offset provision. The law requires that the last 60 months of a person’s government employment be covered by Social Security and the pension system in order to avoid reduction under the GPO. Adopted 2002, Amended 2007 (Sunsets Nov. 2012)

4.8 RELATING TO DEFINED BENEFIT RETIREMENT
AASB supports reestablishment of defined benefit retirement for educational employees at a price affordable to Alaska school districts.

Rationale. Secure retirement benefits are important for recruiting the best personnel to Alaska schools. Adopted 2005 Amended 2008 (Sunsets Nov. 2010)

4.9 RELATING TO HEALTH CARE COSTS AND MEDICAL INSURANCE
AASB calls upon the Legislature and the Congress to address health care costs in Alaska and the U.S.

Rationale. In Alaska more than 110,000 residents have no medical insurance, and the price of treatment is increasing. In the U.S. 45.8 million people have no health insurance. The uninsured drive costs up for everyone. For school districts in Alaska these health care costs for current and retired employees is a growing problem. In many districts these costs add up to more than 10 percent of the budget. This growing budget category mitigates districts’ ability to directly impact student achievement through classroom focused expenditures. Adopted 2005 (Sunsets Nov. 2010)

4.10 SUPPORTING USE OF LICENSED PROFESSIONALS TO FACILITATE SERVICES BY ELECTRONIC MEANS
AASB supports the use of electronic means by licensed professionals to facilitate the monthly supervision of paraprofessionals as they implement the related service goals in a student’s individual education plan.

Rationale. In most of Alaska’s smallest schools, very few students are enrolled in speech therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy, and very few professionals are available to provide these services. The result is often the use of paraprofessional personnel to provide these services. One solution would be for a waiver of state laws to allow the supervision of these paraprofessionals by licensed professionals via virtual means. Adopted 2005 (Sunsets Nov. 2010)

4.11 SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM
AASB has always endorsed the goals behind a school performance incentive program the state's School Performance Incentive Program. We continue to encourage schools and districts to engage all staff to strive for student academic growth and continued high performance. AASB requests the State Board of Education & Early Development, in conjunction with AASB, to research, identify and evaluate school incentive programs that promote student achievement in a fair and productive manner.

Rationale. It is important for Alaska's school districts to be aware of successful school performance programs that contribute to student achievement and support school staff. Having this knowledge helps us be informed advocates on school reform issues. Adopted 2009 (Sunsets Nov. 2014)

4.12 OPPOSING MANDATED ALASKA READING COURSE
AASB opposes as unnecessarily burdensome any proposal to require all teachers, regardless of content, grade level, previously proven expertise, or current assignment, to successfully complete the Alaska Reading Course or pass its assessments to receive or renew certification.

Rationale. Reading is fundamental to student success and all teachers should have the professional preparation to assist students in becoming proficient readers. Requiring all teachers to take a particular reading course hampers the ability of districts and individuals to focus professional development on what will benefit students most. The logistics of administering the reading course and/or assessments to all certificated staff is an unfunded mandate requiring time and resources, when staff development and district improvement plans already address strategies to improve reading. Adopted 2007. Amended 2008 (Sunsets Nov. 2012)

4.13 URGING THE STATE OF ALASKA TO REINSTATE THE RETIRE-REHIRE PROGRAM
The State of Alaska and AASB recognize that there is a limited labor pool for some jobs in K-12 education and that AS 14.20.135 is a good tool to fill critical positions. AASB urges the Alaska Legislature to reinstate AS 14.20.135, the “retire-rehire” law.

Rationale. Passage of HB 161 in 2005 included a 2009 sunset date for employees working under a waiver through the retire-rehire program for positions that difficult to recruit. The law established rules regarding the recruitment process that must be used in hiring a retire-rehire employee; it requires employers to provide health insurance for the employees and to make contributions to the unfunded liability of the retirement system for the employees. After July 1, 2009, all employees hired under a waiver must cease employment with the State of Alaska or school districts, or they may continue working in their current jobs but cease collecting retirement benefits.

The retire-rehire program was initiated for good reasons, including the increasing difficulty in filling some highly specialized positions and the need for Alaska to offer competitive salaries and benefits for skilled workers. Those reasons continue to exist despite the arbitrary deadline established in the sunset clause. An irony of the law is that a skilled worker in another state can retire there and move to Alaska to accept a waiver position in public employment, but a skilled worker in Alaska cannot compete for the same job. Adopted 2008, Amended 2009 (Sunsets Nov. 2013)

4.14 ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS TO CERTIFY HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS
AASB supports an interim study by the Department of Education & Early Development to determine alternative pathways for certifying teachers as highly qualified, with a particular focus on the need for teachers to be highly qualified in multiple subject areas in small rural high schools. The study should be conducted with participation from rural districts.

Rationale: The current highly qualified regulations established in the state accountability plan require a teacher to be highly qualified in each subject. In disciplines such as science and social studies, teachers maybe required to become highly qualified in Government and in History and in Social Studies. Science teachers must similarly be highly qualified in Chemistry and in Biology and in Physical Science and in Physics and in Geology. Rural school staffing patterns cannot support one teacher for each subject, let alone for each area within a discipline. In schools where one or two teachers must handle the entire secondary program, the additional preparation required to become highly qualified compounds teacher workloads, contributing to teacher burnout and turnover. Adopted 2008 (Sunsets Nov. 2013)