SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

April 8, 2003 Hearing Room C

3:00 PM Tapes 54-55

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Charles Starr, Chair

Sen. Ryan Deckert, Vice-Chair

Sen. Bill Morrisette

Sen. Ted Ferriolli

STAFF PRESENT: Jan McComb, Committee Administrator

Romy Dye, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: SB 761 – Work Session

SB 745 – Public Hearing

SB 581 – Public Hearing

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 54, A
005	Chair Starr	Calls the committee to order at 3:05 PM. Opens a work session on SB 761.
SB 761 – WORK SESSION
010	Sen. Deckert	MOTION: Moves SB 761 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
015		VOTE: 4-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
	Chair Starr	The motion CARRIES. SEN. BRUCE STARR will lead discussion on the floor.
020	Chair Starr	Closes the work session on SB 761 and opens a public hearing on SB 745.
The following prepared testimony is submitted for the record without public testimony for SB 761: Rick Grimm Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT A)
SB 745 – PUBLIC HEARING
023	John Minnis	Oregon State Senator. Testifies in favor of SB 745. Summarizes SB 745. Discusses determining whether or not fiscal impact of one of the rules would cost the state or school districts over $250,00 and effects of this determination. Feels various commissions around the state should be implementing rules that have broad fiscal impacts on school districts or the state and up to legislative assembly to review that.
050	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if had opportunity to look at pay scale adopted by various districts around the state that determine teachers increases.
054	Minnis	Responds no.
056	Sen. Morrisette	Feels it is a local issue dealing with the pay for a master’s degree and so to require a fifth year or master’s is an educational improvement in terms of ability to teach in a classroom.
066	Minnis	Comments does not disagree on that point. Adds disagree with there being a commission that is not the legislature and not responsible for accountability of roll-up costs of various rules being implemented. Discusses benefit of knowing whether or not additional rules adopted by agencies have a fiscal impact.
087	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if considers SB 745an unfunded mandate.
090	Minnis	Asks for clarification.
092	Sen. Morrisette	Clarifies if pass SB 745 does it come under unfunded mandate category.
094	Minnis	Responds no; elaborates school districts and collective bargaining agreements would govern.
103	Sen. Morrisette	Comments cost of education includes teacher salary. States rule requiring master’s degree would elevate individuals to a higher level which in turn would cost district more money with local and state funding. Adds need state connection in this legislation.
116	Minnis	Feels there is a state connection; elaborates further . Expresses concern with legislative assembly responsible for bulk of funding of education plays a conscious role in decision-making process as it relates to fiscal issues.
124	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if see state legislature acting in role of super school board.
127	Minnis	Responds when spend over $250,000 then owe responsibility to constituent groups.
135	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if see this as unintended consequence of the cost incurred.
138	Minnis	Responds it would be as if appointed board voting on a rule that has fiscal impact that members of legislature have to fund without playing a role in saying yes or no to the rule.
147	Vickie Chamberlain	Executive Director, Teachers Standards and Practices Committee. Testifies in opposition of SB 745. Provides personal experience. States 75% of Oregon graduates graduate with masters degree and 60% of new people licensed from out of state do not come from Oregon institutions each year. Comments with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have to report all teachers degree. Says school report cards report 45% Oregon teachers have master’s degrees prior to full implementation of new licensure.
201	Chair Starr	Clarifies degree program established to provide content area with bachelor’s degree and fulfillment of master’s degree.
205	Chamberlain	Responds in public university.
209	Chair Starr	Asks about relation between short content area teachers in the classroom and getting content with a bachelor’s degree.
215	Chamberlain	Responds does not believe that information applies to Oregon. Feels master’s degree cost to school districts has been concern. Comments would like to come back with credible information on issue. Discusses inquiring about costs with School Board Association and the need for doing a reliable study on true costs.
261	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if there is a House bill delaying implementation of master’s requirement.
266	Chamberlain	Responds yes; elaborates on description of the House bill.
278	Sen. Deckert	Refers to Ms. Chamberlain’s personal example.
286	Chamberlain	States requirement is only for new licensees. Feels it is unreasonable to set time lines.
303	Chair Starr	Asks how statute lines up with NCLB and requirements of legislation.
315	Chamberlain	Responds eliminating master’s would cause problems but would not stop people; elaborates further.
324	Sen. Morrisette	Clarifies not going to prohibiting anything.
329	Chamberlain	Responds no. Concerned with fiscal impact of a dollar requirement in SB 745. Adds difficult to say any rule has no fiscal impact. States 95% of teachers pay for their own education.
344	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if SB 745 would have an impact on the administration program.
347	Chamberlain	Discusses meaning of SB 745.
375	Chair Starr	Feels issue is important and need to be aware of it.
385	Minnis	Concerned with previous discussion that if someone were teaching and did not have a master’s degree then it would not be required for them to go back to get a master’s degree.
394	Chamberlain	Responds master’s degree full requirement will not kick in under the rules for two years and people have six years to get a master’s degree.
409	Minnis	Feels SB 745 should have been more broadly defined.
430	Sen. Morrisette	Asks whether aware of Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) rule-making process and huge fiscal impact it has.
433	Minnis	Responds yes.
437	Sen. Morrisette	Feels idea is a good one. Asks cost of doing study on fiscal impact.
444	Minnis	Feels legislative fiscal should play a role in the interim looking at the issues. Adds conforming rules and minimizing fiscal impact to the state should be connected.
TAPE 55, A
005	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 745 and opens a public hearing on SB 581.
SB 581 – PUBLIC HEARING
014	Avel Gordley	Oregon State Senator. Testifies in favor of SB 581. Submits written testimony and material (EXHIBITS B, C).
155	Sen. Morrisette	Asks to what extent is this a local school board assignment problem. And is it also a district problem.
170	Gordley	Responds it is a related issue. Comments there are barriers to try to get most effective teachers in class where most needed.
177	Sen. Morrisette	Comments not aware it was a contract issue but apparently it is in Portland..
182	Gordley	States mission is for all teachers wishing to achieve certification will meet highest possible standards.
191	Chair Starr	Expresses appreciation for the issue being brought forward. Comments it is an issue of having right program with properly trained instructors so children gain knowledge and not left behind. Asks if SB 581 is right thing to do with the modification.
224	Vickie Chamberlain	Executive Director, Teachers Standards and Practices Commission. Feels time has come for SB 581. States federal law says districts cannot assign reading problems and low income students to least experienced teachers. Provides an example. Expresses interest in looking at federal grants that are revising reading programs in institutions. Comments fiscal impact can be somewhat absorbed because will look at requirements for teachers. Adds also need to look at cultural competency issue. Suggests reporting back on what was found.
267	Sen. Morrisette	Comment inaudible.
272	Chamberlain	States some elementary schools who have redesigned to have most experienced teachers hardest to learn students which means possible to do something within contract.
292	Chair Starr	Comments no amendment is available yet.
297	Gordley	Comments will work with Vicki Chamberlain will get together to have language for the amendment.
303	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 581 and adjourns the meeting at 4:54 PM.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – SB 761, additional testimony for the record, Rick Grimm, 2 pp

B – SB 581, written testimony, Senator Avel Gordley, 3 pp

C – SB 581, written material on Thinking K-16, Avel Gordley, 14 pp