Alaska State Legislature
News From The House Majority
Ken Freeman, Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540
House Passes Measure Calling For Teacher Testing
For Immediate Release: March 21, 1997 Contact: Con Bunde (907) 465-4843
JUNEAU - Establishing an examination to be taken by all new teachers to demonstrate a minimum level of competency in basic skills before certification in Alaska as a teacher is the intent of legislation passed by the House of Representatives Friday by a vote of 32-2.
"We want to have confidence that our future teachers are well qualified and that Alaska hire only the best," said Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage), Chair of the House Health, Education and Social Services Committee (HESS).
"Under this legislation, all new teachers, in order to be certified in the State of Alaska, will have to pass an exam to exhibit their basic competencies as well as their abilities in specialty areas," said Bunde.
HB 145, sponsored by the House HESS Committee, requires people who are not presently licensed to teach in the state to successfully complete a competency examination designated by the Alaska State Board of Education before receiving their certification. The board will establish the minimum acceptable level of performance for this examination.
Representative Bunde said this bill falls into a package of legislation that will address part of the Republican-led Majority’s "Commitment to Alaska" to reform education.
HB 145 is part of a comprehensive package of education legislation introduced in February. The other measures which are currently in the Committee process in the House include:
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