House Education Committee questions two reappointments to Alaska State Board of Education

Pamela Dupra and Sally Stockhausen appeared before the Alaska House Education Committee on March 18 as the legislature considered reappointing them to the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development.

Dupra, who identified her native name as Anxuk and said she grew up in Atka, described 23 years in Alaska classrooms and told lawmakers she supports continuing work on reading policy implemented under the Alaska Reads Act. "As an educator, you realize how important that skill is," Dupra said. She told the committee she listens to families, teachers and communities across the state and cited contact with the Alaska Native Cultural Charter School and districts in Kodiak and Glennallen.

Committee members pressed Dupra on classroom-size concerns and how the board should support schools. She said stronger teacher training and classroom management are central to improving outcomes: "Providing high-quality training in our state would help," Dupra said, adding that programs such as LETRS and other reading initiatives offer complementary supports.

Members also raised conditions at Mount Edgecumbe High School and asked what the state board could do to help. Dupra said the board had called for an ad hoc committee to identify needed actions and expects the committee to report recommendations. "We've called for an ad hoc committee, and I'm hoping through that ad hoc committee that they can identify things that need to happen in order to continue making progress at Mount Edgecumbe," she said.

There was also discussion about a vacant seat representing the second judicial district (Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic). Dupra said one person had applied and that the board and staff were soliciting additional interest from those communities.

Stockhausen, appearing remotely, described a long career in special education and school administration and currently serves as special education director for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District. She highlighted apprenticeship programs and "growing our own" pipelines as ways to improve retention and local capacity for special education services.

On correspondence students and services delivered at a distance, Stockhausen said supports must be driven by student needs and family willingness to participate in distance models such as teletherapy. On class size, she urged additional training and school-level supports so teachers can adapt to larger classrooms.

Both reappointment hearings closed with no in-room or online public testimony. The committee signed the hearing report on the nominees in accordance with Alaska statute 39.05.0.08; the chair noted the signature does not indicate how members might vote on confirmations at a later date.

The committee will move to other business including upcoming hearings on House Bill 231 and House Bill 261.