I think the schedule >> only school bus. Like it's many other things, right? Yes, but we have not That conversation I would has not moved to moving to more uniform schedules at this time. Okay. But so so what is if we don't pass this reso, what what are you guys going to do? Well, we are already going to convene the stakeholder group that will look at reviewing the model schedules. So those would be um So in the collective bargaining process currently, schools have the flexibility Oh, sorry. Not Not collective bargaining. In the way it's it's school schedules bell schedules are set up, schools have flexibility to propose a schedule um that meets the minimum instructional um time as well as the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement and their instructional needs at the school. Right. Um if but to approve that schedule, which and changing schedules are hard at the school, um you need to get agreement um from the teachers in in and I'm not remembering exactly right now what percentage have to agree on the new schedule.
Two-thirds? Two-thirds need to agree on the schedule. Two-thirds is a high bar. And so if the school cannot teachers can't reach agreement on a new schedule, then they default to this model schedule. Okay. >> So we we're going to convene a work group to look to meet and look at the model schedules and propose other um refresh the options. Okay. But then there's no there's no consideration then what if once the school approves it, then somebody's going to look at it from a regional perspective? Uh we could consider doing that. That's not that just hadn't been part of our That's currently That's currently not Hang on. Let me just double-check. Um So Yeah, so So so you could have a holiday on one day uh waiver day on one day, yet the the middle schools are the waiver day on another day. Oh. And then the parents are like, okay, what do I do with my kid with that has one elementary's off, middle school has to go to school.
Middle school has another day that they're off, right? >> So so waiver So waiver days are day non-instructional days that um that's a different process than bell That's a different um concept than bell schedule. So understanding the concept >> You start at certain time, right? >> Yes, the start and end different and I pick up another kid at different time. It's just It's just I think it has to be logical, right? For for for it all to make sense. And so I'm just I think why why I bring it up is because I think it's we're at a point of just it's I think great, you want to give the schools some flexibility and power, but then it it just creates other unintended consequences, right? So so Senator, the um the approach that started with Act 51 was to give more flexibility and authority to for for site school level decision-making because they know their students best and know their community the best and are to organize to organize education at that level with some checks and balances.
And so the bell schedule has been part of that um that work and we know that over the last 20 years that student achievement has increased. And so I think we have um but we can always look to operational efficiencies. And so we will you know, we'll take that back to our complex area superintendents and and discuss how we can address that. >> to have a unified calendar as well, right? We I sat on that committee when I was a student, so I know. Well, so we do have a So we have a common >> Act 51 was passed. >> Yes. So we do have a common um school calendar. >> to. Well, we do. The exception is that schools have um might have non-instructional The non-instructional days are floating. That's right. So I don't know. We got to we got to really think about the the you know, I think the ease of use of all this and the the integration of all this.
As I said, I I understand where you're coming from with Act 51. I know the the whole genesis of Act 51, but then there's there's a level of coordination that still needs to happen. Right. So just to clarify for everyone, we do have a the overall calendar is common though with the start and end times um and the I'll be the same and the the start and end times of the quarters and breaks are the same. But to your point, Senator, there there are different days that schools have their non-instructional day schedule. >> All right. Thank you, Chair. Okay. Any other questions?
Hearing none, we are moving on to SCR 200, SR 188, requesting Department of Education to implement the National Education Association Micro-credentials Pilot Program developed in collaboration with the Department's Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design and the Y State Teachers Association. And we have Department of Education. >> [clears throat] >> Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kidani, members of the committee. Sean Bacon speaking on behalf of the department. Uh department stands on its written testimony and we support SCR 200. And we are preparing at this point right now to launch a pilot program during the 2026-2027 school year that will allow our teachers to earn professional development courses uh and to be able to reclassify through the NEA's micro-credentials.
So we stand by for any questions. Thank you. >> Uh also Choy for HSTA. With baby. Hello. Hi, Chair and Vice Chair. Sarah Mellion the Laughing on behalf of HSTA. Um I was excited to see this one. The micro-credential thing is something done nationally where a lot of other states are already offer credit for these modules that have been built. I think it's important too because these have been vetted by national teachers. I've actually helped write some of these modules myself. Um I want to find ways for our teachers to get credits and reclassify so they can move up the pay scale. Um for instance, I've kind of told the story to this board before that um I was able to get my masters through HSTA and Spalding University and I wanted that for a long time. So those masters credits allowed me to get from class two even where I was with 11 years experience to now class five finally.
These micro-credentials, if these were available, I would completely do all of them to be able to reclass up the pay scale. Also with us today, we have Diane Gibson who's HSTA's professional development specialist. She can answer more questions about how micro-credentialing works and then she's available for questions. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Johnny M. Perry who is obviously not here. Anyone else wishing to testify on SCR 200, SR 188. Hearing no others, questions, members. Um I guess Sean, you may come forward. So Sean, what has been the reason for the delay in the implementation of this agreement? So currently uh we we've been working with Diane who's here also. Um She's been great to work with on this. Uh we have been working about the last year or two to get this implemented. We've been working with our Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design to kind of vet some of the courses.
Currently right now, a consultation was sent over to the HSTA uh in February uh and we are want to just ensure that we're all on the same page and at the end of the consultation, we plan to implement and move forward with the process. So the consultation isn't isn't concluded? It is not concluded at this point. Oh. Can I have Diane please come up? My understanding is completed. Diane, is it not completed? Um my understanding is that Colleen spoke with Michael on Friday. Um so Colleen Bird who is our negotiation um person spoke with Michael A- A- Azia? Azuma. Azuma. Um regarding the memo that was sent to us and the letter that was sent to us to confirm that yes, what was in there is is correct so that we can move forward with the process to to launch it. So it's been completed as of April 1st.
The notice was given that it is completed. Well, it may have been completed between the two of them. I don't know if Michael has actually spoken uh to the other other stakeholders. And who's Michael? Michael is our one of our chief negotiators in our Office of So in contact with him on a regular basis? I am. Um I will go back and check with him, but I have not seen anything official come back um to say from the HSTA that they are ready to move forward with this. But I believe we're pretty much on the same page and ready to go with this at this point. >> Terry Ushijima here? My understanding the agreement was made with Terry Ushijima and HSTA back in July of 2025. Um >> And that this was supposed to get done um the summer of 2025. So, I I think there's I think >> a con- consultation letter.
So, I think there's multiple components in it and there's different parts of the department. So, there is the office of cur- curriculum and instructional design. They're typically the one the office that does review the different courses to ensure that they meet the reclassification um criteria. Um and then the office of talent management, which I'm uh overseeing, um does the collection of the credits ensuring that the appropriate movement towards the reclassification does happen. So, it is it is a a work between a a few of the different offices and also with this project too, working closely with the HSTA. Uh just to clarify the um the final work with the committee that I was working on was done in March of 2025 to be sent forward. Um uh at the last TECC meeting um superintendent and I um and Sean talked about that it was ready to go forward.
Um after that we did not hear anything back. It wasn't until February of this year when I was asked how the pilot was going and I and I explained that it wasn't because we hadn't done the meet and confer process. That um it was looked into and I I do have to thank superintendent for that because he immediately got on it, looked into it and found out why it wasn't moving forward and we had a letter within 2 weeks. So, the TECC meeting was when? Um the last TECC meeting last year was April or May. I believe it was April. >> Of 2025? >> Yes. Right. And my understanding is an agreement with Terry Ushijima and HSTA was done in July of 2025. So, superintendent, you were not aware until you she told you that the process wasn't moving forward. When I did speak with him Can you switch places, please?
When I did speak with Diane, she notified me that there was there was some uh delay. So, I did look into it and uh work with Sean's office and it was my it's my understanding too that um that that the process is um completed, though we have sent um the document to the document to HSTA and we're waiting for it to be returned to us. Yeah, but it seems like it's been a taken a year or 10 months um that it was it these processes should have taken place and you you I guess you probably understood that it was and it wasn't. So, again, where's the disconnect? So, so we're we we can double check, Senator. I My understanding is we're waiting for it to be returned. Micro-credentialing is a uh we are as um as they can share, it is a way for us to uh work together with HSTA to give teachers the opportunities for professional development designed by teachers and with with with us in conjunction.
Uh so, definitely we're in favor of it. So, we're in favor of it. >> and but I'm just trying to get to it, why does things get delayed? Where is it this There's a disconnection, obviously, because my understanding is this agreement was done and with with HSTA, which is what's required, back in July of 2025 and we just heard from Diane saying that it was in March or April and that she didn't hear anything after that. So, again, till she ran into you and told you and then in 2 weeks you got it done. Well, we we got we got the process going, Senator. And so, it's again, it's my understanding that uh the document was sent to HSTA. We're waiting for it to be returned. We will follow up with them today. Was it returned? The the document was sent to us February 11th.
Um Colleen and I conferred Friday cuz she wanted to verify some some information with me and it's my understanding that she um spoke to her counterpart uh in the DOE on on I'm sorry, not Friday of last week, that was a holiday, Wednesday of last week. And um that the that we are letting them know um that it should be moving forward. And in fact, we are actually ready to start now. Um Yes, so why Since it was supposed to start last summer, we're ready to actually start now with it if possible. >> now? We have We have not received anything back from the HSTA as of this point right now. Maybe we can double check. Okay, so if you can confirm that it's been received or you get it today, why can't you start it? confirm it with them, then we can get the information out to our mem- our teachers the members and we can collaborate on how we're going to communicate that and get the process started.
Okay, so you don't have to wait until follow up 2026. And and the courses that they will be taking, any courses What What wouldn't it be helpful if before you came today that you would double check so that maybe these you would've gotten the responses so you could've responded in a different manner? But my understanding, the last that I spoke and I just actually got information from Mike Kazuma, we have not received anything officially in writing back from the HSTA as of this point right now. Okay, so I will follow up with Colleen um once once I'm out of this meeting. >> in writing. Yeah. >> Because that goes back You you you wrote this testimony 406. Okay, it's dated 406. In this testimony you're saying that, you know, once you receive the completion consultation process with HSTA. So, I called them to find out where it was.
It's simple, pick up the phone, find out. Is it complete? Yes, it's complete. So, I don't understand why in preparation for this hearing that you wouldn't double check to make sure that where the process is. Right? Because then you're saying you're not going to start until the upcoming year, where we could really actually start sooner if we double check to see where it's at. Because they can the courses that they are able to take with this part of the consultation was is any of the micro-credential courses from July of '23, I believe. >> of '23 to June 30th of 2027. >> they've taken any of them already, they'll be able to use those towards reclassification credits. So, the reclassification process happens twice annually. So, um they'll be able to submit those courses once we get the information out for the reclassification for the following um for the following window.
I do just want to clarify that um there are only 35 out of the 250 available micro-credentials that are approved for this pilot at the moment um that uh the DOE has agreed to allow teachers to use. Any reason why only that many? Um I was told that it was to keep it small to see if it worked. Um I did recommend that there be some other ones added to it, but they weren't added. Um uh And right now we don't really, and this is something we need to confer on, um we don't have a process for adding other ones to the list as we move through that pilot. Um I know that that it was mentioned that the delay was that they had to be vetted for reclassification, but these are these are um micro-credentials that are designed by the NEA for teachers and they are They have actually been reviewed nationally.
Um So, they they should be exactly what teachers need, you know, when and um They don't have to be re-vetted. That's what you're saying. Well, I I'm not sure why they have to be so so so so vetted in the first place because of the organization that they're coming from. Um these are designed for teachers by the National Teachers Association. So, um you know, they're very very meticulous in what they're putting out there because if they're not, they get scrutinized Senator? So, >> [groaning] >> Thank you. [clears throat] What's the estimated cost of this pilot program? So, currently right now for the teachers to be able to take any of these NEA micro-credentials, as long as they are an HSTA member, they uh the cost for them to take these is zero cost. If they're a non-HSTA or non-NEA members, it's I believe $75 per micro-credential.
What is the cost to the department? So, for for the department, I mean, what will happen is is they will be able to then reclassify towards the next credit or the next class. Currently right now for a teacher to reclassify from one class to another, like when we added the class eight in the past year to go from like class seven to class eight, it is a approximately a 4% increase in their salary. So, it's going to depend again on how many teachers go through this micro-credential process and that I think that's part of the pilot is to see how many actually will go through it um and to see from there what the what the anticipated cost may be for the department. And so, again, we wanted to just start with it small. I think like Diane has also mentioned too, there are many other courses and you know, depending on how this works, we'd like to expand it to others as we as we move forward in this process.