Rep. Elise Calvin seeks federal waiver of new H‑1B teacher fee, citing acute Alaska shortages

Rep. Elise Calvin told the House Education Committee on March 2 that Alaska depends on international educators to staff classrooms and that a recent federal proclamation imposing a $100,000 employer fee for H‑1B hires would inflict ‘‘an extraordinary financial burden’’ on school districts.

"We now have an imposition of a $100,000 fee for any employer who is hiring H‑1B," Calvin said, calling the cost ‘‘insurmountable’’ for many districts that already face deep shortfalls. Calvin said the resolution, HJR 39, would give Alaska’s congressional delegation a clear demonstration that state lawmakers consider the issue urgent.

Witnesses backed the resolution. Dr. Lisa (identified in the transcript as doctor Lisa Purity), executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, said Alaska employed 573 international teachers, 341 of whom were working under H‑1B visas, and warned that the fee would force districts into ‘‘the impossible choice’’ of paying large visa fees and cutting student programs or leaving classrooms unstaffed.

Jennifer Schmitz, director of the Alaska Educator Retention and Recruitment Center, told the committee many districts rely on international hires for long‑term staffing stability and that some recent recruits are now stranded overseas because of the proclamation. She said Anchorage currently has 66 J‑1 teachers and that four teachers hired last fall were unable to enter the U.S. because of the change.

Committee members asked for additional data and emphasized underlying state challenges such as compensation and retirement portability. Rep. Eisheid sought district‑level counts; Calvin clarified a cited $90 million figure referred to Anchorage and said aggregated district shortfalls statewide exceed $200 million.

The committee opened and closed public testimony with no callers. Co‑chair Andy Story said the committee would hold HJR 39 over, set an amendment deadline for Thursday, March 5 at 5 p.m., and post a letter from Sen. Sullivan to the committee record. No formal vote or amendment was taken at the hearing.

What’s next: HJR 39 was held over for further work and an amendment deadline was set for March 5.