Senate Education Committee forwards three governor appointees to joint session

The Senate Education Committee on March 18 reviewed qualifications of three governor appointees and recommended that their names be forwarded to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature for confirmation. The nominees are Pamela Dupra and Sally Stockhausen for the State Board of Education and Early Development, and Michael Robbins for the Alaska Professional Teaching Practices Commission.

Pamela Dupra, an educator with 23 years of experience across Alaska, said she applied to the state board a second time and hopes to contribute to “an excellent education for every child in our state.” Sally Stockhausen, the special education director in Ketchikan with 28 years in education, emphasized teacher training, apprenticeship programs and retention. Michael Robbins, superintendent of the Bristol Bay Borough School District, described three years of service on the Professional Teaching Practices Commission and said he centers decisions on students’ needs.

President Stevens read the committee recommendation and the committee took a brief at ease to sign the report. The committee’s recommendation does not indicate how each member will vote during a later joint session; forwarding to the joint session is a procedural step that ensures the full legislature will consider the nominations.

Next steps: The appointees’ names will go to the joint session for confirmation consideration; no confirmation vote occurred at the committee meeting.