00 Enrolled SCR 1 01 Relating to a legislative task force on civics education. 02 _______________ 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:  04 WHEREAS research shows that one of the most significant ways schools can foster 05 youth civic engagement is by providing students with opportunities to engage in reflective 06 civic action through their classes and cocurricular and extracurricular activities; and 07 WHEREAS, rather than providing a single course in civics, educators should provide 08 civics learning activities from preschool through college, informed by best practices that 09 develop civics knowledge based on an understanding of the values of the nation's founders as 10 revealed in the nation's founding documents, including knowledge of our system of 11 government and how it works, and civics skills, including intellectual and participatory skills 12 necessary for an active civic life; and 13 WHEREAS opportunities for students to engage in real-world learning activities can 14 enhance the civic development of students and provide authentic learning experiences; and 15 WHEREAS research suggests that educators who include in their pedagogy a 16 component of civil service opportunities may better help students achieve greater levels of 17 academic success and increased motivation; and 01 WHEREAS the state can help encourage schools to provide civil service 02 opportunities for all students in a manner that complements the standards that schools set and 03 the assessments and accountability measures the state chooses; 04 BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Task Force on Civics 05 Education be established as a joint task force of the Alaska State Legislature for the purpose 06 of studying the current state of civics education and making recommendations for the 07 improvement of civics education for students in the state; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that the duties of the task force include 09 (1) analyzing the current state of civics education in the state; 10 (2) analyzing current civics education laws in other jurisdictions; 11 (3) identifying best practices in civics education in other jurisdictions; 12 (4) studying and making recommendations about how to increase and improve 13 civics education in kindergarten through grade 12 in public schools in the state; 14 (5) evaluating the merits of and implementation requirements for requiring 15 high school seniors to take and pass the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the 16 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services under 8 U.S.C. 1446(b) as a prerequisite 17 for graduating from high school; 18 (6) reviewing the merits of and considering options for implementing the 19 Every Student Succeeds Act, P. L. No. 114-95 (2015), as it pertains to civics education in the 20 state; 21 (7) making recommendations to the legislature relating to substantially 22 increasing civics literacy and the capacity of youth to obtain the requisite knowledge and 23 skills to be civically informed members of the public; 24 (8) making funding recommendations related to the task force's 25 recommendations to the legislature; 26 (9) submitting a report to the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the 27 house of representatives by January 19, 2017, summarizing the findings and recommendations 28 of the task force and notifying the members of the legislature that the report is available; and 29 be it 30 FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force consist of 12 members as follows: 31 (1) three members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of 01 the house of representatives, including one member of the minority organizational caucus; 02 (2) three members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, 03 including one member of the minority organizational caucus; 04 (3) the commissioner of education and early development or the 05 commissioner's designee; 06 (4) five members of the public appointed jointly by the speaker of the house of 07 representatives and the president of the senate as follows: 08 (A) one active or retired high school teacher with significant teaching 09 experience in civics or social studies education in the state; 10 (B) one member representing the Association of Alaska School 11 Boards; 12 (C) one member who is a student enrolled in good standing in a public 13 high school in the state who will be a senior in the school on the date of the first 14 meeting of the task force; the student must demonstrate an interest in civics education 15 and leadership; 16 (D) one member who is a judge or otherwise represents the judicial 17 branch of state government; 18 (E) one member representing the University of Alaska; and be it 19 FURTHER RESOLVED that 20 (1) the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate 21 jointly appoint the chair of the task force from among the legislative members of the task 22 force; 23 (2) a majority of the task force constitute a quorum; 24 (3) a vacancy on the task force be filled in the same manner as the original 25 selection or appointment; 26 (4) the task force meet at the call of the chair; 27 (5) the task force may request data and other information from the Department 28 of Education and Early Development, school districts, and other state agencies; and be it 29 FURTHER RESOLVED that the staff of the legislator who chairs the task force 30 provide administrative and other support to the task force; and be it 31 FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force serve without compensation 01 but be entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and commissions under 02 AS 39.20.180; and be it 03 FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force expires on June 30, 2017.