Legislature(2021 - 2022)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

03/30/2021 03:30 PM COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 72 SEC. SCHOOL CIVICS EDUCATION TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+= SB 17 ENERGY EFFICIENCY & POLICY: PUB. BLDGS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
               SB 72-SEC. SCHOOL CIVICS EDUCATION                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:32:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES announced the consideration of CS FOR SENATE BILL                                                                  
NO. 72(EDC), "An Act relating to civics education, civics                                                                       
assessments,  and secondary  school graduation  requirements; and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:32:39 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, Alaska State Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,                                                               
sponsor of Senate Bill 72 (SB  72), said the bill is important to                                                               
him because  he realizes  when free  public education  started in                                                               
the  United States,  one  of  the reasons  for  education was  to                                                               
develop  a citizenry  so  that people  going  into schools  would                                                               
become citizens, learn what it means  to become a citizen in this                                                               
country,  and  to  participate  in  votinga   means  of  being  a                                                               
citizencertainly, what everyone is doing in the capitol.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
He explained the bill is a  recognition that there has been a lot                                                               
of apathy in  the vision in this country. A  lot of focusrightly                                                                
so in many waysis  on mass science  sort of at the expense of the                                                               
liberal  arts  in terms  of  history,  politics, and  law.  Other                                                               
states have  been looking into  [civics education], so  Alaska is                                                               
not the only one.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He  said  developing  a  curriculum   with  exams  in  civics  is                                                               
important.  The  curriculum  should   include  things  like  flag                                                               
etiquette and all those sorts of  things to make sure that people                                                               
are more involved  in the government, register to  vote, and they                                                               
take leadership positions like committee members are doing.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He explained SB  72 is one effort to restore  an understanding of                                                               
what  it means  to  be  an American  citizen  among our  youngest                                                               
generations and  to teach them about  what it means to  be in the                                                               
system of  government that  the country has.  He said  to reverse                                                               
the noted [civics  apathy] trend, he thinks  the bill importantly                                                               
makes  an investment  in the  future of  our country  as well  as                                                               
recognizes the cultural diversity of Alaska.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He  detailed  the  bill  includes  an exit  exam  on  civics  for                                                               
graduating seniors, not necessarily a need  to pass it in a high-                                                               
stakes  exam, but  students  are  subject to  take  it. The  bill                                                               
directs the Alaska Department of  Education and Early Development                                                               
(DEED)who   has  been  quite cooperative  in  the  legislationto                                                                
develop  a unique  Alaskan civics  and curriculum  assessment. An                                                               
important  part of  the bill  is to  recognize the  importance of                                                               
including Alaska Native tribal government system as well.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:35:07 PM                                                                                                                    
TIM  LAMKIN, Staff,  Senator Stevens,  Alaska State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska,  explained the  bill  before  the committee  had                                                               
quite an evolution. There have been  a number of task forces over                                                               
the   years  that   have   come  forward   with   a  variety   of                                                               
recommendations,  one of  them consistently  being to  review and                                                               
update the State's  standards and even to  develop curriculum for                                                               
the state, and that is what SB 72 reflects.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. LAMKIN said the version before the committee, [32-                                                                          
LS04781\I],  is  a departure  from  the  original legislation  by                                                               
stepping  away   from  the  high-stakes  exam   calling  for  the                                                               
naturalization  test  administered  by  the  U.S.  Department  of                                                               
Homeland  Security, but  instead  to embrace  the  idea that  the                                                               
state develops its own curriculum,  make the curriculum available                                                               
to  districts,  and  to   establish  an  assessment  administered                                                               
through DEED based on those standards.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He noted another important component  of SB 72 would recognize to                                                               
include  not  only  traditional  American  and  state  government                                                               
studies, but  very importantly, Alaskan Native  tribal government                                                               
systemsinvited  testifiers are  available to specifically address                                                               
that.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES asked  him to provide the sectional  analysis for SB
72.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:36:37 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LAMKIN detailed the sectional analysis for SB 72 as follows:                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1                                                                                                                
     AS 14.03.076  relates to public  schools, adding  a new                                                                    
     section  directing the  State  Board  of Education  and                                                                    
     Early  Development  to  develop the  curriculum  and  a                                                                    
     related  assessment aligned  with  our state  standards                                                                    
     regarding  government and  citizenship to  include U.S.                                                                    
     federal  government,   Alaska  state   government,  and                                                                    
     Alaska   Tribal  government;   and  that   it  requires                                                                    
     students to  take the  assessment established  there in                                                                    
     order  to receive  a high  school  diploma. Of  course,                                                                    
     there would  be some  exceptions available  as detailed                                                                    
     in  the  bill  for  students with  special  needs,  but                                                                    
     schools  are to  document on  student transcripts  that                                                                    
     they have  taken the exam;  in this case,  we purposely                                                                    
     did not include  a requirement that they  pass the exam                                                                    
     per se, but that they simply take it.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2                                                                                                                
     AS  14.07.168  relates  to  reporting  requirements  by                                                                    
     State Board,  and to include  in their annual  report a                                                                    
     description   of  that   civics  curriculum   that  was                                                                    
        developed and of the student performance on the                                                                         
     assessment that was described.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3                                                                                                                
       There is an effective date in Section 3 of July 1,                                                                       
     2022.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:37:58 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:38:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES called the committee back to order.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
She  announced the  committee will  hear  invited testimony.  The                                                               
first  testifier  is Dr.  Michael  Johnson,  commissioner of  the                                                               
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:38:37 PM                                                                                                                    
DR.   MICHAEL  JOHNSON,   Commissioner,   Alaska  Department   of                                                               
Education,  Juneau, Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 72.  He                                                               
thanked Senator Stevens who has  not waivered for years in making                                                               
sure the public education in Alaska  is built upon the purpose of                                                               
civics  education.  He  added  everyone   can  regret  that  more                                                               
policymakers  in the  country have  not  shared Senator  Stevens'                                                               
efforts.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
He said civics education is not  a new innovation, it is timeless                                                               
wisdom that  the country  has somehow  forgotten. He  noted Plato                                                               
said as follows:                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Schools  should  create  good men  and  women  who  act                                                                    
     nobly. If  we have an  education system that  does less                                                                    
     than  that, all  our other  efforts for  life, liberty,                                                                    
     and the pursuit of happiness will be thwarted.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He  referenced   a  study  from   the  Woodrow   Wilson  National                                                               
Fellowship Foundation as follows:                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   • Only 36 percent of Americans passed a multiple-choice U.S.                                                                 
     citizens test                                                                                                              
   • Less than 25 percent know why the United States fought the                                                                 
     British                                                                                                                    
   • Only 24 percent can name a single thing that Benjamin                                                                      
     Franklin was famous for                                                                                                    
        o 37 percent think he invented the lightbulbhe did not                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  JOHNSON stated  the proof  that Senator  Stevens is                                                               
right to introduce SB 72 is noted in the study as follows:                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • 74 percent of people 65 and older scored the bestanswering                                                                 
     at least 6 out of 10 questions correctly                                                                                   
   • Only 19 [percent] of those 45 and younger passed                                                                           
        o That is 81 percent scoring 59 percent or lower on that                                                                
          particular exam                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He said although he does not  have specific data, he is confident                                                               
that  everyone  would be  alarmed  by  how few  Alaskan  citizens                                                               
understand   Alaska  Native   history   and   layers  of   tribal                                                               
governance.  The   presentation  in  the  House   Tribal  Affairs                                                               
Committee  on  March 4,  2021  is  a  great example  what  Alaska                                                               
specific  civics education  could look  like viapresentation   by                                                               
the First Alaskans Institute.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:41:10 PM                                                                                                                    
He stated SB 72  is not a new coat of paint  on the Alaska public                                                               
education system, the bill is  a much-needed effort to repair the                                                               
foundation.  Civics  education  is  about purpose  and  a  public                                                               
education  system  without  clear   purpose  is  more  expensive,                                                               
ineffective,  and corrosive  to the  country's society.  A public                                                               
education system with purpose is  more efficient, more effective,                                                               
and improves the country's society.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He explained  the legislature's  purpose statement  for education                                                               
is clear in AS 14.03.015 that says:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     It  is the  policy of  this state  that the  purpose of                                                                    
     education  is to  help ensure  that  all students  will                                                                    
     succeed in  their education and work,  shape worthwhile                                                                    
     and  satisfying  lives  for themselves,  exemplify  the                                                                    
     best values  of society, and be  effective in improving                                                                    
     the character and quality of the world about them.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He said the  statute is a great description of  the outcome of an                                                               
education purposed  with civicsit   is also the  vision statement                                                               
for the  State Board  of Education  and Early  Development (State                                                               
Board). Alaska spends  over 160 billion pennies each  year on its                                                               
public  education system  and every  single penny  should have  a                                                               
purpose related to civics education.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He noted  during the  previous several months  his fear  has been                                                               
that  the State  will  lower  the bar  and  settle  for less.  Of                                                               
course,  everyone wants  schools to  be open,  but he  hopes that                                                               
that  is not  the  new benchmark  for the  state.  Open is  good,                                                               
purposeful  and  effective  is   essential,  and  at  times  more                                                               
difficult.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON  noted a few  months after giving  his going                                                               
to  the Moon  speech,  John Kennedy  addressed  a growing  public                                                               
questioning of why the country should  spend all that money to go                                                               
to the moon. The President said at a speech later that year:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     We choose  to go to the  moon in this decade  and other                                                                    
     things not because they are  easy, but because they are                                                                    
     hard,  because that  goal will  serve  to organize  and                                                                    
     measure the best of our energies and skills.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He explained going to the moon  was not about improving the Moon,                                                               
it was about making America better, and he said:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Let's not storm the capitol,  let's teach kids to read.                                                                    
     Let's inspire  them to  run for  school board,  run for                                                                    
     mayor,  and even  run for  the legislature.  Let's show                                                                    
     them how to work together  to create good policy. Let's                                                                    
     teach them how  to value liberty and never  take it for                                                                    
     granted.  Let's  show  them  how  to  embrace  what  is                                                                    
     difficult because it makes us  better and makes us more                                                                    
     thankful.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He noted President Kennedy in his  original go to the Moon speech                                                               
said:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     For while we cannot guarantee  that we shall one day be                                                                    
     first, we can  guarantee that any failure  to make this                                                                    
     effort will make us last.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He asked  committee members  to please  let him  know how  he can                                                               
help  the   committee  in  its   efforts  on  SB  72   and  other                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:44:22 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MYERS commented he was  intrigued with the bill at first,                                                               
noting  constituency support.  However,  he  felt dismayed  after                                                               
reviewing the  committee substitute (CS)  for SB 72. The  CS took                                                               
what was a  straight forward, concrete proposition  and turned it                                                               
into something a bit more amorphous.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He noted Commissioner Johnson talked  about the education and how                                                               
it should  connect to society  values and purpose;  however, some                                                               
of the changes in bill lost  those values and purpose. Instead of                                                               
talking about an  exam that simply examined  the understanding of                                                               
government that  we expect out  of people coming to  our country,                                                               
the  legislation now  has  a curriculum  and  an assessment  that                                                               
includes  government  citizenship  and a  history  of  government                                                               
systems in the United States.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MYERS  argued one of  the problems the country  is having                                                               
these days  is not  just that  we have  not educated  children on                                                               
government  and citizenship,  but that  we do  not agree  on what                                                               
that means anymore,  what the purpose of government  is, and what                                                               
does it mean  to be a good  citizenover  the last 40  or 50 years                                                               
those have changed.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He said the CS  makes him hesitant to agree to  teaching a set of                                                               
values when  he does  not know  what that set  of values  are. He                                                               
asked  Commissioner Johnson  if  DEED could  provide  an idea  of                                                               
direction that they want to go in creating that curriculum.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:46:46 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON replied  the bill sponsor is  best to answer                                                               
some of  his question  on changes.  However, the  department will                                                               
not be  the only one  creating the standards and  curriculum. The                                                               
State Board  has laid out  a process that  involves stakeholders,                                                               
communities, and  educators in developing  any kind  of standards                                                               
and curriculum to  make sure it is representative,  that there is                                                               
a public process,  and there is opportunity for  public input and                                                               
comment on anything the State Board adopts.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He added fundamental to purpose is  also fact and his hope is the                                                               
curriculum,  and the  standard includes  facts and  history about                                                               
the United States, including the unique history of Alaska.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:48:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  commented he  is not  exactly sure  what Senator                                                               
Myers is  getting at. The bill  is about politics, but  it is not                                                               
political. He  said he  does not  think there  is any  attempt to                                                               
teach anyone about being a  Republican or Democrat, the intent is                                                               
to understand  what it means  to be  an American citizen  and the                                                               
commissioner has a  great grasp of that. The State  is doing this                                                               
really well in some places,  noting there are government teachers                                                               
he has  met throughout Alaska who  are doing a tremendous  job in                                                               
educating  their  kids  and  what  it means  to  be  an  American                                                               
citizen, what  our history  is all about,  and the  importance of                                                               
voting and participating.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He noteda   little off the  topiche  was a  different generation,                                                               
and he could  not vote until he was 21.  That was the requirement                                                               
in Alaska  and the  United States,  and he voted  when he  was in                                                               
college. The  ability to vote  meant so  much to him,  he studied                                                               
it, he learned about it, and he  knew what was going on from high                                                               
school classes.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS stated  there are some great  teachers out there,                                                               
he  had some  great  teachers  when he  went  through school  who                                                               
really made  students proud  to be an  American citizen,  and not                                                               
about party politics  and the issues that  legislators deal with,                                                               
but rather the bigger picture of what it means to be a citizen.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He said  he is not  sure what  Senator Myers means  about values,                                                               
but he thinks the value of  citizenship rises above all the other                                                               
issues.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HUGHES thanked  Commissioner  Johnson  for his  passionate                                                               
presentation and asked that he provide his comments in writing.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:50:35 PM                                                                                                                    
LA  QUEN  N?AY  LIZ  MEDICINE  CROW,  President  and  CEO,  First                                                               
Alaskans Institute, Kake, Alaska, testified  in support of SB 72.                                                               
She thanked  Senator Stevens and  the committee for  inviting the                                                               
First Alaskans Institute  (FAI) to share a few words  about SB 72                                                               
and about  the potential  that FAI sees  in the  legislation. She                                                               
stated she was  happy to see the CS containing  a simple sentence                                                               
to include within civics education  the tribal government systems                                                               
as well; to that point is what she really wants to speak to.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
She  noted  she is  a  product  of  the Alaska  public  education                                                               
system, attending school  in Kake and Juneau.  When preparing for                                                               
her testimony  she tried to recall  at any time when  her schools                                                               
ever  mentioned anything  relevant to  her as  a Tribal  citizen.                                                               
However,  her  connection to  her  Tribe  is strong  through  her                                                               
family  and  community,  she  is   an  enrolled  citizen  of  the                                                               
Organized  Village of  Kake, and  her family  and many  community                                                               
members  have  been  involved  in   ensuring  that  their  tribal                                                               
government is strong and taking care of its citizens in Kake.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She said  she has  been able  to watch and  learn very  much from                                                               
what it means  to be someone who cares about  their community and                                                               
who  steps forward  to serve  and take  care of  the things  that                                                               
communities need to be addressed.  However, not once did she ever                                                               
have to  opportunity to  learn about  the sovereignty,  about her                                                               
tribal  government, what  a  tribal government  was,  how it  was                                                               
different from  state government,  how state  government, federal                                                               
government,   and  tribal   governments   are  three   sovereigns                                                               
operating  in   present  day   Alaska.  There   was  a   void  of                                                               
understanding  the critical  role of  tribal governments  and the                                                               
wellbeing of all of Alaska.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MEDICINE CROW stated what  she really appreciates about SB 72                                                               
is that  the bill is saying,  "We will no longer  erase one third                                                               
of that sovereignty picture that we  have in Alaska, that when we                                                               
talk about what it means to be  a citizen." She said too often in                                                               
Alaska's  history  the  divisiveness and  the  racial  inequities                                                               
between Alaska Native peoples and  those who now call Alaska home                                                               
have  allowed us  to  blindside  our own  best  interests in  the                                                               
education that our children receive.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:54:02 PM                                                                                                                    
She noted FAI provides an  Alaska Native governance and protocols                                                               
training. Legislatorsas   elected officialsare   making decisions                                                               
everyday about the wellbeing of  Alaskans, but she questioned how                                                               
legislators could  make those decisions  with the  best available                                                               
information  if legislators  never had  a chance  to learn  about                                                               
tribal governments.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She  detailed there  are  229 tribal  governments  in Alaska  and                                                               
those 229  tribal governments have  created an  incredible Alaska                                                               
Tribal  Health  Care  System, which  she  believes  all  Alaskans                                                               
probably know of better today  then they did before COVID-19. The                                                               
Tribal Health  Care System  has exemplified  the power  of tribal                                                               
governance and  about what can  happen when people are  in charge                                                               
of  their own  destiny, which  is  essentially the  same kind  of                                                               
story Alaskans put forward in their pursuit to become a state.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
She said there  should not be a tension between  tribal and state                                                               
governments in Alaska. There should  be an opportunity for people                                                               
to  understand that  "one,  plus one,  plus  one, equals  three."                                                               
Three chances for  children in Alaska to know more,  to be better                                                               
citizens, to  understand what  it means  when somebody  says they                                                               
are  a  tribal citizen  and  understand  where that  relationship                                                               
comes from and how long it has been in Alaska.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
She pointed  out the  federally recognized  tribes in  Alaska are                                                               
modern  manifestations of  the indigenous  people in  Alaska that                                                               
long predates  the United  States and the  State of  Alaska. That                                                               
inherent  sovereignty that  the  tribal governments  have is  not                                                               
dissimilaralthough   it  is   differentfrom   state  and  federal                                                               
sovereignty.  She asked  committee members  to imagine  the power                                                               
the children  of Alaska  will have if  they can  understand those                                                               
three concepts,  know how to  make informed decisions,  and build                                                               
relationships because of it.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MEDICINE  CROW   remarked  Alaska  has  yet   to  have  that                                                               
opportunity  and   has  stifled   its  own  development   by  not                                                               
previously including [the three  concepts]. The legislation is an                                                               
opportunity to change that and  the trajectory of where the state                                                               
goes. She said she  cannot imagine what it would be  like to be a                                                               
child learning about these things,  inquiring about these things,                                                               
learning   how   to    critique   these   things,   understanding                                                               
responsibility the legislature  has to themit  is  not just about                                                               
the  benefits that  state  citizens receive,  it  also about  the                                                               
responsibilities.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
She stated the same applies  to the Alaska tribal governments and                                                               
the  federal  government.  By   including  Alaska  Native  tribal                                                               
governance within  the civics education  of the  public education                                                               
students, she explained the following:                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     I  believe  that we  will  also  make some  really  big                                                                    
     shifts in some of the  racial dynamics that have played                                                                    
     too long  a part  and strangled  the growth  of Alaska,                                                                    
     because our history is imbedded  in the civics and when                                                                    
     you have a better understanding  of history, you have a                                                                    
     better  understanding  of   your  responsibility  as  a                                                                    
     citizen.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She said  that is why she  wanted to testify today,  and to thank                                                               
Senator Stevens and the cosponsors for SB 72.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:57:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES thanked Ms. Medicine  Crow. She added she personally                                                               
needs  an  education  in tribal  governments  and  suggested  the                                                               
committee  may  invite her  back  for  a presentation  to  better                                                               
understand tribal governments.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
She asked her  if she would be working  with Commissioner Johnson                                                               
to help  the department as  they develop the  [tribal government]                                                               
curriculum.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MEDICINE  CROW answered yes.  She added Alaska  Native elders                                                               
and ancestors have already created  cultural standards for Native                                                               
education so  there is a  good foundation and framework  to build                                                               
from.  FAI  is ready  to  stand  behind Commissioner  Johnson  to                                                               
create a  robust curriculum and  assessment that  reflects Native                                                               
people and its tribal governance.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:59:02 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HUGHES noted  the  Senate  Education Committee  previously                                                               
heard the  billa  committee she serves  onhowever,  the committee                                                               
did not get into the  [tribal governance] area, an important area                                                               
of  focus  and  responsibility   for  the  Senate  Community  and                                                               
Regional Affairs Committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON thanked Ms.  Medicine Crow for her inspiring                                                               
presentation.  She  concurred  with  Chair Hughes  on  a  [tribal                                                               
governance]   presentation,   hopefully    during   the   current                                                               
legislative session.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:00:08 PM                                                                                                                    
JENNIFER  KNUTSON,  Senior  Director of  Teaching  and  Learning,                                                               
Anchorage  School  District,   Anchorage,  Alaska,  testified  in                                                               
support of  SB 72.  She thanked  the previous  testifiers because                                                               
she  is  excited  about  what they  said.  The  Anchorage  School                                                               
District (ASD) is happy that civics is  a focus of SB 72. ASD has                                                               
been  embedding  civics  into  its  social  studies  and  history                                                               
courses in grades 6-12 in  alignment with standards. However, the                                                               
bill provides  an opportunity for  the district to work  with the                                                               
State and  [Alaska Native] tribal  groups to  review, strengthen,                                                               
and focus its curriculum and instruction.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
She said  she was excited  about the discussion  on strengthening                                                               
the understanding  of Alaska  Native governance.  ASD has  had an                                                               
opportunity to  develop its Alaska  studies curriculum  for third                                                               
grade  by partnering  with elders  and cultural  consultants. The                                                               
recently completed studies provided the  students with a rich and                                                               
highly accurate curriculum  that allowed them to  learn about the                                                               
place  where they  live. The  curriculum touched  on some  of the                                                               
government  pieces via  partnering with  cultural consultants,  a                                                               
big  strength that  benefited  the district.  She  stated she  is                                                               
excited about the possibilities from  the bill for the ASD civics                                                               
instruction.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
She explained  students will benefit from  a statewide curriculum                                                               
by  ensuring  they  have  the needed  skills  and  knowledge  for                                                               
meaningful  participation in  public life  as strong  citizens in                                                               
today's world.  The curriculum will  also help  districts reflect                                                               
on what  they are doing  to potentially strengthen  their current                                                               
social studies and history course.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:02:25 PM                                                                                                                    
She referenced the assessment component  of the bill and said ASD                                                               
is   pleased   with   the   adjustments,   including   assessment                                                               
development in  conjunction with  the curriculum.  The assessment                                                               
will provide  feedback not  only for how  students are  doing and                                                               
what their  skills are,  but teachers,  districts, and  the State                                                               
will receive  feedback about the students'  knowledge and skills.                                                               
The  assessment   feedback  allows  for   continuous  instruction                                                               
adjustments  to ensure  students  are  growing and  demonstrating                                                               
their skills to be successful in life.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. KNUTSON  said ASD  appreciates the  student civics  test will                                                               
show up  on their  transcripts. ASD has  a formal  assessment for                                                               
its students  who are doing World  Languages to obtain a  Seal of                                                               
Biliteracy and  that shows up on  their transcriptsan  attractive                                                               
recognition to  colleges and businesses.  ASD thinks  that having                                                               
the  civics  assessment  information on  their  transcripts  will                                                               
reflect  their  good  citizenship knowledge  for  application  in                                                               
their post K-12 educationa  similar  transcription benefit to the                                                               
Seal of Biliteracy.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:04:28 PM                                                                                                                    
She summarized ASD finds a lot  of positive aspects with the bill                                                               
and appreciates  the work that  has gone  into the team  that has                                                               
improved the  legislation. ASD looks  forward to  partnering with                                                               
the  State  and  [Alaska  Native]  tribal  organizations  on  the                                                               
curriculum and assessment components,  and ensuring that they are                                                               
high quality, rigorous, and aligned to the assessment.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES  noted she mentioned  the World  Language assessment                                                               
appears on student  transcripts. She asked her  if the assessment                                                               
indicates the score that students received.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  KNUTSON  answered  no.  She   explained  students  take  the                                                               
assessmentthere  is  criteria to receive the  Seal of Biliteracy,                                                               
like  grade  point  averagebut    the  transcript  indicates  the                                                               
student passed the assessment.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:05:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES asked  her to confirm that  the transcript indicates                                                               
that the student passed the assessment.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. KNUTSON answered yes.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HUGHES noted  the Senate  Education  Committee had  policy                                                               
discussions  regarding  SB  72  and  changes  were  made  by  the                                                               
committee,  but members  knew the  Senate Community  and Regional                                                               
Affairs Standing  Committee would hear  the bill next to  do some                                                               
further work.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She  said  she  shares  the  same  concerns  that  Senator  Myers                                                               
expressed, but  she wants to work  with the bill sponsor.  One of                                                               
her concerns  is if  the legislature  tasks teachers  to instruct                                                               
the  students  in  the  civics   material,  will  the  curriculum                                                               
motivate  and engage  students when  they know  that it  does not                                                               
matter whether  they pass  or fail.  She suggested  requiring the                                                               
assessment score  appear on the  transcript so the  student knows                                                               
they would  carry the score  with them, and they  would hopefully                                                               
want to get a passing score on their transcript.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES  explained she knows there  are concerns, especially                                                               
when getting  something up  and running.  The committee  does not                                                               
want high  school seniors  to initially  not graduate  because of                                                               
the    assessment.   She    noted    receiving   feedback    from                                                               
superintendents  regarding "unfunded  mandates." Many  districts                                                                
including ASDare   already doing civics. Aligning  with what DEED                                                               
might produce assures  that a district covers all  their bases so                                                               
students could do well in their assessments.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
She suggestednot  knowing if the  sponsor will agreeis  after the                                                               
[civics]   curriculum  is   considered  good   and  working   for                                                               
districts, then  the legislature could change  the requirement to                                                               
the  student passing  the assessment  in order  to graduate.  She                                                               
asked Ms. Knutson what she  thought about initially starting with                                                               
including the score on the  transcript with the goal over several                                                               
years of requiring the student pass to graduate.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:08:02 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. KNUTSON recommended focusing first  on the curriculum that is                                                               
engaging and allows students to  practice what they have learned                                                                
where they  are not memorizing everything.  The curriculum should                                                               
allow students  to make connections  between the  different parts                                                               
of  government  and  what  that   means  to  be  a  citizen.  The                                                               
assessment should align to the  curriculum for measuring what the                                                               
district  is  teaching   the  students.  Having  a   score  on  a                                                               
transcript is  not necessarily  going to  be a  motivating factor                                                               
for how well a student does or how much they know civics.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HUGHES   noted  an  assessment  actually   can  include  a                                                               
portfolio  that  shows  activities   and  engagement,  perhaps  a                                                               
student showing up at a city council meeting.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She said  she is  "kind of  shocked" that  Ms. Knutson  would say                                                               
that  a student's  grade might  not motivate  them. Students  are                                                               
motivated  to  get good  gradessome   students  are notbut   most                                                               
students do  not want to fail  their course work and  recording a                                                               
score would motivate them.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
She asked Ms. Knutson  if she is sure that she  wants to stick to                                                               
her statement that posting a score would not motivate students.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:10:08 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  KNUTSON agreed  that there  are a  lot of  students who  are                                                               
intrinsically motivated by having good  grades and seeing that on                                                               
their  transcripts. However,  she would  like to  see assessments                                                               
linked to  the instruction  so that students  see the  outcome of                                                               
what they are learning.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
She  said she  appreciates what  Chair Hughes  said about  having                                                               
different  means of  assessing students  where they  are able  to                                                               
demonstrate that they are learning as opposed to a fill-in-the-                                                                 
blank assessment.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES asked Senator Stevens if  he has any comments as the                                                               
bill sponsor.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEVENS stated  he appreciates  the  testimony from  the                                                               
three  individuals. He  noted  Ms. Medicine  Crow  used the  word                                                               
"responsibility," a  word he  will say in  the future  because he                                                               
thinks it is  the responsibility being a citizen to  know what is                                                               
going on, to vote, and to participate.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He noted he stated earlier that  there are a lot of good teachers                                                               
out there  and a lot of  school districts are doing  a great job,                                                               
but  not everyone  is,  and some  are  not doing  it  at all.  He                                                               
remarked  that  starting  the  instruction   must  be  with  good                                                               
curriculum.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He added one  thing not addressed is the requirement  for DEED to                                                               
provide  an  annual report  to  the  House and  Senate  education                                                               
committees, so  the legislature knows  what is going on.  He said                                                               
in time  the legislature  might want  to make  more restrictions                                                                
like posting the scorebut  he is  not sure posting a score is the                                                               
right way to start.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
He remarked a  lot of citizens are not motivated  and a lot could                                                               
not  pass  the  immigration  test,  but passing  a  test  is  not                                                               
required  if   anybody  wants  to  vote.   The  [proposed  civics                                                               
instruction] begins an improvement of  students in Alaska to help                                                               
them  become more  knowledgeable; that  report is  very important                                                               
and having that on the transcript is important as well.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:12:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES  asked him if  there is  a list of  school districts                                                               
that are or  are not offering [civics], and at  what grade level.                                                               
She noted someone shared that  in her community the Alaska Native                                                               
Studies instruction  occurs in the freshman  year, but government                                                               
civics portion  is as a  senior where taking an  assessment might                                                               
be a problem due to the four-year difference.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS replied there is  not a lot of consistency across                                                               
the state  and that is  one of the  things Mr. Lamkin  has looked                                                               
into.  The  legislation  might  bring  some  consistency  to  the                                                               
[civics instruction].                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He asked Mr.  Lamkin to comment on what the  school districts are                                                               
doing.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:13:54 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LAMKIN  noted he was alerted  to the question and  during the                                                               
last 24 hours  he has carefully reviewed the websites  for all 54                                                               
school districts.  He said at this  time he has not  been able to                                                               
drill deeply, but  at the surface there are  three districts that                                                               
specifically reference  "civics," "Inupiaq Studies"  in Northwest                                                               
Arctic,  or   "Native  History"   in  the   Yukon-Koyukuk  School                                                               
District.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He detailed  there is  a lot of  civics-type activity  out there,                                                               
typically referenced  as "social  studies" which  includes United                                                               
States history, world history,  United States government, current                                                               
events,  economics, and  the statutory  requirement of  a half  a                                                               
credit for a semester in Alaska  studies. That data is out there,                                                               
but  there  is  quite  a  diverse and  colorful  variety  of  the                                                               
districts' approaches  to thata  part of  local controlbut  there                                                               
is  no   clearinghouse  or  central   location  to   receive  the                                                               
curriculum or  certainlyto  his knowledgenot  an  assessment that                                                               
is on civics or government in order to graduate.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He noted there isas  should  be expectedend  of course exams that                                                               
would  contribute to  a  grade. Again,  with  at least  regarding                                                               
Alaska studies, a simple fact that they have to take the exams.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:15:25 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES  thanked Mr. Lamkin for  his time and effort  to try                                                               
to  tease out  the  information.  She asked  if  he gets  further                                                               
information  and drills  down any  further to  let the  committee                                                               
know when the committee brings the bill back up.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
She asked him  of those districts in the material  he has if some                                                               
districts require the courses for graduation.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LAMKIN answered each  districtby  state lawrequires  students                                                               
to complete  three creditsthree  yearsof  social  studies. Social                                                               
studies include a student option  to choose between subjects such                                                               
as  United  States  history, United  States  government,  current                                                               
events, world  history and those  things. Students must  take the                                                               
three, but  they select  exactly what those  three are,  with the                                                               
exception of the half credit in Alaska studiesrequired by law.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:16:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HUGHES  announced  Senator  Wilson  joined  the  committee                                                               
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
She  said because  the  committee  did not  focus  on the  tribal                                                               
government  piece  in  the   [Senate  Education  Committee],  the                                                               
committee will  address tribal government. She  suggested offline                                                               
or committee  meeting discussions  with rural  superintendents to                                                               
provide  input,  an  important  part  the  committee  should  not                                                               
neglect.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:17:04 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES held SB 72 in committee.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SB 72 v. I Sectional Analysis.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72
SB 72 v. I Supporting Document-Civics Research AK-Gov Citizenship Standards 2006.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72
SB 72 Sponsor Statement Feb 2021.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72
SB 72 Summary of Changes Version A to I.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72
SB 17 v. B Summary of Changes 3.26.2021.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 17
SB 17 v. B Legislation.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 17
SB 72 v. I Legislation.PDF SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72
SB 72 Fiscal Note DEED 3.19.21.pdf SCRA 3/30/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 72