00 SENATE BILL NO. 398 01 "An Act establishing the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission; and 02 relating to statewide education and assessment standards." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04  * Section 1. AS 14.07.020(b) is amended to read: 05 (b) In implementing its duties under (a)(2) of this section, the department shall 06 consider all applicable recommendations of the Academic Achievement and  07 Accountability Commission to develop 08 (1) performance standards in reading, writing, and mathematics to be 09 met at designated age levels by each student in public schools in the state; and 10 (2) a comprehensive system of student assessments, composed of 11 multiple indicators of proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics; this 12 comprehensive system must 13 (A) be made available to all districts and regional educational 14 attendance areas; 01 (B) include a developmental profile for students entering 02 kindergarten or first grade; and 03 (C) include performance standards in reading, writing, and 04 mathematics for students in age groups five through seven, eight through 10, 05 and 11 through [-] 14. 06  * Sec. 2. AS 14.07.165 is amended to read: 07 Sec. 14.07.165. Duties. The board shall adopt 08 (1) statewide goals, taking into consideration the recommendations  09 of the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission, and require each 10 governing body to adopt written goals that are consistent with local needs; 11 (2) regulations regarding the application for and award of grants under 12 AS 14.03.125; 13 (3) regulations implementing provisions of AS 14.11.014(b); 14 (4) regulations requiring approval by the board before a charter school, 15 state boarding school, or [A] public school may provide domiciliary services; 16 (5) regulations implementing the secondary school student competency 17 examination provisions of AS 14.03.075, including the criteria and procedure under 18 which a governing body uses a waiver to grant a diploma to a student; criteria 19 regarding granting a waiver must include provisions that a waiver may only be granted 20 for students who enter the system late or have rare or unusual circumstances meriting 21 a waiver. 22  * Sec. 3. AS 14.07 is amended by adding new sections to read: 23 Article 3. State Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission.  24 Sec. 14.07.200. Creation. There is created in the Department of Education 25 and Early Development the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission 26 consisting of five members. 27 Sec. 14.07.205. Appointment of members. (a) The members of the 28 commission shall be appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the 29 legislature, including a balance of individuals who are employed by the public 30 education system and those who are not employed by the public education system. Of 31 the persons appointed, 01 (1) at least one member must be an educator; 02 (2) at least one member must be a business leader; 03 (3) at least one member must be a parent of a school-age child; 04 (4) one member must be recommended by the Alaska House of 05 Representatives and one member must be recommended by the Senate. 06 (b) Each member appointed must 07 (1) be supportive of the concept of educational improvement; 08 (2) have a positive record of service; and 09 (3) be willing to devote sufficient time to the responsibilities of the 10 commission to ensure that the objectives of the commission are achieved. 11 Sec. 14.07.210. Term of office. The members of the commission shall be 12 appointed for overlapping four-year terms commencing on the July 1 following the 13 date of the member's appointment. Except as provided in AS 39.05.080(4), a member 14 appointed to fill a vacancy serves for the unexpired term of the member whose 15 vacancy is filled. A vacancy occurring during a term of office is filled in the same 16 manner as the original appointment. Appointees may be reappointed to serve more 17 than one term. 18 Sec. 14.07.215. Quorum and chair. (a) Three members constitute a 19 quorum. 20 (b) The commission shall designate one member of the commission as the 21 chair from among its members. 22 Sec. 14.07.220. Purpose and duties. (a) The commission shall ensure 23 statewide academic accountability in grades kindergarten through 12 in the public 24 schools in the state. 25 (b) The commission shall 26 (1) adopt and revise statewide performance standards, content 27 standards, and grade level expectations in the areas of reading, writing, science, and 28 math in public schools in the state as appropriate for improved student learning; 29 (2) before adopting a standard under (1) of this subsection and before 30 March 1 of each year in which a standard is adopted, present the standards 31 recommended for adoption under that paragraph to each education committee of the 01 legislature; 02 (3) adopt objective and systematic criteria to identify a successful 03 school and school district, including accountability standards required under 04 AS 14.03.123 and based on accountability standards proposed by an organization 05 recognized as having expertise in the area; 06 (4) make annual recommendations of at least one school and one 07 school district to be recognized by the commissioner for its high student achievement 08 and for its improvement in student achievement; 09 (5) provide oversight and recommendations pertaining to the selection, 10 preparation, and implementation of statewide assessments, including the secondary 11 school competency examination under AS 14.03.075, and establish the proficiency 12 score that each student must achieve on each statewide assessment; 13 (6) carry out all other functions necessary under (a) of this section; and 14 (7) collect information and make findings on the condition of the 15 public schools in the state and report the findings annually to the legislature. 16 (c) The commission may employ staff to assist the commission in meeting its 17 duties under this section. Until such time as staff is employed by the commission, the 18 department shall provide necessary assistance, including technical assistance, and 19 logistical support. The chief financial officer for the department shall serve as the 20 fiscal agent for the commission. 21 (d) The commission may direct the department to enter into a contract with a 22 qualified entity to assist the commission in carrying out its duties, subject to available 23 funding. 24  * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 25 read: 26 STAGGERED TERMS. Notwithstanding AS 39.05.055, the members appointed to 27 the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission in the Department of Education 28 and Early Development under AS 14.07.205, enacted by sec. 3 of this Act, shall serve 29 staggered terms as follows: 30 (1) the governor shall appoint the initial commission members before 31 September 1, 2004; 01 (2) two members shall serve four-year terms; 02 (3) two members shall serve three-year terms; 03 (4) one member shall serve a two-year term. 04  * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 05 read: 06 INITIAL MEETING. The first meeting of the Academic Achievement and 07 Accountability Commission in the Department of Education and Early Development, created 08 under AS 14.07.200, enacted by sec. 3 of this Act, shall be convened by the commissioner of 09 education and early development before September 30, 2004.