00                       CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 104(FIN)                                                                   
01 "An Act relating to the duties of the state Board of Education and Early Development;                                   
02 and relating to school curriculum."                                                                                     
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 14.07 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                
05 Sec. 14.07.180. Curriculum approval and review. (a) Notwithstanding any                                               
06 other provision of law, the board shall establish a procedure to review and approve                                     
07 curricula for each grade level in the state. The procedure must meet the requirements                                   
08       described in this section.                                                                                        
09            (b)  The board shall approve curricula currently used by the five largest school                             
10       districts based on the district ADM for the 2015-2016 school year and by two regional                             
11       educational attendance areas selected by the board. The department shall make                                     
12       approved curricula available to all school districts to use on a voluntary basis.                                 
13            (c)  The department, in consultation with schools districts, shall review                                    
14       mathematics and language arts curricula used in schools in the state and in other states                          
01       and countries. Not later than July 1, 2018, the department shall identify the best                                
02       mathematics and language arts curricula and the best practices for teaching the                                   
03       curricula in each grade level in the state.                                                                       
04            (d)  The department may submit the curricula to the board for approval if the                                
05       department concludes that the curricula and best practices                                                        
06                 (1)  are appropriate;                                                                                   
07                 (2)  are in compliance with the nondiscrimination standards established                                 
08       under AS 14.18.060(b);                                                                                            
09                 (3)  are aligned with state education standards; and                                                    
10                 (4)  result in improved academic achievement for students.                                              
11 (e)  If the board approves a curriculum under (d) of this section, the department                                       
12 shall make the curriculum available to all school districts. A school district may use                                  
13 the curriculum if the curriculum is selected by the local governing body of the school                                  
14       district.                                                                                                         
15 (f)  The board shall adopt standards for the approval of curricula and best                                             
16       practices under this section.                                                                                     
17 (g)  Notwithstanding AS 14.08.111(7), AS 14.14.090(7), and AS 14.16.020, a                                              
18 school district is not required to review curricula in the subjects of mathematics and                                  
19       language arts in                                                                                                  
20 (1)  the school year beginning in 2017 through the school year ending                                                   
21       in 2020; or                                                                                                       
22 (2)  a school year beginning in 2020 or later, if the school district                                                   
23       adopts the curriculum approved by the board under (d) and (e) of this section.                                    
24 (h) The department shall submit an electronic report to the legislature and                                             
25 make the report available to the public on the department's Internet website. The report                                
26 must provide information on the curriculum that each school district has adopted. On                                    
27 or before July 1, 2018, and each year thereafter, the department shall submit the report                                
28 required under this subsection to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house                                 
29       of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available.                                       
30            (i)  In this section, "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350.