00      SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6(SED)                                                       
01 Relating to civics education and a citizens' advisory task force.                                                       
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS Alaskans place a high value on meaningful civic learning in our schools;                                
04 and                                                                                                                   
05       WHEREAS it is the responsibility of each generation of Americans to teach the next                              
06 generation how democracy works; and                                                                                     
07       WHEREAS research shows that, although Alaska has some examples of excellence in                                 
08 civics education, there has been a steady decline in the attention paid to advancing civic                              
09 learning opportunities, locally, statewide, and nationally; and                                                         
10       WHEREAS curricula or programs that integrate national, state, and local civics                                  
11 content into reading, writing, and math instruction can successfully engage students in civic                           
12 learning without diminishing attention to tested subjects; and                                                          
13       WHEREAS the final report of the Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project, dated                                 
14 November 2006, recommended 10 ways in which civics education could be advanced in                                       
15 Alaska; and                                                                                                             
16       WHEREAS one recommendation of the volunteer group was the creation of a                                         

01 statewide entity to review Alaska's civics standards for propriety and accuracy, assist in                              
02 teacher professional development, and develop incentive and reward programs for exemplary                               
03 schools and teachers; and                                                                                               
04       WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature endorses the importance of improving civics                                
05 education in our public schools and supports the creation of a citizens' advisory task force;                           
06       BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that a Citizens' Advisory Task                                   
07 Force on Civics Education Policy is established in the legislative branch to review Alaska's                            
08 content standards for civics education, recommend well-articulated civics curricula, and                                
09 propose effective professional development strategies for teachers in a comprehensive                                   
10 fashion; and be it                                                                                                      
11       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Citizens' Advisory Task Force on Civics Education                                     
12 Policy consists of six appointed members and includes additional members as recommended                                 
13 by the leader of the Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project; and be it                                                
14       FURTHER RESOLVED that the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House                                      
15 of Representatives shall each appoint two members, the Governor shall appoint one member,                               
16 and the commissioner of education and early development shall appoint one member who is                                 
17 an employee of the Department of Education and Early Development to serve on the Citizens'                              
18 Advisory Task Force on Civics Education Policy; and be it                                                               
19       FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report back to the legislature and the                                     
20 Alaska Board of Education and Early Development on or before the 30th day of the Second                                 
21 Session of the Twenty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature on ways to implement the                                           
22 recommendations of the Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project; and be it                                              
23       FURTHER RESOLVED that the six appointed members of the citizens' advisory                                       
24 task force may receive compensation for per diem or reimbursement for travel or other                                   
25 expenses incurred by serving on the task force.