Enrolled HCR 6: Relating to civics education and a citizens' advisory task force.
00Enrolled HCR 6 01 Relating to civics education and a citizens' advisory task force. 02 _______________ 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS Alaskans place a high value on meaningful civic learning in our schools; 05 and 06 WHEREAS it is the responsibility of each generation of Americans to teach the next 07 generation how democracy works; and 08 WHEREAS research shows that, although Alaska has some examples of excellence in 09 civics education, there has been a steady decline in the attention paid to advancing civic 10 learning opportunities, locally, statewide, and nationally; and 11 WHEREAS curricula or programs that integrate national, state, and local civics 12 content into reading, writing, and math instruction can successfully engage students in civic 13 learning without diminishing attention to tested subjects; and 14 WHEREAS the final report of the Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project, dated 15 November 2006, recommended 10 ways in which civics education could be advanced in 16 Alaska; and 17 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.