CSSB 23(FIN): "An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation requirements; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 23(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school 02 graduation requirements; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 05 Sec. 14.03.076. Comparative government and civics curriculum and 06 assessments requirement. (a) The board shall develop, using resources publicly 07 available at no cost, and periodically review a statewide comparative government and 08 civics education curriculum, civics assessment, and civics project-based assessment. A 09 school district may use the curriculum developed by the board to educate students in 10 comparative government and civics. 11 (b) The curriculum developed under (a) of this section must include 12 instruction on 13 (1) the founding history of the United States, including foundational 14 documents and the principles of government of the United States;
01 (2) federalism, including the role and operations of local, state, and 02 national governments; 03 (3) the institutions of the United States government, including the 04 responsibilities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; 05 (4) the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship; 06 (5) civil liberties and civil rights; 07 (6) the Constitution of the State of Alaska and the Constitution of the 08 United States; 09 (7) political parties and interest groups; 10 (8) campaigns and elections; 11 (9) the United States Congress; 12 (10) domestic policy; 13 (11) foreign policy; 14 (12) comparative systems of governments used globally and by Alaska 15 Natives; 16 (13) international relations; and 17 (14) major issues facing local, state, and the United States 18 governments. 19 (c) A school may not issue a secondary school diploma to a student unless the 20 student 21 (1) has completed one semester of a comparative government and 22 civics education course that includes instruction on the topics listed in (b) of this 23 section; 24 (2) has achieved a passing score on the civics assessment developed 25 under (a) of this section; 26 (3) provides the governing body with evidence that the student has 27 achieved a passing score on a test similar to the civics assessment developed under (a) 28 of this section within the previous five years; 29 (4) has achieved a passing score on a civics project-based assessment 30 developed under (a) of this section; 31 (5) provides the governing body with evidence that the student has
01 achieved a passing score on a civics project-based assessment similar to the civics 02 project-based assessment developed under (a) of this section while in high school; or 03 (6) is a student with a disability who receives a waiver from the 04 governing body. 05 (d) Notwithstanding (c) of this section, a school may issue a secondary school 06 diploma to a student who has not met the requirements of (c) of this section if the 07 student transferred into a state public school after completing grade 10 or has already 08 successfully completed a high school state history course from another state. 09 (e) If a student has achieved a passing score on the civics assessment 10 developed under (a) of this section, the school shall document on the student's 11 transcript that the student achieved a passing score. A student may retake the 12 assessment as needed to achieve a passing score. 13 (f) The department shall adopt regulations to recognize a student who has 14 attained a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, civic skills, a civic mindset, 15 and civic experiences by affixing a seal of civic readiness on the student's school 16 transcript and diploma. 17 (g) A school district shall allow a student to fulfill the requirements of (c) of 18 this section by taking a comparative government and civics education course that 19 includes instruction on the topics listed in (b) of this section. A school district may 20 allow a student to fulfill the requirements of (c) of this section by achieving a passing 21 score on a civics assessment or civics project-based assessment. 22 (h) In this section, "passing score" means a student correctly answers 70 23 percent or more of the questions on a civics assessment or receives a score of 70 24 percent or higher on a civics project-based assessment. 25 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 26 read: 27 TRANSITION: GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. The requirement that a school 28 only issue a secondary school diploma to a student who has met the requirements set out in 29 AS 14.03.076(c), enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to students who enter grade nine on or 30 after July 1, 2027. 31 * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2027.