Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
03/10/2021 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB80 | |
| SB72 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 72 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 80 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 72-SEC. SCHOOL CIVICS EDUCATION
9:28:37 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 72 "An Act relating to civics
education, civics examinations, and secondary school graduation
requirements; and providing for an effective date."
He called on bill sponsor Senator Gary Stevens to introduce the
bill.
9:28:49 AM
SENATOR GARY STEVENS, speaking as sponsor of SB 72, said that as
a retired history professor, this is a shocking time in the
nation's history. He cited the examples of the Capitol invasion
and tearing down statues related to American history. This is a
challenge to civics education in this country. He wishes he
could have gotten some of the people who invaded the Capitol in
a classroom to talk about the importance of civics education.
One of his favorite parts of American history is the writing of
the Constitution in 1787. After hours had been spent writing the
Constitution in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the delegates
walked out. A lady asked Benjamin Franklin if this was a
republic or a monarchy and his response was, "A republic, if you
can keep it."
9:30:15 AM
SENATOR STEVENS said the country is having trouble keeping that
republic. Many Americans have trouble passing the civics test,
which has 128 questions. Immigrants, incoming citizens, are
expected to pass it at a certain level. They are simple
questions. What is the First Amendment? How many amendments are
there? What are the branches of government? What do they do?
What is the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? These
are simple questions that every citizen should be able to
answer. It is important to help students become American
citizens.
9:31:32 AM
TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said there is a volume of evidence
to support the bill, research, articles, commentary, and data.
This bill sets an exit exam on civics competency for graduating
seniors. There is a 128-question test administered by the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland
Security that has been used for quite some time. Of those 128
questions, 20 questions are randomly selected and an applicant
must answer 12, or 60 percent, correctly. The last time the
legislature visited this subject was in 2017. At that time, 92
percent of those taking the test passed it. At that same time,
in Arizona only 3 percent of graduating seniors were passing the
test and 4 percent in Oklahoma. At that time, nine other states
had passed a law just like this and 26 other states had active
legislation proposing it. He is researching how many states have
passed similar laws to date. A substantial amount of research
and commentary supports this. There are other components of
civics education, but at the end of the day, the purpose is to
include this test or at the least have a component in the annual
report from the Department of Education and Early Development to
keep it on the radar. Teacher Lem Wheeles will testify. He
participated in a civics taskforce in 2016-2017 that resulted in
this proposal.
9:34:19 AM
SENATOR HUGHES asked if he knew the passing rates on the civics
tests in the nine states that require it. She would hope that it
is better than 3 or 4 percent.
MR. LAMKIN answered that he did not have that information in
front of him, but he can say that as a result of that test, the
passing rate and knowledge of civics substantially improved.
SENATOR BEGICH noted he mentioned that the federal test requires
a random selection of 20 questions and a 60 percent score. This
bill on page one, lines 7-9, reads receives a score of at least
60 percent on an examination consisting of at a minimum the 128
questions. Those are very different standards. He asked if the
intent is 60 percent on 128 or more questions or 60 percent for
20 randomly-selected questions.
MR. LAMKIN answered that the intent of the bill is to align with
the federal standards, which is 60 percent of those 20
questions.
SENATOR BEGICH said he believes that is the intent. The way it
is worded would perhaps send the message that a student must get
60 percent of the 128 questions. It says of the test used by
United State Citizenship. There could be a simple clarification
in a technical amendment.
MR. LAMKIN replied that is a policy call. He would shoot for the
higher target of 60 percent of the 128.
CHAIR HOLLAND asked Mr. Lamkin to present the sectional.
9:37:27 AM
MR. LAMKIN presented the sectional analysis for SB 72:
Section 1:
AS 14.03.076, relating to public schools, adds a new
section requiring high school seniors to pass a civics
competency exam in order to receive a diploma. This is the
same examination administered by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security for immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship.
Section 2:
AS 14.07.168, relating to reporting requirements of the AK
State Board of Education and Early Development, to include
in their biennial report a description of civics education
curriculum in the state, and of the success rate of the
exam described in section 1.
Section 3:
Provides for an effective date of July 1, 2022.
CHAIR HOLLAND called on Commissioner Johnson.
9:38:38 AM
MICHAEL JOHNSON, Ph.D., Commissioner, Alaska Department of
Education and Early Development, Juneau, Alaska, gave the
following speech:
I want to especially thank Senator Stevens who has not
waivered, for years, in making sure that our public
education system is built upon the purpose of civics
education. We can all regret that more policy makers in our
country have not shared in his efforts.
Civics education is not a new innovation, it is timeless
wisdom that we have forgotten.
Plato said, schools should create good men [and women] who
act nobly.
If we have an education system that does less, all our
other efforts for life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness will be thwarted.
According to a study from the Woodrow Wilson National
Fellowship Foundation, only 36 percent of Americans passed
a multiple-choice US citizenship test.
Less than 25 percent know why we fought the British.
Only 24 percent could name a single thing Benjamin Franklin
was famous for. Thirty-seven percent think he invented the
lightbulb.
Here's the proof in the pudding that Senator Stevens is
right to introduce this bill: 74 percent of people sixty-
five and older scored the best, answering at least six out
of every ten questions correctly. Only 19 of those forty-
five and younger passed - that's 81 percent scoring 59
percent or lower on the exam.
9:41:00 AM
This bill is not a new coat of paint on our public
education system - it is a much-needed effort to repair the
foundation.
Civics education is about purpose. A public education
system without clear purpose is more expensive,
ineffective, and corrosive to our society. A public
education system with purpose is more efficient, more
effective, and improves our society.
The Legislature's purpose statement is clear: AS.14.03.015
It is the policy of this state that the purpose of
education is to help ensure that all students will succeed
in their education and work, shape worthwhile and
satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values
of society, and be effective in improving the character and
quality of the world about them.
That's a great description of the outcome of an education
purposed with civics. It is also the State Board's Vision
statement.
We spend over 160 billion pennies each year on our public
education system, every single one should have a purpose
related to civics education.
In closing, let me say that I realize expectations are low
this session. There are some that say we can't do policy
work because of the pandemic and our budget situation.
But this committee is proving otherwise. You have a suite
of bills before you, including reading (which is essential
for any kind of civics education), virtual education,
innovative funding increases, and middle college. Any
single one of those bills would be impactful, but together,
they reveal our priorities.
9:43:04 AM
These past months, my fear has been that we will lower the
bar, that we will settle for less. We all want schools to
be open, but I sure hope that's not our new benchmark. Open
is good - purposeful and effective is essential.
Mr. Chair, and members of this committee. I know the hours
you are all spending working on these bills. Thank You, Mr.
Chair for working closely with each committee member and
their staffs. This committee can buck the trend and produce
a package of bills that, even during a year of
unprecedented difficulty, can restore, build, and excel our
public education system.
A few months after giving his go to the moon speech, John
Kennedy addressed a growing public questioning of why - why
spend all that money. He said at a speech later that year,
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do other
things, NOT because they are easy, but because they are
hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure
the best of our energies and skills." Going to the moon,
was about making America better, not about improving the
moon.
9:44:43 AM
Let's not storm the capitol, let's teach kids to read.
Let's inspire them to run for school board, run for mayor,
and run for the legislature. Let's show them how to work
together to create good policy. Let's teach them to value
liberty and never take it for granted. Let's show them how
to embrace what is difficult BECAUSE it makes us better and
more thankful.
In his original moon speech he said, "For while we cannot
guarantee that we shall one day be first, we can guarantee
that any failure to make this effort will make us last."
How can I help you make this effort on all of these bills?
9:45:43 AM
SENATOR STEVENS thanked the commissioner for his inspiring
thoughts and said he wished more people could hear what he said.
He said the legislators are inspired and have high expectations
with no intention of lowering the bar. Legislators are always
accused whenever they meddle in education of passing another
unfunded mandate. He asked him to reflect on the unfunded
mandate issue.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON responded that it often comes up, even
about reading. He rejects that notion but would invite the
conversation. If folks want to have a conversation about
unfunded mandates, there should be a conversation about what is
being funded that is unmandated. Then there could be clarity
about the purpose of the public education system.
CHAIR HOLLAND called on Lem Wheeles.
9:46:55 AM
LEM WHEELES, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, stated he is
a social studies teacher at Dimond High School in Anchorage. He
has taught U.S. Government to seniors for all of his 17 years of
teaching. He also teaches Advanced Placement U.S. Government. He
is a proponent of civics education and appreciates Senator
Stevens' long-standing commitment to expanding civics education
in the state. To address Senator Begich's comments about the
number of questions and passing percentage, he has used the
citizenship exam with his seniors as a preassessment and
summative assessment to measure progress. He has struggled with
the number of questions he should be giving. He reviewed the
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website before his
testimony, and it has changed the set of questions. In 2008
there was a set of 100 questions and the required score was six
of 10. In 2020, the agency went to the 128-questions set and the
score was 12 out of 20 questions. As of the beginning of March,
the agency is returning to the 100 questions and the score of
six out of 10. The committee should review that to make sure the
bill matches the federal test as it changes.
9:49:08 AM
MR. WHEELES stated that his mission as an educator is to prepare
his students to be engaged citizens in the U.S. republic. In a
normal schoolyear, he asks his government students to complete a
project in experiencing government firsthand. When he introduces
this "citizen project," he tells students about his experience
studying French. He was never fluent in French despite studying
it for 10 years because he never went to a French-speaking
county. Similarly, he can teach all sorts of facts about
government to students, but until they experience it first-hand,
they will not develop fluency. The students choose a variety of
way to engage in government, including registering to vote and
voting if there is an election, registering for selective
service, filing for their PFD check, attending assembly
meetings, or writing a letter to a public official. The final
piece of the project is to write a reflection about what they
learned. In addition to teaching the content prescribed by the
Alaska content standards for government and citizenship, he
strives to offer authentic opportunities for his students to
engage with government. He has hosted a variety of government
officials in his classrooms. They experience the powerful lesson
that government is made up of human beings.
9:51:15 AM
MR. WHEELES said the Constitution begins with "we the people"
and government only functions well when the people participate
in it. He applauded Senator Stevens' efforts with SB 72,
although he has some points to ponder on its approach. The bill
calls for students to answer all 128 questions from the U.S.
citizenship exam with a score of 60 percent. That is fine for
ensuring subject knowledge, but the logistics of the bill
probably need development. First, the U.S. citizenship test will
be the one used prior to 2020. The language in the bill will not
match the citizenship test. Second, prospective citizens only
have to answer six of the 10 questions correctly. Instructional
time is scarce, and administering an exam of 100 or 128
questions will take at least two hours of class time, plus the
scoring time. The bill doesn't indicate if students can retake
the exam if they don't pass the first time. If so, how many
times and when. Most districts offer government class senior
year. Some students won't be ready to take this exam until late
in senior year. The margin for error with graduation on line is
thin. Before mandating students complete the citizenship exam,
consider requiring a semester-long government or civics course
to graduate. Regulation 4 AAC 06.075 outlines the state's
graduation requirements. A government or civics course is not
required by the state. Probably many school districts require
it, but not the state.
MR. WHEELES said if the legislature is serious about improving
the level of civics education, then he would urge greater
investment in the public education system. The Base Student
Allocation has been flat for several years, and it is a losing
battle to attract and retain quality educators. He loves what he
does, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue
teaching in Alaska as budgets shrink relative to inflation, as
real income decreases for teachers, as classroom size increases.
Teachers like him are the solution the legislature is seeking.
He wants to continue to help young people see their role in a
democratic republic. He urged the committee to amend the bill to
require a government or civics course before an exam and then
provide public schools with the resources to get the best
possible teachers for those courses. That is what makes the most
impact.
9:54:55 AM
SENATOR BEGICH commented on the consequences of requiring a
civics exam for graduation versus the consequences of not having
a civics exam. He related that his schooling included two years
of government and two years of U.S. History. It imbued a respect
for the Constitution, civil discourse, and civic values. He
acknowledged that the bill would impose an increased burden on
teachers if U.S. government and U.S. History classes were
mandated, but said he supports that. He expressed profound
concern about what people have spouted since January about their
views of the Constitution, because many of those views are
irreconcilable with what the Constitution actually says and
does. They demonstrate an alarming lack of education. He
mentioned the Texas Board of Education that selects textbooks in
such large quantities that it skews the market. For example, a
major political party criticized critical thinking as part of
its platform. Given the current situation, he asked what has to
be done to ensure that citizens can be citizens in this country
when the state has finite resources.
9:58:05 AM
MR. WHEELES replied that he has noticed over nearly two decades
a heavy emphasis on STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics] topics. The perception is that the United States is
falling behind in those areas and they need to be beefed up. A
lot of times that comes at the expense of social sciences. Even
in the Anchorage School District, which requires a government
class to graduate, the offerings of his social studies
department at Dimond have shrunk 50 percent over the last 17
years. There are now very few social sciences electives because
STEM is such a district priority. He fears that government could
be on the chopping block if not required by state statute or
regulation. There is a tendency in society to be suspicious of
people teaching about government. There is a wrong-headed belief
that all teachers are liberal and anything related to politics
in the classroom means students are being indoctrinated. He is a
conservative and registered Republican, but he doesn't push his
beliefs on his students.
10:00:29 AM
MR. WHEELES said he tells his students to start thinking for
themselves. That critical piece is important and not something
that can be tested. He doesn't oppose the notion of ensuring
students have mastered government and citizenship. That is
critical. The content and performance standards that may have
been written in 1997 are quality standards. He understands that
DEED will look at those this summer. For the final exam for his
students, he gives them the government and citizenship standards
and asks them to write to prove that they meet some of them.
That gives him a better understanding of what they have learned
than questions with straightforward answers, as opposed to
questions like what it means to live in a republic and what is
your role in a democratic society. He doesn't know that there is
a legislative solution for that. It is easy to test for
knowledge, but more difficult to find what students have grasped
and their critical thinking. To achieve that, the state needs
the best teachers possible in classrooms. The state needs good
teachers with manageable numbers of students to set up the
opportunities to engage students in a variety of activities.
SENATOR BEGICH shared that Marjorie Menzies helped establish
those standards in the '90s and he served on that committee that
wrote the standards. He asked what good is STEM without the
ability to have a democratic government.
10:04:19 AM
SENATOR STEVENS commented that public education was established
to create citizens and Mr. Wheeles is doing that. The question
for students about their role in a republic is crucial. He would
appreciate any of Mr. Wheeles' students letting the committee
know how they feel.
CHAIR HOLLAND asked if any of his students are listening.
MR. WHEELES answered that it is spring break, but he plans to
share the recording with them.
SENATOR HUGHES asked how many districts require government for
graduation.
MR. LAMKIN said he is actively polling for that information.
SENATOR STEVENS said the National Conference of State
Legislators had a wonderful program many years ago called
Legislators in the Classroom. He encouraged all legislators to
participate.
SENATOR BEGICH suggested that Mr. Wheeles invite the committee
members to his classrooms.
CHAIR HOLLAND added that the important thing is that they
understand that they are just people.
10:06:59 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND held SB 72 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 80 NAMI Alaska letter of support.jpeg |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB80 Sponsor Statment.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 2/8/2022 1:00:00 PM SFIN 3/14/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB80 Suppoting Documents.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB80 Written Testimonies.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| Sectional Anaylsis FOR SB80.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB 72 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 72 |
| SB072_Civics_Sectional_version A.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 72 |
| SB072_Civics_Research_RAND_Focus-on-Civic-Ed_08Dec2020.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 2/1/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 72 |
| SB072_Civics_Research_Links-to-Resources.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 2/1/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 72 |
| SB072_Civics_Research_128-Test-Questions.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 2/1/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 72 |
| SB072_Civics_Research_WSJ_02March2021.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 2/1/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 72 |
| SB80 Letter of Support.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB072_Civics_Sponsor-Statement_10Feb2021.pdf |
SEDC 3/10/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 72 |