SB 29-CIVICS EDUCATION; EST AK CVCS ED COMM  3:34:17 PM CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 29 "An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation requirements; establishing the Alaska Civics Education Commission; and providing for an effective date." 3:35:06 PM CHAIR TOBIN solicited a motion to adopt a committee substitute for SB 29. 3:35:11 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SB 29, work order 33LS0246\S, as the working document. 3:35:19 PM CHAIR TOBIN objected for purposes of discussion. 3:35:26 PM TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a summary of changes for SB 29 as follows: [Original punctuation provided.] SUMMARY of CHANGES (from version A to S) 1. Deleted reporting requirements from version A a. (version A) Page 2, lines 11-14, relating to School District civics curriculum and assessment data reporting requirements to DEED; and b. (version A) Page 3, lines 2-7 and lines 23-28, relating to annual reporting of this data from the state board of education and early development to the Legislature. 2. Staffing the Commission from Lt Gov to DEED a. (version A) Page 4, line 3, struck "lieutenant governor" and replaced with b. (version S) Page 3, line 18, "Department" (of Education and Early Development), as staffing the Commission. 3. Redesigned representation of the Judiciary on the Commission: a. (version A) Page 4, lines 8-9: from a justice of the Supreme Court to b. (version S) Page 3, lines 23-26: a retired Alaska judicial officer or administrative person with judicial experience in the state. 4. Commission meetings, sharing Legislative resources a. (version S) Page 4, lines 27-29 to page 5, line 2: allowing for legislative council to assist the Commission in the conducting its business, including use of legislative meeting space and related resources. 3:37:48 PM CHAIR TOBIN removed her objection; she found no further objection and SB 29, work order 33-LS 0246\S, was adopted. 3:38:33 PM KELLY MANNING, Deputy Director, Innovation and Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, explained the fiscal note OMB component number 2796 for SB 29. She said DEED's fiscal note consisted of two parts. One section addresses one-time expenses. The other section addresses annual expenses. [Original punctuation provided.] This fiscal note contains the following one-time expenses: 1) $49.5 for department staff and 20 educators to travel to civics curriculum and assessment development convenings; 2) $229.1 to contract a facilitator to convene department staff, educators, and stakeholders for participation in the development of a civics assessment and corresponding secondary semester long civics curriculum, as well as associated data collection elements, and legal fees; 3) $5.0 for the initial supplies and equipment set up of a new employee; and 4) $40.0 for stipends ($2.0 per participant). In addition, this fiscal note includes out-year annual expenses: 1) $118.8 for one Educational Specialist 2 position to serve as a Social Studies Content Specialist and Alaska Civics Education Commission Coordinator; 2) $4.0 for staff travel to the annual in-person Commission convening; and 3) $33.1 for annual in-person Commission convening and department chargeback expenses. 3:41:53 PM SENATOR STEVENS stated he was shocked by DEED's fiscal note. The cost is unnecessary and would kill SB 29. He opined that SB 29 does not require a full-time employee. He is having new fiscal notes drafted to reduce the cost substantially. 3:42:42 PM CHAIR TOBIN stated the committee would look forward to receiving updated fiscal notes as SB 29 moves through the process. 3:42:58 PM JOHN APPLEBEE, Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, Office of the Governor, Juneau, Alaska, stated the CS for SB 29 the committee adopted makes the fiscal note the Office of the Governor submitted irrelevant and zeros it out in its entirety. 3:43:39 PM CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 29. 3:44:31 PM ELLEN WEISER, President, Kids Voting North Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in opposition to SB 29. Kids Voting North Alaska is a non-partisan program committed to helping children become lifelong learners. The organization has worked in the North Star Borough for over 30 years. Kids Voting North Alaska is a supporter of civics education in schools. Its board agreed that a semester-long civics course would benefit students. The founding fathers considered public education a key element to maintaining the American Republic. She opined that schools should integrate history and civics. Civics should not take the form of a one-semester-and-done requirement. States should reconceive educational goals using open-ended questions to stimulate analytical thinking. 3:47:10 PM MS. WEISER said the organization is concerned about the civics test educational requirement. Civics is more than memorizing facts about government. It is about applying civic knowledge within towns, boroughs, the state, and the nation. She opined that a civic service-learning component should be a culminating activity. SB 29 should be flexible and emphasize local control. Additionally, the legislation should increase the number of highly qualified civics teachers employed within a district to support any mandated assessment for graduation. Kids Voting North Alaska disagrees with having a civics commission. SB 29 should designate Alaskan educators as the experts that create the curriculum and assessment. Local education agencies should choose the curriculum. 3:50:38 PM TIM DORAN, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in opposition to SB 29, saying he has been an educator for over forty years. Every teacher in a school teaches civics. When a child enters school they acquire the skills to get along, work together, share, and respect one another. They learn to live within a community while discovering how broader outside communities operate. He opined that this is the essence of civics. He said Fairbanks' schools offer civics education at every grade level and named curriculum titles. He opined that SB 29 was based on a weak premise. SB 29 would have a third party establish a civics curriculum that endangers local control and implements a high-stakes graduation test. He suggested the civics panel promote a less broad and more inclusive curriculum guided by state standards. He opined that students should not be refused graduation based on a single test score. Alaska removed a high school qualifying exam because of inequity. He said he strives for his professional vision that students become competent, confident, curious, caring, and contributing citizens. His vision is reinforced daily by watching students and educators implement the learning and teaching process. He urged support, encouragement, and recognition of educators' civics lessons. 3:54:37 PM AMY GALLAWAY, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in opposition to SB 29, saying she is a civics teacher who was the Alaska Teacher of the Year in 2020. She opined that SB 29 is not evidence-based. It addresses the right issue but provides the wrong solution. The sponsor should change SB 29 to direct DEED, the State Board of Education, and practicing educators to develop relevant, engaging, and evidence-based K-12 civic standards. Standards should adhere to the 2020 Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. A portfolio of authentic assessment options could accompany the standards. This combination would make for a rigorous curriculum supported by research to prepare Alaska's students to save our republic. She said that for 24 years, she has told students that representative democracy is a living organism. It requires civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be systematically taught and assessed in grades K-12. She thanked the legislature for elevating the need for engaged and informed citizens because apathy is rampant. Civics education is about knowing how the world works. She opined that people are not disengaged because their civic knowledge is low. They are disengaged because their political efficacy is low. They do not have the skills to be effective citizens nor the experience of successful participation. She suggested decluttering social studies to make room for problem-solving, critical thinking, and skills application by having students do projects. The citizenship test is a valuable learning tool, but when used as a high-stakes test, students memorize to pass rather than learn. Students remember authentic assessments based on community engagement. Alaska must provide training and support to educators for SB 29 to elevate civics education. She stated that although the idea of a commission is interesting, it is not necessary because DEED already has a process for creating and writing curriculums that work. Teachers and experts in the field should develop the curriculum. 4:00:02 PM CHAIR TOBIN closed public testimony on SB 29. 4:00:21 PM SENATOR STEVENS said it is hard to create a perfect bill and difficult to obtain funding. He said he appreciates Fairbanks testifiers. However, if Alaska were doing such a good job, young people would understand what it means to be a citizen. Yet statewide, Alaska is doing a poor job of helping its children be good citizens. Experts testified on the many positive attributes of SB 29. He hoped SB 29 would improve as it moves through the process. It is critical to encourage young people to be good citizens. He said one of the foundational reasons the US became a country was to create citizens who could participate and vote. He opined that SB 29 is a good bill. 4:01:33 PM SENATOR KIEHL said he appreciates the sponsor's work. It is a better bill than last year. The test is not a high stakes test; it's one way students can demonstrate their mastery of the material. 4:02:17 PM SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she supports SB 29 and the changes. 4:02:50 PM CHAIR TOBIN solicited a motion. 4:02:53 PM SENATOR KIEHL moved to report the CS for SB 29, work order 33- LS0246\S, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 4:03:10 PM CHAIR TOBIN found no objection and CSSB 29(EDC) was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee.