ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION  May 11, 2007 8:10 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Gary Stevens, Chair Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair Senator Bettye Davis MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Donny Olson Senator Gary Wilken COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5 Relating to civics education and a citizens' advisory task force. SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6 Relating to civics education and a citizens' advisory task force. MOVED CSHCR 6 (SSED) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HCR 6 SHORT TITLE: CIVICS EDUC/ CITIZENS ADVISORY TASK FORCE SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HARRIS BY REQUEST 03/28/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/28/07 (H) HES, FIN 04/19/07 (H) HES AT 3:30 PM CAPITOL 106 04/19/07 (H) Moved CSHCR 6(HES) Out of Committee 04/19/07 (H) MINUTE(HES) 04/20/07 (H) HES RPT CS(HES) 7DP 04/20/07 (H) DP: CISSNA, GARDNER, NEUMAN, FAIRCLOUGH, SEATON, ROSES, WILSON 04/30/07 (H) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED 05/04/07 (H) FIN AT 8:30 AM HOUSE FINANCE 519 05/04/07 (H) 05/07/07 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) 05/07/07 (H) VERSION: CSHCR 6(HES) 05/08/07 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 05/08/07 (S) SED, FIN 05/11/07 (S) SED AT 8:00 AM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER Tom Wright, staff to Speaker Harris Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HCR 6 Ian Laing, staff to Chair Stevens Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Available for questions Mary Bristol Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project Anchorage, AK POSITION STATEMENT: In support of HCR 6 ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate Special Committee on Education meeting to order at 8:10:54 AM. Present at the call to order were Senator Huggins and Chair Stevens. HCR 6-CIVICS EDUC/ CITIZENS ADVISORY TASK FORCE  8:11:28 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced consideration of HCR 6. TOM WRIGHT, staff to Speaker of the House John Harris, sponsor of HCR 6, said that the bill was introduced at the request of the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB). In 2006 a group was formed called the Alaska Civil Learning Assessment Project to discuss the ways civic learning could be improved in K-12 education. The resolution follows up on the work of the project, which wants to focus on civics curriculum and teaching strategies for educators. He added that the bill is fairly straightforward and the recent changes included in the committee substitute are acceptable. 8:13:01 AM IAN LAING, staff to Chair Stevens, said that the CS was originally created for the companion bill, SCR 5, and includes changes relating to the creation of the task force, the appointment of members, travel reimbursement, and the reporting date of the task force. He added that the reimbursement for travel and per diem was also limited, and the fiscal note in the packet reflects an additional member added to the task force. 8:15:33 AM MR. WRIGHT explained that there are leftover funds from the grant received to begin the process of creating a task force that will be used for travel assistance. CHAIR STEVENS asked how many members would be on the task force if the CS is passed. MR. LAING replied that there will be six primary members and some others appointed by the task force coordinators; these secondary members will be based around the Anchorage area, and thus won't be traveling. 8:16:49 AM MARY BRISTOL, with the Alaska Civic Learning Assessment Project (ACLAP), said that she is in favor of the CS; she related her work experience and said that the ACLAP determined that there is a lack of widespread civic knowledge. Overall there's a need for improvement and the ACLAP supports providing resources for improvement throughout the state. 8:18:30 AM CHAIR STEVENS agreed that many people could improve their civic knowledge and asked if Ms. Bristol was happy with the CS before the committee. She replied that she was. 8:19:06 AM SENATOR HUGGINS said he's supportive of the concept, and asked what the marketing strategy for the project is. MS. BRISTOL replied that the task force will have the support of the AASB, and there's a network of teacher support available as well. They'll help to put in place supportive policies; the network is there for raising awareness and moving the project along. She added that she doesn't see the need for a mandate; courses are in place in Alaskan schools, they just need to be improved. 8:21:08 AM SENATOR HUGGINS made a motion to adopt the Senate committee substitute to CSHCR 6, labeled 25-LS0799\E, as the working document of the committee. There being no objection, the motion carried. SENATOR HUGGINS motioned to report SCS CSHCR 6(SED) from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, the motion carried. There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Stevens adjourned the meeting at 8:22:03 AM.