CIVICS EDUCATION, the official text

Enrolled SB 23 
 Relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation 
 requirements; and providing for an effective date. 
 _______________ 
 * Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 
 Sec. 14.03.076. Comparative government and civics education and 
 assessments requirement. (a) The board shall make available on the department's 
 Internet website and periodically update a list of open educational resources relating to 
 comparative government and civics education curricula, civics assessments, and civics 
 project-based assessments. A school district may use the list provided by the board to 
 instruct students in comparative government and civics. 
 (b) The list provided under (a) of this section must include resources about 
 instruction on 
 (1) the founding history of the United States, including foundational 
 documents and the principles of government of the United States; 
 (2) federalism, including the role and operations of local, state, and

national governments; 
 (3) the institutions of the United States government, including the 
 responsibilities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; 
 (4) the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship; 
 (5) civil liberties and civil rights; 
 (6) the Constitution of the State of Alaska and the Constitution of the 
 United States; 
 (7) political parties and interest groups; 
 (8) campaigns and elections; 
 (9) the United States Congress; 
 (10) domestic policy; 
 (11) foreign policy; 
 (12) comparative systems of governments used globally and by Alaska 
 Natives; 
 (13) international relations; and 
 (14) major issues facing local, state, and the United States 
 governments. 
 (c) A school may not issue a secondary school diploma to a student unless the 
 student has received instruction on the topics listed in (b) of this section and the 
 student has 
 (1) completed one semester of a comparative government and civics 
 education course and achieved a passing score in the course; 
 (2) achieved a passing score on a civics assessment; or 
 (3) achieved a passing score on a civics project-based assessment. 
 (d) Notwithstanding (c) of this section, a school may issue a secondary school 
 diploma to a student who has not met the requirements of (c) of this section if the 
 student provides the governing body with evidence that the student 
 (1) transferred into a public school in the state after completing grade 
 10 at a school in another state; 
 (2) has, either within the previous five years or from a secondary 
 school in another state, received instruction on the subjects listed in (b) of this section

and achieved a passing score in a one-semester course or on a civics assessment or 
 civics project-based assessment that is similar to the course or assessments described 
 in (c) of this section; or 
 (3) is a student with a disability who receives a waiver from the 
 governing body. 
 (e) If a student has achieved a passing score as required under (c) of this 
 section, the school shall document on the student's transcript that the student achieved 
 a passing score. A student may retake the assessment required under (c)(2) of this 
 section as needed to achieve a passing score. 
 (f) The department shall adopt regulations to recognize a student who has 
 attained a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, civic skills, a civic mindset, 
 and civic experiences by affixing a seal of civic readiness on the student's school 
 transcript and diploma. 
 (g) In this section, 
 (1) "open educational resource" means learning, teaching, or research 
 material in any format that resides in the public domain or is under copyright and has 
 been released under an open license that permits access at no cost as well as reuse, 
 repurpose, adaptation, and redistribution by others; 
 (2) "passing score" means a student achieves a grade of 70 percent or 
 higher in a one-semester course, correctly answers 70 percent or more of the questions 
 on a civics assessment, or achieves a score of 70 percent or higher on a civics project- 
 based assessment. 
 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 
 read: 
 APPLICABILITY: GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. The requirement that a 
 school issue a secondary school diploma only to a student who has met the requirements set 
 out in AS 14.03.076(c), enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to students who enter grade nine 
 on or after July 1, 2027. 
 * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2027.