This bill establishes new requirements for civics education and assessments as part of secondary school graduation criteria in Alaska. It mandates the development of a statewide comparative government and civics curriculum, which must cover a range of topics including the founding history of the United States, the roles of government institutions, civil rights, and international relations. To graduate, students must complete a semester-long course in comparative government and civics, achieve passing scores on both a civics assessment and a project-based assessment, or provide evidence of similar achievements from previous assessments. There are provisions for students with disabilities and those who transfer into state public schools after grade 10.

Additionally, the bill specifies that the new graduation requirements will apply to students entering grade nine on or after July 1, 2027, and it allows for the documentation of students' achievements in civics on their transcripts. The Department of Education is tasked with adopting regulations to recognize students who demonstrate a high level of civic proficiency. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
SB0023A, AM SB 23, introduced 01/10/2025:
SB0023B, AM CSSB 23(FIN), introduced 03/04/2026: