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HOUSE BILL NO. 44
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVES STORY, Dibert
Introduced: 1/23/23
Referred: Education, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
1 "An Act relating to education; relating to public schools and school districts;
2 establishing a cultural education program; and providing for an effective date."
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
4 * Section 1. AS 14.07.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
5 (d) The cultural education program is established in the department. In
6 carrying out the program, the department shall
7 (1) employ not fewer than three program staff members;
8 (2) assist a school district with curriculum development and
9 curriculum modification so that the curriculum meets culturally based standards
10 appropriate to the region the school district serves;
11 (3) support school district development of school terms and calendars
12 that comply with AS 14.03.030 and accommodate local cultural traditions and
13 lifestyles;
14 (4) assist school districts with creating orientation materials, training
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1 materials, and professional development for school district employees that
2 communicate what can be expected in a cross-cultural environment using culturally
3 based standards; in this paragraph, "cross-cultural environment" means an
4 environment in which people from two or more cultures with different norms, values,
5 verbal and nonverbal communication styles, and beliefs interact on a regular basis;
6 (5) develop culturally responsive curriculum, assessments, and
7 professional development for school district employees that meet the standards
8 established by the state Board of Education and Early Development under
9 AS 14.07.165(a)(7).
10 * Sec. 2. AS 14.07.165(a), as amended by sec. 21, ch. 40, SLA 2022, is amended to read:
11 (a) The board shall adopt
12 (1) statewide goals and require each governing body to adopt written
13 goals that are consistent with local needs;
14 (2) regulations regarding the application for and award of grants under
15 AS 14.03.125;
16 (3) regulations implementing provisions of AS 14.11.014(b);
17 (4) regulations requiring approval by the board before a charter school,
18 state boarding school, or a public school may provide domiciliary services;
19 (5) regulations establishing standards for an early education program
20 provided by a school district for children who are four and five years of age; the
21 regulations must include
22 (A) standards for a locally designed, evidence-based program
23 that meets Head Start Program Performance Standards and other federal
24 standards required for early education programs to receive federal funding;
25 (B) a requirement that a teacher in charge of a program hold a
26 valid teacher certificate issued under AS 14.20 and
27 (i) have satisfactorily completed a minimum of six
28 credit hours in early childhood education or complete the minimum
29 credit hours within two years of the date the teacher's employment with
30 the early education program begins; or
31 (ii) have two or more years of experience teaching
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1 kindergarten or another early education program and have completed
2 additional coursework related to reading instruction, as required by the
3 department;
4 (C) developmentally appropriate objectives for children four
5 and five years of age rather than academic standards appropriate for older
6 children; the objectives must allow school districts to adapt the content of an
7 early education program to be culturally responsive to local communities;
8 (D) accommodations for the needs of all early education
9 children and their families regardless of socioeconomic circumstances; and
10 (E) standards for day in session requirements appropriate for
11 children four and five years of age;
12 (6) regulations establishing standards for day in session requirements
13 appropriate for kindergarten students;
14 (7) regulations establishing standards for culturally responsive
15 curriculum, assessments, and professional development for school district
16 employees.
17 * Sec. 3. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to article 15 to read:
18 Sec. 14.30.773. Support for reading improvement plans. The state shall
19 provide to a school district, for each student in grades kindergarten through three who
20 is determined to have a reading deficiency based on the statewide screening or
21 assessment tool, $1,000 to provide the support, intervention, and services the student
22 needs for the student's reading improvement plan, including teacher and
23 paraprofessional career development.
24 * Sec. 4. AS 14.30.773 is repealed.
25 * Sec. 5. Section 4 of this Act takes effect on the effective date of sec. 47, ch. 40, SLA
26 2022.
27 * Sec. 6. Except as provided in sec. 5 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2023.
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Statutes affected: HB0044A, AM HB 44, introduced 01/23/2023: 14.07.020, 14.03.030, 14.07.165, 14.03.125, 14.11.014