HB0168a -1- HB 168
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
34-LS0438\A
HOUSE BILL NO. 168
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON
Introduced: 4/2/25
Referred: Education, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school 1
graduation requirements; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4
Sec. 14.03.076. Comparative government and civics curriculum and 5
assessments requirement. (a) The board shall develop and periodically review a 6
statewide comparative government and civics education curriculum, civics 7
assessment, and civics project-based assessment. The civics assessment must be 8
composed of 100 questions drawn from those set out in the civics portion of the 9
naturalization examination used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration 10
Services of the Department of Homeland Security. A school district may use the 11
curriculum developed by the board to educate students in comparative government and 12
civics. 13
(b) The curriculum developed under (a) of this section must include 14 34-LS0438\A
HB 168 -2- HB0168a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
instruction on 1
(1) the founding history of the United States, including foundational 2
documents and the principles of government of the United States; 3
(2) federalism, including the role and operations of local, state, and 4
national governments; 5
(3) the institutions of the United States government, including the 6
responsibilities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; 7
(4) the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship; 8
(5) civil liberties and civil rights; 9
(6) the Constitution of the State of Alaska and the Constitution of the 10
United States; 11
(7) political parties and interest groups; 12
(8) campaigns and elections; 13
(9) the United States Congress; 14
(10) domestic policy; 15
(11) foreign policy; 16
(12) comparative systems of governments used globally and by Alaska 17
Natives; 18
(13) international relations; and 19
(14) major issues facing local, state, and the United States 20
governments. 21
(c) A school may not issue a secondary school diploma to a student unless the 22
student 23
(1) has completed one semester of a comparative government and 24
civics education course that includes instruction on the topics listed in (b) of this 25
section; 26
(2) has achieved a passing score on the civics assessment developed 27
under (a) of this section; 28
(3) provides the governing body with evidence that the student has 29
achieved a passing score on a test similar to the civics assessment developed under (a) 30
of this section within the previous five years; 31 34-LS0438\A
HB0168a -3- HB 168
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
(4) has achieved a passing score on a civics project-based assessment 1
developed under (a) of this section; 2
(5) provides the governing body with evidence that the student has 3
achieved a passing score on a civics project-based assessment similar to the civics 4
project-based assessment developed under (a) of this section while in high school; or 5
(6) is a student with a disability who receives a waiver from the 6
governing body. 7
(d) Notwithstanding (c) of this section, a school may issue a secondary school 8
diploma to a student who has not met the requirements of (c) of this section if the 9
student transferred into a state public school after completing grade 10 or has already 10
successfully completed a high school state history course from another state. 11
(e) If a student has achieved a passing score on the civics assessment 12
developed under (a) of this section, the school shall document on the student's 13
transcript that the student achieved a passing score. A student may retake the 14
assessment as needed to achieve a passing score. 15
(f) The department shall adopt regulations to recognize a student who has 16
attained a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, civic skills, a civic mindset, 17
and civic experiences by affixing a seal of civic readiness on the student's school 18
transcript and diploma. 19
(g) A school district shall allow a student to fulfill the requirements of (c) of 20
this section by taking a comparative government and civics education course that 21
includes instruction on the topics listed in (b) of this section. A school district may 22
allow a student to fulfill the requirements of (c) of this section by achieving a passing 23
score on a civics assessment or civics project-based assessment. 24
(h) In this section, "passing score" means a student correctly answers 70 25
percent or more of the questions on a civics assessment or receives a score of 70 26
percent or higher on a civics project-based assessment. 27
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 28
read: 29
TRANSITION: GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. The requirement that a sch ool 30
only issue a secondary school diploma to a student who has met the requirements set out in
31 34-LS0438\A
HB 168 -4- HB0168a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
AS 14.03.076(c), enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to students who enter grade nine on or 1
after July 1, 2026. 2
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 3