Alaska Lawmakers Push Civics Education for High School Grads

0:00It's April 30th. This is Anchorage News Today. Local news powered by AI. Alaska lawmakers are pushing a bill to make civics education a must for high school graduation. Senate Bill 23, sponsored by Senate President Gary Stevens, requires students to complete a semester course, pass an exam with a retake, option, or do a project. It passed the Senate back in March and is now moving through house committees. The push comes as trust in government hits rock bottom nationwide, with just 17% of folks believing the feds do right by us, per recent. Pew surveys. Stevens wants kids to grasp state versus federal roles, like how states run schools and elections to spark real civic engagement. Supporters, including folks from my civics, point to benefits like higher voting rates and community involvement among educated youth. The bill covers 14 key areas from founding principles and constitutions to civil rights, elections, and even Alaska Native systems all with.

1:01Free state provided resources. Many districts already teach civics, but others flag costs for training and materials. Lawmakers fixed that by mandating no cost curriculum from the state with a modest $40,000 up front for development and small ongoing. Fees for grad seals. This version tackles past roadblocks like unfunded mandates and high stakes tests after similar bills stalled in prior years. As it heads to the House Finance Committee, it could equip Alaska's next generation to navigate government with eyes wide open.