SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO
PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES AND

COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ASSESSMENTS
IN THE REGULATIONS OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT

This supplemental notice is being issued due to a time change for oral public comment. You may submit oral comments to the State Board of Education and Early Development at a hearing to be held by the board on December 7, 2017, by audio-conference. The hearing will be held from 2:10 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. but may be extended to accommodate those present before 1:55 p.m. who have not had an opportunity to comment before 3:00 p.m.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: 1) Revises the Participation Guidelines for Alaska Students in State Assessments, 2) repeals regulations that mandated college and career readiness assessments, and 3) clarifies which holders of a certificate of achievement are eligible for a high school diploma.

The Department of Education and Early Development proposes to adopt regulation changes to Title 4 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with participation guidelines for inclusion of students with disabilities and English learners in state assessments and college and career readiness assessments, including the following:

4 AAC 06.710 (5) is proposed to be repealed. The effect of the repeal is to no longer require the commissioner of education to develop an assessment to measure a student’s level of preparedness to make the transition to work or college.

4 AAC 06.717 is proposed to be repealed. The effect of the repeal is to no longer mandate that school districts require students to take college and career readiness assessments.

4 AAC 06.718 (a) is proposed to be amended to clarify that students who received a certificate of achievement on or after July 1, 2014, and before June 30, 2016, may take a college and career readiness assessment and receive a high school diploma.

4 AAC 06.718 (c) (1) is proposed to be amended to clarify that school districts shall allow students who received a certificate of achievement on or after July 1, 2014, and before June 30, 2016, to take a college and career readiness assessment and receive a high school diploma, if the student meets other requirements as well.

4 AAC 06.718 (h) (1) is proposed to be amended to clarify the definition of a certificate of achievement that was earned on or after July 1, 2014, and before June 30, 2016.

4 AAC 06.721-.724 are proposed to be repealed. The effect of the repeal is to remove regulations related to waivers from college and career readiness assessments.

4 AAC 06.765 (a) is proposed to be amended to change a reference to college and career readiness assessments and test security to the definition as amended in 4 AAC 06.718 (h) (1).

4 AAC 06.775 (a) is proposed to be amended to revise the document adopted by reference to Participation Guidelines for Alaska Students in State Assessments, to provide for an adoption date of the revised document, and to change the name of the document to reflect that it refers to inclusion of students with disabilities and English learners in state assessments.

4 AAC 06.775 (a) is proposed to be amended to remove a reference to college and career readiness assessments and administering statewide assessments to students with disabilities.

4 AAC 06.775 (c) is proposed to be amended to remove a reference to college and career readiness assessments and administering statewide assessments to students with disabilities.

4 AAC 06.776 (b) is proposed to be amended to reflect a change in the title of the referenced document to Participation Guidelines for Inclusion of Alaska Students in State Assessments.

4 AAC 06.790 (a) is proposed to be repealed.

4 AAC 06.790 (b) (4) is proposed to be repealed. The effect of the repeal is to remove a definition of certificate of achievement that relates to college and career readiness assessments and eligibility for a high school diploma.

4 AAC 06.790 (b) (12) is proposed to be amended to reflect a change in the title of the referenced document to Participation Guidelines for Inclusion of Alaska Students in State Assessments.

You may submit oral comments to the State Board of Education and Early Development at a hearing to be held by the board on December 7, 2017, by audio-conference. The hearing will be held from 2:10 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. but may be extended to accommodate those present before 1:55 p.m. who have not had an opportunity to comment before 3:00 p.m.

You may submit oral comments at this hearing, during this time only, via the Legislative Information Office streaming by calling 1-844-586-9085 if you are outside of Juneau or Anchorage. For participation from Juneau, call 586-9085. For participation from Anchorage, call 563-9085.

You also may submit oral comment by visiting your local Legislative Information Office (LIO). The following LIO’s will participate: Anchorage, 716 W 4th Ave., Suite 100; Bethel, 301 Willow St.; Fairbanks, 1292 Sadler Way, Suite 308; Juneau, Room 111 Terry Miller Bldg.; Kenai, 145 Main St. Loop, Suite 217; Ketchikan, 1900 First Ave., Suite 310; Kodiak, 305 center Ave., Suite 1; Mat-Su, 600 E Railroad Ave.; Nome 103 Front St.; Seward, 302 Railway Suite 107; and Sitka, 201 Katlian St., Suite 103.

This meeting will be streamed through the Legislative Information Office over http://www.alaskalegislature.tv/ beginning at 2:00 p.m. December 7, 2017 (audio only). You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Marcy Herman at marcy.herman@alaska.gov or the Department of Education and Early Development, Attn: Marcy Herman, 801 West 10th Street, Suite 200, PO Box 110500, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0500. If a question is relevant to the proposed change in the regulations and the question is received by November 3, 2017, which is ten days before the end of the public comment period, the department will make a good-faith effort to answer the question before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Education and Early Development will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and on the website of the Department of Education and Early Development at https://education.alaska.gov/regs/comment.cfm. 

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Marcy Herman at 907-465-2803 or marcy.herman@alaska.gov not later than December 1, 2017, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.

Copies of the proposed regulation changes are available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System, on the website of the Department of Education and Early Development at https://education.alaska.gov/regs/comment.cfm, and by contacting Marcy Herman at marcy.herman@alaska.gov or 907-465-2803.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Education and Early Development will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 14.03.123, AS 14.03.060, AS 14.03.075, AS 14.07.020, AS 14.07.030, AS 14.07.060, AS 14.07.165, AS 14.50.080
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 14.07.020, AS 14.07.060
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.