NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSION OF ALASKA STUDENTS IN STATE ASSESSMENTS
IN THE REGULATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & EARLY DEVELOPMENT
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Department of Education & Early Development proposes to update the publication, Participation Guidelines for Inclusion of Alaska Students in State Assessments, which define the assessment participation criteria for all of Alaska’s statewide assessments.
The Department of Education & Early Development proposes to adopt regulation changes in 4 AAC 06.775 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with administering statewide assessments to students with disabilities, including the following:
(1) 4 AAC 06.775 is proposed to be changed as follows: The updated publication Participation Guidelines for Inclusion of Alaska Students in State Assessments, has been updated to include the new statewide literacy screener and an update to the available accommodations on various assessments due to changes in technology and test platforms.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to the Commissioner’s Office, Department of Education and Early Development, Attn: Regulations Review, 333 Willoughby Ave, 9th Floor, State Office Building, P.O. Box 110500, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0500. Additionally, the Department of Education and Early Development will accept comments by electronic mail at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 4:30 p.m. on January 8, 2024.
You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action via telephone at the hearing to be held on January 17, 2024, via Zoom platform. There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by Zoom or telephone only. You may join the online Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86182512348 or by calling 1-253-215-8782 (toll free) and selecting *9 on your phone’s keypad (Meeting ID 861 8251 2348). The hearing is scheduled from 12:05 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 12:15 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, the State Board of Education and Early Development Chair may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Kathijo Jolin at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov or to the Department of Education and Early Development, Attn: Regulations Review, 333 Willoughby Ave. 9th Floor, State Office Building, P.O. Box 110500, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0500. The questions must be received at least 10 days 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 agency website 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 Kathijo Jolin at (907) 465-2800 or eed.stateboard@alaska.gov not later than January 15, 2024, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Kathijo Jolin at (907) 465-2800 or eed.stateboard@alaska.gov.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System. A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the agency's office at 333 Willoughby Ave. 9th Floor, State Office Building, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0500.
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 14.07.020, AS 14.07.060, AS 14.07.165
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 14.03.075
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
The Department of Education and Early Development keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Department of Education and Early Development notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Education and Early Development at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also signup to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.