NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON CONTENT AREA EXAMINATIONS FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION IN THE REGULATIONS OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The State Board of Education proposes to change regulations on content area examinations and other methods of determining subject matter proficiency for teacher certification.

The State Board of Education proposes to adopt regulation changes in 4 AAC 12.407 Content area examinations of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with content area proficiency determinations for teacher certification, including the following:

(1)       4 AAC 12.393 is proposed to be changed to include language that accounts for proficiency determination methods offered through the Pearson Foundation under 4 AAC 12.407.         

(2)       4 AAC 12.407 is proposed to be changed to update the list of approved content area proficiency examinations and required scores. The updates also add a flexible proficiency determination and test score alternative offered through the Pearson Foundation. 

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 Kathijo Jolin, Executive Secretary to the Board, at P.O. Box 110500, 333 Willoughby Ave. 9th Floor, Juneau, AK 99811. 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 5:00 P.M. on March 4, 2025.

Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on March 11, 2025, at the DOT conference room, 3132 Channel Drive Room 140 Juneau, AK 99801. The hearing will be held from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and might be extended to accommodate those present before 9:00 A.M. who did not have an opportunity to comment.

You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action via telephone at the hearing to be held on March 11, 2025, by calling 1-253-205-0468 (toll free) and selecting *9 on your phone’s keypad (Meeting ID 993 9148 2721). The hearing is scheduled from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.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 9:30 A.M. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, the State Board of Education 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 Executive Secretary Kathijo Jolin at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov or P.O. Box 110500, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, Juneau, AK 99811. 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 https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact eed.stateboard@alaska.gov not later than February 14, 2025, to ensure that any necessary accommodations 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 eed.stateboard@alaska.gov or (907) 465-3800.

After the public comment period ends, the State Board of Education 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 14.07.060; AS 14.20.020

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 14.07.020; AS 14.07.060; AS 14.20.010; AS 14.20.020

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 State Board of Education 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.