Why is Commonwealth North doing this report?

For over ten thousand years people have made their homes in Alaska.  Alaska's people are diverse in history and heritage and in their ways of living.  This diversity is a great strength.  But in recent years misunderstandings and conflicts have frayed the economic, political, and social fabric of our state.  This is costly for all Alaskans.

The purpose of Commonwealth North is to educate its members and all Alaskans on public policy issues and assist in their resolution.  In 1999 the Board of Directors identified the division between urban and rural Alaska as an issue deserving detailed attention.  From this grew the Urban/Rural Unity Study "U. R. US" [www.commonwealthnorth.org].  The study addressed a variety of topics, among them economic survival and development, access to fish and game (subsistence), and delivery of services such as police protection and education.

Common themes emerged during the study.  One was the importance of education as the underpinning of every successful outcome.  Another was the almost universal regret that Alaskans are not sufficiently well informed about our own history.  How can we make informed decisions about where Alaska should go without an adequate understanding of how we got here?  The final "U. R. US" report included six action items.  One was to foster the effective teaching of Alaska's history throughout the state.  This report details the process, the conclusions, and the recommendations to achieve this goal reached by the group that came together to pursue this objective.

Table of contents

Why is Commonwealth North doing this report?

What does the Alaska History Committee recommend?

Why should high school students take Alaska History?

Why Alaska History?

What are the precedents?

What are possible options?

What concerns need special consideration?

How should a high school Alaska History requirement be implemented?

Is there widespread support for the requirement?

Appendices

What does the Alaska History Committee recommend?

• The State of Alaska require high school students to take a semester of Alaska
  History as part of the social studies graduation requirement. 
• All Alaskans support appropriate legislation to ensure this requirement is met.
• The Alaska State Legislature appropriate funds to the Department of Education
  and Early Development for development of a standards-based Alaska History curriculum for grades 9 through 12.
• The Department of Education and Early Development use public and privatepartners to help implement an effective course of study in Alaska History.

Why should high school students take Alaska History?

Currently just over half, 29 of Alaska's 56 school districts, require at least a semester of Alaska History or Alaska Studies at the high school level.  The most populous districts (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, Kodiak, and Matanuska-Susitna) do not require it or do not require it at the high school level.  Given the marked increase in the number of Native people in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough the need for greater understanding of Alaska's past by people in urban areas is marked.  

Committee members determined high school is the appropriate level for students to take Alaska History so it can be taught at a high level of sophistication.  The subject is of added relevance to high school students as they reach voting age.  While it is proposed that the Department of Education and Early Development create a model standards-based Alaska History high school curriculum, each school district has the discretion to design its own course for its social studies scope and sequence. The proposed Alaska History requirement is not intended to add to the overall credit requirements a high school student needs to graduate.

Why Alaska History?

Historians participating in the discussions argued that history, taught correctly, encompasses geography, economics, anthropology, art, Alaska Native history, and multi-cultural interaction.  Several committee members expressed concern that an Alaska Studies course might focus too much on recent events.  We must recognize that some issues have confronted Alaskans for many years and that some issues have their roots in decisions made earlier.  History should help Alaskans understand how they interacted with each other and with others around the world over time. 

Committee members reviewed House Bill 171 and Senate Bill 144 and found them consistent with the formally adopted Commonwealth North goal of fostering effective education in Alaska's history for all Alaskan students.

What are the precedents?

The "U. R. US" study identified "The need to require meaningful instruction in Alaska history for every student."  Jon Kumin, active in development of the study, pursued the issue with individuals and representatives of interested groups.  The Institute of the North, Alaska Geographic Alliance, Alaska Historical Society, and Cook Inlet Historical Society have long-standing interest in ensuring that Alaska history or studies is part of school curriculums.   Since its creation in 1972, the Alaska Historical Commission has supported making Alaska History a graduation requirement for high school students.   

A Commonwealth North committee started meeting in December 2000 and concluded their meetings in March 2001.  Their work had three phases.  The research phase involved learning of prior efforts to have students take Alaska History.  As part of this phase, conversations were held with representatives of key groups interested in or impacted by the issue.  The second phase involved discussion and debate of the information gathered to develop some conclusions.  The final phase involved development of recommendations to implement the conclusions.

One guest recalled that in the 1960s the Bureau of Indian Affairs required Alaska History to be taught in its schools.  Committees of the Alaska Legislature discussed the idea of requiring Alaska History for high school students on several occasions.  The Alaska Historical Society, organized in 1967, advocated for the Legislature or State Board of Education to require high school students take an Alaska History course.  After determining the need for curriculum materials, the Legislature in 1974 charged the Alaska Historical Commission with writing a textbook.  Later, the Legislature appropriated funds for an elementary geography textbook and appropriate secondary-level materials.

The most recent legislative effort to have the State of Alaska require students to take Alaska History was in 1988 when Senator Willie Hensley sponsored a successful resolution calling for such a requirement.  The State Board of Education started discussion of making such a requirement, but met opposition from several groups for diverse reasons, among them a dislike of unfunded mandates.  Ultimately the issue died.

In the 1990s the Department of Education focused on developing standards, including ones for history, geography, government and citizenship.  The State of Alaska implemented a requirement in 1993 that teachers have three credits in Alaska Studies to be certified to teach in the state.  Our research has revealed a very broad list of courses has been deemed acceptable under this requirement.

What are possible options?

Options discussed as enforceable directives, or mandates, included:

• The Alaska Legislature pass a bill requiring high school students to take a semester of Alaska History to graduate.
• The State Board of Education implement that high school students take a semester of Alaska History.
• The high school exit examination include an Alaska History component.

  Options discussed as incentives included:

• Establishment and maintenance of a resource databank of readily available print, Web, audio and visual materials on Alaska History.
• Preparation of a 'plan of services' by each school district to increase the amount of Alaska History offered for secondary students.  Such a plan should consider what is taught, in-service training needs of teachers, and development and purchase of curriculum materials.
• Provision of funds for Alaska History curriculum development including a standards-based model curriculum, preparation and distribution of instructional and teacher materials, and training for teachers.
• Encouragement of in-state travel by high school students.  The State of Alaska might underwrite a visit to the state capital for each student during his/her junior year.
• Review of college courses accredited for teachers to meet their certification requirements to ensure such courses meet the requirements of 4 AAC 12.900(7).
  Establishment of incentives for teachers to encourage curriculum development and high-quality teaching of Alaska History.
• Development of Alaska History courses and web sites for adults and newcomers as the majority of state residents are from somewhere other than Alaska.  This would assist development of the general population's understanding of Alaska History.

What concerns need special consideration?

Committee members heard and expressed concern about enacting legislation without providing adequate funding for implementation.  More Alaska curriculum material has become available in the past fifteen years, notably history and geography textbooks and several web sites.  There has been, however, a shift to a standards-based curriculum and there is a need to revise some of the available materials and create additional materials on Alaska history. 

The committee determined that the State of Alaska should appropriate a minimum of $250,000 annually for at least five years to implement an Alaska History high school requirement.  These funds would be used to develop appropriate standards, to develop a model curriculum, to produce related curriculum materials, to assist teachers through training, and to disseminate teaching materials and resources statewide. 

How should a high school Alaska History requirement be implemented?

The Department of Education and Early Development should work with partners.  Partners might include social studies teachers, colleges and universities in the state, the Alaska Historical Commission, the Alaska Humanities Forum, the Alaska Geographic Alliance, the Institute of the North, the Alaska Historical Society, the Cook Inlet Historical Society, Commonwealth North, Bridge Builders, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, Healing Racism in Anchorage, and United Way.  

An important partner is expected to be the federal government.  Several federal agencies, among them the Department of Education, Library of Congress, National Archives, and the National Endowments for the Humanities and the Arts offer assistance for teacher training, and curriculum and resource material development.  Federal land managing agencies in Alaska have active heritage education programs and work with communities adjacent to their land holdings.

Is there widespread support for the requirement?

The committee found a broader base of support for having high school students take an Alaska History course than they expected.  Every major stakeholder agreed that knowing Alaska history is important.  They encouraged pursuing avenues to have high school age Alaskans learn their state's history to be informed citizens.  During the period the committee met, a number of editorials and letters addressing the importance and need to know Alaska history appeared in the Anchorage newspaper.  Upon learning of Representative Mary Kapsner's draft legislation, committee members met with her and helped foster a dialogue with individuals and groups which helped shape the legislation she introduced.

Groups formally endorsing the concept of students being required to take Alaska History in high school include the National Education Association, Alaska Municipal League, Alaska Historical Society, Alaska Geographic Alliance, Cook Inlet Historical Society, and the Alaska Historical Commission.  Individuals who expressed support included Carl Rose, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School Boards; Darroll Hargraves, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School Administrators; Rich Kronberg, President, Alaska Chapter, National Education Association; and Ken Ritchie, Alaska Municipal League and Alaska Conference of Mayors.

Committee members thank the many people who shared their ideas, time, and thoughts with them.

 Appendices

Commonwealth North's "U. R. US" action items:

1. Explore a solution to the subsistence gridlock.           
2. Consider the inauguration of an annual "Commonwealth North Summit" that would share a wide range of best practices on public policy issues.          
3. Seek mandated Alaska history at the high school level as a state graduation requirement for all Alaska students.           
4. Survey legislators and candidates as to their opinions on urban/rural issues.           
5. Encourage and support the formation of sister schools.           
6. Explore developing a regularly scheduled statewide call-in radio show.

Invited guests:

Mary Bristol, Social Studies Curriculum Director, Anchorage School District
Marjorie Menzi, Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator, Alaska Department of   Education and Early Development
Darroll Hargraves, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School Administrators
Paul Ongtooguk, Project Co-director, Alaska Native Curriculum and Teacher Development Program, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University   of Alaska Anchorage
Claudia Dybdahl, Director, School of Education, University of Alaska Anchorage   
Ernie Hall, Member, State Board of Education
Mary Kapsner, Alaska House of Representatives   
Pat Jackson, Legislative Aide to Representative Kapsner
Rich Kronberg, President, Alaska Chapter, National Education Association
Shirley Holloway, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Education and Early   Development
Carl Rose, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School Boards
Ken Ritchie, Alaska Municipal League and Alaska Conference of Mayors   

The following appendices are on the Commonwealth North web site www.commonwealthnorth.org Urban Rural Unity Study section: 

House Bill 171 and Senate Bill 144
Committee meeting minutes
Survey results
College, university, and continuing education courses for teachers
Recent and relevant newspaper editorials and letters

for further information on the

Urban Rural Unity Study

"U. R. US"

or

The Alaska History Committee Study

Contact:

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Phone: (907) 276-1414

Fax: (907) 276-6350

E-mail: duane@commonwealthnorth.org

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