Alaska
News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Alaska
Assessment
Alaska Withdraws From Smarter Balanced Testing Group
Alaska chooses to have the University of Kansas design its assessments.
Federal
Alaska, Hawaii, West Virginia Win NCLB Waivers
Thirty-seven states plus the District of Columbia now have their own federally approved but state-crafted accountability plans.
Standards & Accountability
Alaska's Standards Underwent Scrutiny For Consortium Membership
Its state standards were found to be similar enough to the Common Core State Standards that using a common-core-aligned assessment was deemed appropriate.
Standards & Accountability
Alaska Joins Assessment Consortium
Even though Alaska never adopted the common standards, it has joined a consortium working to design tests for those standards.
School Climate & Safety
Settlement Reached in Alaska School Facilities Case
The long-running lawsuit, now ended, opened state coffers for more than $1.2 billion in school facilities aid for remote, rural districts.
Education Funding
Alaska Ramps Up Education Funding
| Alaska | Funding for K-12 education in Alaska won an increase in this year’s legislative session, which wrapped up April 19.
School & District Management
Alaska Opts Out of Race to the Top
Juneau, Alaska
While many states have accepted an educational reform challenge in the federal Race to the Top program, Alaska is watching from the sidelines.
While many states have accepted an educational reform challenge in the federal Race to the Top program, Alaska is watching from the sidelines.
Education Funding
K-12 Funding Up in Alaska Budget
Gov. Palin and Alaska lawmakers have approved the creation of a $2 million pilot preschool program and an overall boost in the state budget for schools.
Education
New Alaska Official to Focus on Rural and Native Issues
The state of Alaska has announced it will hire a new director of rural education, who will also be assigned to work with the state's native population, known as Alaska Natives.
Special Education
Campaign K-12 Notebook
How much money one state spends on special education is an unlikely focus of controversy in a presidential race. But when a previously little-known governor makes a splash as the mother of a special-needs child after getting her party’s vice presidential nod, that seemingly parochial topic can suddenly make news.
Federal
Palin Takes Measured Tack On Alaska's School Issues
Although Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has espoused conservative positions on teaching creationism and abstinence-only sex education, the Republican vice presidential nominee has not pushed those beliefs into state policy.
Federal
VP Choice Backed School Funding Overhaul
In tapping Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has selected an official who has supported increased funding for schools across her rural, frontier state and voiced support for school-choice programs that appeal to many conservatives.
Law & Courts
Alaska Legislators Overhaul Funding
Gov. Sarah Palin and state lawmakers have gone ahead with an overhaul of Alaska’s school funding system that supporters predict will provide much-needed financial help to rural schools.
