Public education in Alaska

K-12 education in Alaska

Education facts

State superintendent: Deena Bishop

Number of students: 131,587

Number of teachers: 7,459

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:18

Number of school districts: 53

Number of schools: 502

Graduation rate: 80%

Per-pupil spending: $18,313

See also

Alaska Department of Education • List of school districts in Alaska • Alaska • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Alaska Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015.

The Alaska public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022 Alaska had 131,587 students enrolled in a total of 502 schools in 53 school districts. There were 7,459 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 18 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Alaska spent on average $18,313 per pupil.^[1] The state's graduation rate was 80 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.^[2]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Alaska compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

Academic performance

The sections below do not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to its relative neighbors, fourth grade students in Alaska tied with California for the lowest percentage (27 percent) scoring at or above proficient in reading.

The table below show the percentage of students in Alaska and its neighboring states who were proficient or above proficient in math and reading in fourth grade and eighth grade during the 2012-2013 school year.^[3]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Alaska and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[4][5][6]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[7]

Alaska schools reported a graduation rate of 71.8 percent, second lowest among its neighboring states.

In Alaska, more students took the SAT than the ACT, earning an average SAT score of 1,495.

Dropout rate

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Alaska was higher than the national average at 6.9 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 7.0 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Alaska

School choice options in Alaska include charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, mandatory intradistrict open enrollment in public schools and homeschooling.

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[8]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[9]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Alaska is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

See also: Alaska state budget and finances

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[10][11]

Alaska spent approximately 13.7 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from state funds. Alaska spent the smallest percentage of its budget on education when compared to its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[11]

In Alaska, the primary source of school system revenue came from state sources during fiscal year 2013, at $1.7 billion. Alaska had the lowest total revenue when compared to other states near the West Coast.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[12] Public education expenditures in Alaska totaled approximately $2.5 billion in fiscal year 2012. Overall, Alaska had lower total expenditures than any other states along the West Coast.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Alaska, the average salary increased by 3.1 percent.^[14]

Organizations

State agencies

See also: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development oversees public K-12 education and public libraries in Alaska.^[15] Heidi Teshner was appointed as the Alaska Commissioner of Education in 2022.

As of 2014, the mission statement of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development read:^[16]

The State Board of Education and Early Development has nine members who are appointed by the governor. The Board appoints the Commissioner of Education and Early Development with the governor's approval. They also appoint an advisor to represent the military community, a student advisor and a student advisor-elect. The Board is responsible for setting state academic content and performance standards, establishing high school graduation requirements, approving school construction and maintenance projects and regulating Title I4 programs.^[18]

Unions

In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Alaska ranked 15th overall for union power and influence, or "strong", which was in the second tier of five.^[19]

The main union related to the Alaska school system is the Alaska Public Employees Association/AFT, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. The Alaska Public Employees Association/AFT is the largest education association in the state. For the 2008 tax period, it had $3.6 million in total income.^[20]

List of local Alaska school unions:^[21]

• Alaska Public Employees Association/AFT
• Anchorage Education Association
• Matanuska Susitna Education Association
• Kenai Peninsula Education Association
• Juneau Education Association
• AFT Fairbanks
• AFT Anchorage
• AFT Soldotna

Government sector lobbying

See also: Alaska government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Association of Alaska School Boards.

Studies and reports

State budget solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 used six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Alaska received a score of 74.9, or a C average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in school finance at 80.2, or a B- average. The lowest score was in the teaching profession at 60.0, or a D- average. Alaska earned the lowest score in the country in the "teaching profession" category. The chart below displays the scores of Alaska and three Northwestern states.^[22]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

Issues

Standardized testing

In 2012, Alaska was excused from the federal No Child Left Behind Act, leaving it free to pursue its own way of monitoring student achievement. The Standards Based Assessments (SBA) were used statewide through the 2013-2014 school year, but moving forward, the state will be using a new standardized test. The SBA was based on Grade Level Expectations, estimating the degree to which third through ninth grade students had mastered the Academic Performance Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. The new standardized test will be given to students in grades three through 10, and it will be broken down into two parts: math and English language arts.^[23][24]

The new standardized test was created by the Achievement and Assessment Institute at the University of Kansas and was available for schools in both paper and computerized forms, beginning in 2015 and for the following two years. After that, the test will only be taken on computers. The push for a computerized test was a money-saving measure, but it also allows for test results to come back more quickly than when they are administered on paper.^[23]

School districts

See also: School board elections portal

District types

Alaska has three types of school districts: borough school districts, city school districts and school districts in politically unorganized rural areas of the state called Regional Educational Attendance Areas (REAA). Of the state's 54 school districts, 15 are borough school districts, 20 are city school districts and 19 are REAAs.^[25][26][27]

School board composition

Alaska school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although, if there is a vacancy, members will be appointed to fill that seat for the remainder of the term. School boards can have between five and 11 members, and all serve three-year terms. Elections are staggered so that no school board will have all of its board members up for re-election at once.^[25][28]

Term limits

Alaska does not impose term limits on school board members statewide, but term limits can be imposed on a local level.^[29]

Elections

See also: Alaska school board elections, 2024

The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot

To qualify as a school board candidate in Alaska, an individual must reside and be registered to vote in the school district they wish to represent.^[30] To get on the ballot, candidates must file a declaration of candidacy and pay a $25 filing fee in cash to their municipal election office during the candidate filing period.^[31]

Campaign finance

Before campaigning, candidates must file a letter of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. This can be filed as early as 18 months prior to the election and is only needed if the candidate wishes to campaign before they are able to file a declaration of candidacy. Once the declaration of candidacy is filed, the letter of intent is no longer needed. With the declaration of candidacy, a public official financial disclosure statement may also need to be filed. This is left to the discretion of the municipal office. Within seven days of filing the declaration of candidacy, candidates must file a candidate registration to provide campaign contact information and designate a campaign committee and a campaign depository. If a candidate does not intend to receive contributions in excess of $5,000, including the use of personal funds, the candidate may file a municipal exemption statement with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which exempts them from needing to file any campaign finance reports. Candidates who are not exempt must file reports disclosing their campaign finances throughout their candidacy.^[32]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Alaska state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Alaska ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Alaska Community College System Initiative, Measure 3 (1988)
2. Alaska Financial Aid to Private School Students, Proposition 4 (1976)
3. Alaska Educational and Museum Facilities, Bonding Proposition C (2002)
4. Alaska Vocational Education Bond, Proposition 3 (1960)
5. Alaska University Bond, Proposition 4 (1960)
6. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 1 (1962)
7. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 2 (1962)
8. Alaska Vocational School Bond, Proposition 4 (1962)
9. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 2 (1966)
10. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 4 (1966)
11. Alaska High School Construction Bond, Proposition 7 (1966)
12. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 5 (1968)
13. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 6 (1968)
14. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 1 (1970)
15. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 11 (1970)
16. Alaska University Bond, Proposition 4 (1972)
17. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 8 (1976)
18. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 12 (1976)
19. Alaska School Construction Bond, Proposition 6 (1972)
20. Alaska Library Construction Bond, Proposition 3 (1974)
21. Alaska Rural School Construction Bond, Proposition 9 (1974)
22. Alaska University Construction Bond, Proposition 10 (1974)
23. Alaska University of Alaska Bond, Proposition 9 (1978)
24. Alaska Improvements for Education, Bonding Proposition G
25. Alaska State Government Debt for Postsecondary Student Loans, Ballot Measure 2 (2016)

In the news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alaska education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Historical public education information in Alaska
• Alaska state budget and finances
• Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
• List of school districts in Alaska
• School choice in Alaska
• Charter schools in Alaska
• Alaska
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links

• Alaska Department of Education & Early Development
• Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development
• Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
• Alaska Public School Districts
• Alaska Public Schools
• Alaska Charter Schools
• Alaska School Statistics and Reports
• Alaska Public School Ratings by PSK12
• Alaska Public School Ratings by Great Schools

Footnotes

	v • e State of Alaska Juneau (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures
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