
Danette Peterson
309:20 - 309:49
“In Fairbanks, 46 International educators are in our SPED classrooms and filling positions that would otherwise go vacant in supporting our most vulnerable students.”
- Speaker
- Danette Peterson
- Timestamp
- 309:20 – 309:49
- Community
- Alaska News
- Location
- Alaska
- Captured at
From the transcript
One aspect that needs further attention is class size and workloads for our SPED teachers, where we often see the highest vacancy and turnover rates. Our SPED programs are currently propped up by retired rehired teachers, international educators, and substitutes. In Fairbanks, 46 International educators are in our SPED classrooms and filling positions that would otherwise go vacant in supporting our most vulnerable students. The BSA must be adjusted to reflect the realities of increasing costs such as skyrocketing energy, transportation, and health costs. Those expenses exceed those borne by school districts in the lower 48.
Related Coverage
Alaska school leaders tell education task force to raise funding and fix buildings
School leaders praised the education funding task force's draft, then asked for $254.6 million, pensions and roofs. Comments run until Dec. 8.

Homeschool parents object to a task force line on correspondence programs
A legislative task force floated folding homeschool correspondence programs into "a broader brick-and-mortar framework." Homeschool parents lined up to say no.
