Education
RSSEducation in Alaska is the network of public school districts, from K-12 to the University of Alaska system. It takes in school board funding decisions, state education department policy, teacher recruitment, and special education services. It reaches rural, Alaska Native and urban districts alike.
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Week of Apr 27
Residential Schools Seek Doubled Funding Tied to Base Allocation
Alaska's seven residential boarding schools want legislation to double their per-student funding to $25,700 and tie future increases to the base student allocation.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska Universities Report 73% Jump in Teacher Pipeline Enrollment
University of Alaska teacher pipeline enrollment jumped 73 percent, with the university awarding over $1 million in scholarships to 109 candidates as the state works to fill 324 teacher vacancies.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Tlingit & Haida building two education campuses on Prince of Wales
Tlingit & Haida is building two early education campuses on Prince of Wales Island, opening summer 2026, to expand Head Start and childcare access with Tlingit and Haida language immersion.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
School Board Reverses Course on Calendar After Community Backlash
The Anchorage School Board moved the 2026-27 start date back to August 19. The change follows community outcry over subsistence conflicts.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska's tribal school compact bill navigates sovereignty and public education law
Senate Bill 66 would authorize up to five Alaska tribes to operate public schools under compact agreements, with a seven-year pilot costing $19.2 million in the first year.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House Finance considers multi-year school funding averaging bill
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts know enrollment by July 1 instead of October, using three-year averaging to give them budget certainty and time to hire teachers earlier.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel questions education fund proposal with no guaranteed revenue
House Finance Committee questioned whether a proposed constitutional education fund guarantees school money, since it requires no dedicated revenue and lets future legislatures spend it down to zero.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Galena School District Shows Early Learning Drives Math, Reading Gains
Galena School District's early learning programs show students performing above national math and reading norms, but most programs depend on grants that may not be sustainable long-term.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
More from Education
Week of Apr 20
House panel debates $113M education funding formula shift
House panel heard testimony on a bill that would shift school funding to a three-year enrollment average, costing $113 million annually but giving districts budget certainty earlier in the year.
by Alaska News6mo ago6 min read
Senate Education Committee Advances Opioid Awareness Bill, Hears Tribal School Compact Proposal
Senate Education Committee advanced a bill requiring opioid prevention curriculum in grades 6-12. • Committee heard first presentation on allowing tribes to operate public schools through state-tribal compacts, with second hearing scheduled Monday.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Senate advances software licensing bill, food dye ban to third reading
Alaska Senate advanced a bill banning seven synthetic food dyes from school meals starting January 2028, plus legislation on software licensing contracts and worker visa recognition.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate Education Committee advances teacher loan repayment pilot program
Senate Education Committee advanced a bill offering teachers in high-need subjects up to $5,000 yearly for three years to repay student loans, targeting Alaska's teacher shortage.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska Advances Mental Health Education Guidelines Without Mandates
The House Finance Committee advanced a bill to create voluntary mental health guidelines for schools to address Alaska high youth suicide rates.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readSenate Finance subcommittee recommends $1.17 billion university budget
Senate Finance subcommittee approved a $1.17 billion University of Alaska budget for fiscal year 2027, adding $2.25 million for student recruitment and employee raises.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate panel approves $441 million education budget with teacher incentives
Senate panel approved a $441 million education budget for fiscal 2027, adding $450,000 for teacher incentives and $2 million for Head Start matching funds.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readKenai Peninsula CTE students achieve 97% graduation rate
Kenai Peninsula students in career and technical programs reached a 97 percent graduation rate while earning industry certifications.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Coming up
Kodiak Island Borough School District: Board of Education Regular Meeting
KIBSD Central Office Conference Room F140, 722 Mill Bay Road, Kodiak, Alaska 99615
Meeting
State Vocational Rehabilitation Committee Quarterly Meeting
Meeting
Anchorage School Board Regular Meeting
Meeting
Petersburg Borough School District: Regular Meeting
Meeting
Toddler Storytime
Class
About Education
Education in Alaska takes in public school districts, charter schools and the University of Alaska system, along with tribal colleges such as Iḷisaġvik College. The state Department of Education and Early Development sets rules, and local school boards run districts from Anchorage to rural villages.
School funding depends on enrollment counts and local contributions, so budget gaps, school closures and staffing for nurses and special education recur. Districts also weigh school meals, calendars and wellness policy.
Alaska Native corporations and tribal organizations fund scholarships, internships and early learning programs. Borough assemblies and school boards share decisions on money and buildings, and federal programs such as Pell Grants and E-Rate shape access to college and school internet.
More from Education
House Education Committee advances CPR training bill with rural flexibility
House Education Committee advanced a CPR training bill Monday with amendments allowing virtual alternatives to hands-on practice and delaying the requirement to July 2027 to pursue grant funding.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Week of Apr 13
Alaska Overhauls School Construction Funding to Help Rural Districts Compete
Alaska is changing school construction funding to prioritize building safety over age. The new rules start for fiscal year 2028.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago4 min readAlaska School Funding System Favors Wealthy Districts, Senators Say
Alaska senators say the state's school construction funding system favors wealthy districts that can afford architects and engineers, leaving poorer communities waiting years for basic repairs.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago4 min readAlaska House debates school transportation funding amid rural-urban divide
Alaska House debated school transportation funding as diesel prices surge, but rural lawmakers worry the money would shortchange districts using student flights instead of buses.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago3 min readWeek of Apr 6
House committee advances special education funding resolution, CTE mobility bill
House Education Committee unanimously passed a resolution urging Congress to fully fund special education, which currently covers only 10 to 15 percent of costs in Alaska. • Committee advanced a bill allowing rural school districts to share career and technical education programs like welding and healthcare training. • Special Education Service Agency reported its first-ever waitlist, with nine students across seven districts waiting for services.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min readAlaska House panel advances free school meals for reduced-price students
Alaska House panel advanced a bill to provide free school meals to 3,326 students who qualify for reduced-price programs, at an estimated cost of $200,000 to $430,000 annually.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readHouse panel considers expanding early intervention for Alaska children
A House committee heard testimony on a bill to expand early intervention services for Alaska children by lowering eligibility thresholds, potentially saving the state up to $229,000 per child.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readAlaska Senate panel considers banning synthetic food dyes from school meals
Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a bill to ban six synthetic food dyes from school meals, citing links to behavioral disorders and allergies and minimal cost to districts.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readAlaska Scholarship Funding Projections Show Potential Shortfalls Through 2029
Alaska's scholarship program faces funding shortfalls through 2029 after the state expanded eligibility last year and more students applied, forcing potential cuts to both merit and need-based aid.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readWeek of Mar 30
House Education Committee Advances Bill to Boost Residential School Funding
House Education Committee heard testimony Thursday on a bill to raise funding for Alaska's nine residential schools for the first time since 2015, adding $2.3 million annually to cover inflation.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min readAlaska Special Education Crisis: 200 Teaching Positions Unfilled Statewide
Alaska school districts cannot fill 200 special education teaching positions, forcing some schools to operate without a resident special education teacher.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago1 min readPanel Calls for Standardized Child Abuse Reporting Training Across Alaska
A state review panel called for standardized child abuse reporting training across Alaska after finding current programs vary widely and confuse mandatory reporters.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago1 min read
