People & Culture
RSSPeople & Culture in Alaska is a topic covering the institutions and programs that shape health, education and community life. It takes in schools, public health, Medicaid and EMS policy, rural hospitals, and tribal organizations serving Alaska Native communities.
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Week of May 4
House Finance begins review of Alaska LNG tax bill with competing rate proposals
House Finance is debating a new tax plan for the Alaska LNG pipeline. Lawmakers and the administration disagree on the tax rate.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
U.S. Education Secretary Tours Mat-Su Career and Charter Schools
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited two Mat-Su schools on May 7 to tour career programs and meet students as part of a 50-state tour marking the nation's 250th anniversary.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readAlaska bill would penalize state for late payments to contractors
Alaska bill would charge the state 10.5 percent interest on late payments to nonprofits, municipalities, and tribal organizations, extending a rule that has applied to private contractors since 1990.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel advances Alaska Native languages task force bill after rejecting university, state agency seats
House panel advanced a bill creating a legislative task force to review Alaska Native language programs, rejecting proposals to add university and state education officials.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readRural Alaska faces fuel crisis as prices surge, shortages loom
Rural Alaska fuel prices could double this year, with gas hitting $17.50 per gallon in some villages and diesel potentially reaching $6 per gallon, threatening heating and power during winter.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readFrom Recent High School Graduate Appointed to Alaska State Medical Board
A 19-year-old high school graduate with no medical background was appointed to Alaska's State Medical Board, which licenses physicians.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
19-year-old homeschool graduate appointed to State Medical Board
Alaska Senate committee questioned 19-year-old Hannah Milkey's qualifications to serve on the State Medical Board, noting she has no medical training, CPR certification, or investigative experience.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House Finance Advances Education Funding Bill Despite Fiscal Concerns
The House Finance Committee advanced a school funding bill costing $130 million annually to stabilize district budgets.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
More from People & Culture
Alaska residential schools seek doubled stipends to cover rising costs
Senate Bill 257 would double state funding for Alaska residential schools to cover rising costs. The bill aims to fix a funding gap that has remained stagnant since 2014.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel advances Alaska Native language task force bill
House panel advanced a bill to create a task force reviewing Alaska Native language preservation, with lawmakers calling the state's language situation a crisis.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze
Anchorage School District approved closing three elementary schools and cutting over 500 staff positions to address a $90 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 27
Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up
Juneau School District is seeking $10 million in bonds to fix leaking roofs, upgrade heating systems, and install security cameras after state funding for school maintenance dried up.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Youth Suicide Prevention Bill
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill to fund voluntary firearm safe storage devices for families and create school guidelines for notifying parents of suicidal thoughts or bullying.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Alaska House Weighs $113M Education Funding Overhaul
House committee heard testimony on a $113 million bill to give school districts budget certainty by July 1, but members questioned whether the state can accurately model the long-term cost.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas
Alaska marked 50 years of Regional Education Attendance Areas, the system that brought local control to rural schools serving 15 percent of students across more than half the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House committee advances insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover expensive treatments for PANDAS and PANS, pediatric brain disorders triggered by infections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
About People & Culture
People and Culture in Alaska takes in schools, health care, social services and community life across the state. It covers the public institutions people rely on day to day, from school boards and clinics to water systems and food assistance.
Schools are a large part of it: school boards decide budgets, charter schools and building closures, and building schools in rural villages carries high construction costs. Public health agencies deal with drinking water safety, tuberculosis and overdose response, while the state manages Medicaid billing and SNAP administration.
Tribal health and service organizations, such as Maniilaq Association and Tanana Chiefs Conference, deliver care and aid in rural regions. Alaska Native language programs, from reading screeners to college certificates, and arts and cultural projects round out the subject.
More from People & Culture
House Finance hears respiratory therapist licensing bill, Alaska's last-state gap
Alaska is the only U.S. state without licensing for respiratory therapists, and HB 362 would fix that gap by establishing a state licensing program with fees covering all costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Education Fund Amendment Advances With Key Questions Unresolved
A proposed constitutional amendment to create a protected education fund advanced in the House despite missing funding and scope details.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate Passes $2.47B Capital Budget Focused on School Repairs
Alaska Senate passed a $2.47 billion capital budget Tuesday that directs $88.7 million to fix deteriorating K-12 schools, including a fire suppression system waiting 20 years for repair.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House panel advances dental insurance transparency bill
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring dental insurers to disclose what percentage of premiums pay for actual care, letting consumers compare plans.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to overhaul school funding timelines
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts budget using enrollment numbers from July instead of October, letting them offer teacher contracts months earlier when more candidates are available.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
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
Week of Apr 20
House panel hears confirmation for physician assistant to State Medical Board
House committee heard confirmation testimony from physician assistant Norman Walker for the State Medical Board. • UAA proposed a $30 million academic medical center to expand residency training for Alaska's growing medical school.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readFrom 
Senate panel adopts changes to health care compact bill
Alaska Senate panel approved changes to join four interstate medical licensing compacts aimed at recruiting rural health providers, adding background check requirements for medical professionals.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readFrom 
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
House panel fast-tracks insurance coverage for PANDAS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover PANDAS treatment after families testified they paid tens of thousands out of pocket when coverage was denied.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 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
House Education Committee advances CPR training bill with rural flexibility
House Education Committee approved CPR training for Alaska schools with rural flexibility, delaying the requirement to July 2027 to pursue a state grant.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 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 readHouse Finance Advances Mental Health Education Guidelines for Schools
House Finance advanced a bill requiring schools to develop mental health education guidelines, as Alaska faces the nation's highest youth suicide rate.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 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
