Districts face budget shortfalls with the failure of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act funding, aimed at schools located near federal lands.
Education
With school funding dispute over, Juneau among four Alaska districts moving on without federally promised money
Alaska’s Department of Education claims victory in pandemic funding dispute, and will collect $17.5 million in federal reimbursements.
A community’s fight to save Unangam Tunuu on St. Paul Island
Unangam Tunuu is taught in only a handful of classes in the public school system, and outside these sessions, the language is seldom spoken in everyday conversation.
Students and teachers report a sharp decline in support for non-native English speakers in Ketchikan schools
The school district supports at least 84 students through its federally mandated English Language Learners’ program, but is it still meeting the level of need?
As Alaska schools close, one Aleutian village bucks the trend
For the first time in over a decade, children in Nikolski are back in the classroom. The Nikolski school’s revival came through combined efforts of the Aleutian Region School District and the local tribal organization.
Skagway School credits community, teachers and a unique testing culture for its high test scores
For the 13th year in a row, Skagway School’s students had the state’s highest scores in all assessed areas, according to administrators.
University of Alaska-faculty contract negotiations head for federal mediation
Bargaining parties say they’re hopeful, though the outcome will depend on funding being included in the next state budget .
Alaska has resolved school funding equity concerns, feds say, releasing $17.5M in pandemic aid
For months, the federal education agency said Alaska had not funded schools equitably during the pandemic, which was a condition of receiving $359 million in federal education funding.
Fading financial support puts Juneau School District’s free breakfasts at risk
The Juneau School Board voted on Tuesday to extend the benefit for another semester — but after that, its future is uncertain.
Juneau’s share of the state’s school funding boost is $500K more than projected
District administrators anticipated $5.2 million from a one-time state funding boost to school districts, but a December finance report from the district shows the number is closer to $5.7 million.