Alaskans Families Want and Deserve Education Reform – Alaska Native News

The Need for Education Reform in Alaska

Introduction

If you read the mainstream papers and blogs and spend just a little bit of time on social media these days, you will see, read, and be told that the education sky is falling. The people promoting this narrative might be right, but not just because of funding. Education in Alaska needs reform.

The Call for Change

I’ve been very transparent in my conversations with the Legislature, school district administrators, the education lobby establishment, and the public. My message – yes, there needs to be additional funding for education, but we also need some changes to how we do education in Alaska.

The easy and less controversial approach would be to increase funding without asking questions about results or require local school districts to be more transparent with their budgets. I could also ignore the growing demand that parents and student have for more public-school choice and just spend more money. It’s what we have been doing for decades without improved results. Continuing that would be fiscally irresponsible.

That approach is what the education special interests want (the same group that lobbied against increased pay for classroom teachers) but it’s not what Alaskan families want. I made a promise to Alaskans when I was elected and reminded everyone in my State of the State speech this year, that I would not be a governor for special interests. I said to the special interest groups, “Don’t be disappointed if you knock on my door asking me to kill an opportunity. If so, you are knocking on the wrong door.” I meant it when I said it in January, and I still mean it today.

The Voice of Alaskans

Average, everyday Alaskans don’t walk the halls in Juneau, they can’t afford to pay lobbyists, and their busy lives make it difficult for them to testify in Legislative committee meetings. But I know from the people I talk to, the phone calls I get, and polling results, that Alaskans are not satisfied with the status quo.

Alaskans support an increase in school funding, as do I, but they want and expect more. They want more public-school choice, they want teachers to be well compensated and supported, and they want to know that their children are learning and will be prepared for success as adults.

They also know that they can choose the best educational models for their children, and we are seeing them do just that, with a greater number of them choosing to remove their children from neighborhood schools. The reality is that if we don’t make it easier for parents and students to access a variety of public-school choices, like charter schools, parents will vote with their feet and leave the public school system entirely.

The Success of Charter Schools

A recent Harvard study found that Alaska’s public charter schools are number one in the nation. That’s right! You heard it. According to the research, Alaska has the best charter schools in the country. What makes this news even better is that our historically underperforming students do exponentially better in our charter schools. Nationally, we also see a push in many states including New York to increase the number of charter schools and alternative public-school opportunities for at-risk and underserved students. Alaska is leading the way, so why wouldn’t we want to encourage more of what we do best?

A Call for Funding and Reforms

As the conversation around education continues, I will work with every member of the legislature to pass an increase in funding and needed reforms. We must do a better job supporting the teachers who work with our most valuable resources every day. We must make it easier for students and parents to access alternative public-school choices, like charter schools. And we must ensure that resources are specifically directed at classroom instruction that improves outcomes and increases reading proficiency. It’s what Alaskan families want, and they deserve it.

Rest assured; public schools will be adequately funded. However, the real question is will we allow a handful of special interests to shortchange our teachers, parents, and students or will the special interests get out of the way so that we can create a public school system that benefits everyone?

Alaska’s Governor Dunleavy

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

The article discusses the need for education reform in Alaska and the desire for more public-school choice, improved teacher compensation and support, and better learning outcomes for students. These issues align with SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.
• Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

The article emphasizes the need for improved learning outcomes, equal access to education, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills for sustainable development. These align with the targets under SDG 4 mentioned above.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
• Indicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile, and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples, and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated.
• Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in (a) national education policies, (b) curricula, (c) teacher education, and (d) student assessment.

The article implies the need to measure the proficiency levels of students in reading and mathematics, the gender parity in education, and the integration of global citizenship education and education for sustainable development into national policies, curricula, teacher education, and student assessment.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: alaska-native-news.com

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