We are facing a crisis in our K-12 schools in Alaska.
Does the legislature have the political will and fortitude to help our students?
Sometimes when things are presented to us, we fail to recognize they’re coming to us on a silver platter. We miss that we have a golden opportunity before us. I want to draw a matter to your attention so you don’t fail to recognize the silver platter before us, the golden opportunity we have this legislative session.
This silver platter is the issue of school funding.
While inflation, rising healthcare costs and pupil transportation costs have truly chipped away at dollars once available for classrooms, and we are considering the topic of school funding, this is the golden opportunity to address the abysmal student achievement gap in Alaska. We should not let it pass if we care about our children and their futures.
We know on a statewide basis, our students are not where they should be.I know we’re all painfully aware we are at the bottom of the barrel nationally, but I want to give you a quick snapshot of the state of K-12 schools in Alaska we cannot ignore and must address.
National Assessment
NAEP National Assessment of Educational Progress
- 75% of 4th graders were not proficient in math.
- 35% of students tested below basic in math, up from 27% in 2019.
- 75% of 4th graders were not proficient in reading.
State Assessment
AK STAR
- 90% of 8th graders statewide were not proficient in math.
- 77% of all students, all grades were not proficient in math
- 70% of all students, all grades were not proficient in English Language Arts
KEY POINT:
Research shows increased funding to districts in general does not correlate with improved academics but increased funding to classrooms can. When tied to accountability measures for student learning growth, it will.
Here is my proposal to ensure academic improvement:
- Tie existing and any new funds to K-12 public schools to accountability measures pertaining to improved learning outcomes*.
- Direct new funding to classroom instruction only (i.e., prohibit new state dollars to K-12 education from being used to expand school district administrations).
- Tighten up ratio of instruction/administration for existing funds from the 70% to 30% ratio in current statute to a (suggested) 80% to 20%, ratio. Exclude volatile fuel costs from administration side of ratio and consider a stair step adjustment over time to get to the 80% to 20%.
*What do I propose as far as accountability measures – while working with educators of course to iron on the wrinkles? We could provide a decent base amount per student for all students and then an additional amount per student when learning improvement criteria related to the mastery of learning objectives at each grade level is met. The Alaska Board of Education could establish those criteria.
We could also look at Teacher Spending Accounts. Teachers are best positioned to tailor the “last mile” of education spending for the greatest impact. We should value and prioritize individual teacher autonomy and expertise – and this is one way we can do it. The accounts could be used for classroom supplies and educational expenses such as instructional materials, technology, and teacher coaching.
AGAIN, WE MUST FOCUS ON WHAT’S BEST FOR STUDENTS!
I will repeat my key point: Research shows increased funding to districts in general does not correlate with improved academics but increased funding to classrooms can. When tied to accountability measures for student learning growth, increased funding will result in improved academics – and that is what we all want for our children.
So when we’re talking about a golden opportunity and the silver platter of school funding, let’s remember our children are more precious than all the gold and silver in the world. We cannot pass up what is being presented to us this legislative session.
If we truly care about our children and their futures, our state and its future, we indeed will use this golden opportunity to address what has sadly reached a crisis situation in our public schools statewide.
If we want what is best for Alaska’s children – and I have no doubt we all do – we will take what’s coming to us on a silver platter, the issue of school funding, and couple it with policy to begin to reverse the downward academic trend that is hurting our children.
Let’s work together to help our children have the best chance of a great K-12 education no matter where they live in Alaska, no matter their socioeconomic situation. Let’s ensure student learning while we consider school funding.
Let’s not cave to pressure that our expectations for improvements are unrealistic, that more funding in and of itself will do the trick, that we’re mistaken about what portion of the funding goes to administration, that the problem is too complex and our accountability measures won’t work.
Let’s stay strong for the sake of our students, our children, our young people. When only 53% of funds are going to the core mission – regular and special education classroom instruction – we know we cannot keep doing what we’re doing.
We must have the political will and fortitude to do what’s right. When we turn the tide in our schools, we will turn the tide in the lives of countless students.
