Education: Demand Excellence
Alaska is a great state, and a great state has to have a great public education system, from preschool all the way to college and graduate school.
When people think of Alaska, I want them to say, “It has great schools, everywhere you go, even way out in tiny villages.” I want people to say, “You’d be amazed how good Alaska’s universities are. They really made smart investments in education with the state’s oil money.”
With a good education, our children can go anywhere and do anything. I want all our children to come to school ready to learn. I want every student to graduate from our schools ready for college or ready to jump in the workforce and get a good-paying job.
With a good education system, Alaska will have a stronger economy. We’ll grow our own workforce, instead of importing people from out of state. We’ll draw businesses here because we already have workers who can do the job.
My plan for education has five main parts:
- start early in life, with voluntary pre-Kindergarten,
- put a great teacher in every classroom,
- provide stable, predictable funding for our schools,
- make the University of Alaska more accessible, and
- provide dynamic and robust vocational/technical education opportunities.
Starting early: Pre-K education
Children learn from the moment they are born. Their minds are like sponges, soaking up stimulation and learning from every encounter in the world around them.
Many children are lucky, and grow up in environments that promote learning long before they’re old enough for kindergarten. Other children are less fortunate. When they arrive at school, they need help to catch up.
Head Start is a proven way of helping pre-schoolers and their families get on the path to success in school. However, it’s only for low-income families, and it’s not available everywhere it’s needed in Alaska. Families that don’t qualify for Head Start are on their own until kindergarten. Alaska is one of only 12 states that do not go beyond Head Start and fund a statewide voluntary pre-K education program.
Thirty-eight states know that investing in high-quality early education pays off. Students do better in school, poverty and crime rates drop, and the entire economy grows stronger. As governor, I’ll work to start statewide voluntary pre-K education in Alaska.
Great schools must have great teachers
You know what it’s like when your children have great teachers. They’re excited to go to school every day. They come home from school eager to talk about what they did and learned.
To make sure your child gets a good education, your school must make sure there is a good teacher in the classroom. Expert research has proven it again and again – the single most important factor in the quality of a student’s education is the teacher.
Alaska used to be a magnet for great teachers, with some of the best salaries and benefits in the nation. Other states wised up and raised teacher salaries, while Alaska steadily fell behind.
Great teachers will never be paid what they are really worth. If they were, they’d make more than investment bankers and hedge fund managers!
But one thing we can do is make sure our teachers have a decent retirement system. A few years ago, Republican lawmakers and Governor Frank Murkowski threw out the state’s teacher retirement system. They told newly-hired teachers, “Sorry, we’re not offering a pension any more. You’re on your own for retirement. Here’s some money you can put in a 401k-style account. Invest it wisely – good luck!”
You can’t get first-rate teachers with a second-rate benefits package. As governor, I’ll restore a real pension system for our teachers.
Schools in the Bush have special problems getting and keeping good teachers. Many new teachers come straight from the Lower 48, and the drastically different environment may produce culture shock. Even good, adventurous teachers may want to move on after a few years.
Bush schools work best if the teachers know the local culture and feel comfortable living in the community for the long-haul. In many villages, teaching at the school is one of the best jobs available for local residents. As governor, I’ll support efforts to help rural Alaskans get trained as teachers and return to serve their communities.
Funding for K-12 schools
Funding for our schools must be steady and predictable, and it has to be enough to do the job, especially in high-cost, high-need areas. As a state senator from Anchorage, I worked with colleagues from rural areas to secure education funding that is equitable for all areas of the state, and I’ll do the same as governor.
But Alaska hasn’t done enough to help all rural students succeed. Education should be a rising tide that lifts all boats, and in some areas of our state, graduation rates and academic indicators show we must do better. I’ll work with local districts to find creative, community based solutions that help all Alaskans succeed.
Finally, I’ve been a strong supporter of “forward funding” education. During the last session, the Alaska State Legislature passed forward funding legislation. Now school districts will have fiscal certainty in advance, allowing for thoughtful budget preparation. As Governor, I’ll make certain this important program stays on the books.
Make the University of Alaska more accessible
Alaskans who want to pursue a University of Alaska education should have a clear path to a degree.
A university stimulates the economy by providing qualified workers (so employers aren’t forced to hire people from out of state), training professionals and entrepreneurs who develop small businesses, and by creating a stable labor pool in crucial areas such as nursing and education.
An education is earned, not bought. We need to make sure that Alaskans who work hard and are committed to preparing for a career through college can afford an education. Needs-based assistance can fill our classrooms with the most committed students.
But tuition alone isn’t the only barrier to a University of Alaska degree. Alaskans who want an education are often frustrated and delayed by full classes. Vital programs like nursing have students waiting for years to begin their training. Expanding offerings to eliminate waiting lists will help our students earn their degree and move on to a career in four years instead of six or seven.
Finally, regional campuses provide university level opportunities, close to home in rural Alaska. They focus on local problems or needs, creating solutions tailored to the community. We should continue expanding our regional University of Alaska campuses.
I’m a University of Alaska graduate. I earned my degree during my weeks off, when I was working on the North Slope pumping oil. Hardworking Alaskans need a clearer path through our University system. I’ll make sure the UA system is working for us, so Alaskans who want to work hard can advance their careers.
Provide dynamic and robust vocational/technical education opportunities
Many young Alaskans want to develop specific skills so they can engage in careers which demand manual or practical abilities, rather than attending college. Developing and maintaining quality vocational and technical education programs ensures higher paying jobs and better opportunities for all Alaskans.
Vocational and technical education programs prepare young Alaskans for careers that are based in skilled trades and occupations, such as aviation and automotive technology, diesel and heavy equipment technologies, plumbing and air conditioning installation, professional cooking, and licensed practical nursing.
The benefits are clear and immediate. For example:
- Individuals with higher skills earn significantly more over their lifetimes and are much more employable. Skills development is the foundation of career progression and promotion opportunities.
- Firms who employ skilled individuals have a higher level of productivity, improved quality, better staff retention, and increased profitability.
- Skills development can help reduce poverty and crime and revitalize communities. Skilled workforces have a positive and direct effect on economic growth.
Our state will always demand and reward a highly skilled workforce. I will continue to support funding for the Southwest Alaska Vocational and Education Center, the Alaska Vocational and Technical Center, and other vocational/technical education programs.
Education is the key that opens the door of opportunity — for our children, and our state’s economy. We need to act now. As your governor, I’ll make smart education investments, for the benefit of future generations.
