As the Alaska legislative session grinds toward its final days, Alaska Education Commissioner Deena Bishop has issued a call to action to school superintendents across the state.
In a letter sent Monday, Bishop emphasized the importance of including specific education reform initiatives in the final education bill to ensure comprehensive improvements in the state’s education system.
The Commissioner outlined four primary reforms for advocacy:
- Reading Incentive Grants: Provision of $450 per student in grades K-6 who demonstrate grade-level proficiency or significant improvement in reading, aiming to bolster literacy rates statewide.
- Enrollment Expansion Options: Policies to allow students to attend schools outside their designated districts, enhancing flexibility and school choice for families.
- Charter Language Updates: Adjustments to streamline the application process for charter schools, including allowing proposals to be submitted directly to the state board, and clarifying fund balance provisions.
- 1.0 ADM for Correspondence Students: Ensuring full Average Daily Membership funding, same as neighborhood school funding, for each student enrolled in correspondence programs, supporting alternative education pathways.
Commissioner Bishop said that failure to incorporate these reforms could lead to challenges similar to those faced in previous years, including potential vetoes of the education bill or reductions in funding components by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
She urged superintendents to personally reach out to their legislative representatives to advocate for these changes, highlighting the direct impact on their respective districts.
The proposed reforms are part of Dunleavy’s broader education agenda, which emphasizes school choice, literacy improvement, and support for alternative education models. The governor’s education bill, introduced earlier this year, includes similar provisions aimed at overhauling the state’s education system. But lawmakers have chosen to use an alternate bill as a mule for their funding ideas and their own priorities, some of which are unconstitutional.
Reforms? Normally this means more money for the NEA/AFT and lower test scores for students.
Those four items make sense to this conservative. They will be rejected by the superintendents as they are antithetical to the Teacher’s Union agenda.
I would also add absenteeism.
Deena has really never been more than a shill for Dunleavy. She’s allergic to facts and incapable of analysis. The best part of Dunleavy leaving Juneau may be her welcome departure.
Another view: having worked with Deena and other Commissioners – all of whom truly care about student success – I know that the job is like trying to put out a forest fire with a garden hose. Sometimes the best thing you can do is make a way of escape for some of the animals before it is too late. There has been plenty of analysis swept aside by the status quo entrenched interests.
Please provide facts to bolster your ad-hominem attack. You appear to be the one allergic to the facts, bucko.
Agree. All she is good at is failing.
I recommend dumping the department of education outright.
Simple solution- If a child doesn’t meet standards at grade 3, they are held back to learn again. Also do it at grade 5, 7 and 9. Hold them accountable and parents as well.
It worked in the past and now has been abused ever since we didn’t want to hurt their self-esteem.
Look at what esteem we are getting now. 🙁
Get rid of the black mold that both the NEA and Representative W. from Anchorage admitted on the floor of the legislature this session and you’ll see test scores and absenteeism decrease. Black mold, particularly when toxic, can negatively impact brain function, potentially leading to neurotoxicity, cognitive impairment, and even neurological damage. Exposure to black mold can cause various mental and neurological issues, including memory loss, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, depression, and mood swings. WOW sounds like lots of our students.
I am a staunch supporter of public education. But change is needed. Test scores are still stagnant with very little change. What I know about Dr. Bishop having worked with her for five years is she is first and always looking for ways for our students to succeed. Education is not suppose to be about politics, but what is best for the student. When we introduced a new reading curriculum shown to be successful with a huge emphasis on phonics, not all but a large number of teaches refused to comply stating academic freedom. Our teachers work very hard, spend their own money to make sure students have what they need in the classroom. What needs to be looked at is a new approach to education. Just because we always did it that way, or when I was in school does not work any longer. We have a new generation that is not motivated by what has been used in the past. Bring in top educators from around the state and outside the state to propose a new out of the box answer to educate our students.
Perpetually failing upward