Gov. Mike Dunleavy points to 2025 NAEP 4th grade reading test scores, where Alaska students ranked 51st in the nation. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon).
Alaska’s public school test scores remaining near the bottom of the nation have turbo-charged the political debate in the Legislature over school funding.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy addressed Alaska’s “report card” repeatedly at a news conference on Friday, while introducing legislation for increased school funding for one year, as well as education policy changes.
“If these scores don’t motivate the discussion about policy, I don’t know what will, to be honest with you,” he said.
In 2024, Alaska’s fourth and eighth graders tested 51st out of 52 or 53 U.S. jurisdictions in three of four categories, for math and reading. The students are chosen at random for standardized testing every two years by the National Assessment of Education Progress.
“Is it because our kids are incapable? Is it because our teachers can’t teach?” he said, pointing to Alaska at the bottom of the list. “I reject both of those reasons. It’s because the policies that we have before us, that we’re contemplating, are not in place now.”
The governor’s new bill seeks one-time funding for schools, alongside other education policy changes and expanded funding for specific initiatives, like correspondence programs. It would also allow the state to authorize new charter schools, bypassing local school boards.
Dunleavy referred to a previous study of NAEP scores of charter school students from 2009 to 2019, which ranked Alaska at the top, to support his efforts to expand charter schools in the state.
“I think many individual Alaskans that are aware of how well our charter schools are doing think that’s fantastic,” he said. “But the guardians of the status quo and the guardians of the money-only monologue … ‘There’s no way we could be doing well,’ I’ve never heard anything like it.”
How to interpret the charter-school test score study has been a point of contention. A recent study by Fairbanks high school teacher Beth Zirbes and NAACP of Anchorage volunteer Mike Bronson reached the conclusion that the scores reflect the schools’ socioeconomic characteristics, rather than showing that the schools are more effective — and that Alaska charter school students more closely resemble private school students in other states than charter school students elsewhere.
The governor’s bill competes with legislation by the House and Senate majorities splitting other education policy changes from school funding, instead advancing a bill that would majorly increase per-pupil funding tied to inflation.
Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka, who sponsored the bill, said the low scores show a need for improvement, but the national test is more useful to compare scores and gaps in student achievement.
“The NAEP has always been a civil rights tool,” she said. “And it’s a pretty broad-brush tool, but it still allows us to look and say these subgroups of students need extra support. They’re not making the same achievements as other students. That’s the role of the NAEP.”
Himschoot pointed to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development news release announcing the NAEP test scores, which noted the test does not include 18% of students enrolled in correspondence programs.
“In Alaska, I think the NAEP makes the case that our funding needs to go to all students right now, whether they’re charter students, home school students — which aren’t reflected in the NAEP — or neighborhood schools,” she said. “The NAEP is showing us that our schools are not doing well. And in the face of flat funding, I’m not sure what other expectation we should have.”
Alaska schools grapple with budget shortfalls and closures
The debate around test scores and school funding comes as many Alaska school districts grapple with budget shortfalls, and school closures and consolidations, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Kodiak, Ketchikan and others.
Some education officials say the low proficiency on the test is a result of wider issues in Alaska’s education system, like full-time and substitute teacher shortages.
“Education in general is in a crisis,” said Corey Aist, president of the Anchorage Education Association, an approximately 3,000-member teachers union, and a classroom teacher of 29 years. “We are really struggling to provide certified educators in every classroom.”
He said in Anchorage, one in four teachers are in their first three years of teaching. And one third are in their first five years teaching. “We’ve turned over 1,500 educators, half of the Anchorage School District in just one year,” he said.
Aist said that classroom context is important for students’ learning.
“Like, to think that our test scores are going to magically go up with larger class sizes, uncertificated staff in classrooms, a sub shortage, with all these continuing issues, which were exacerbated after COVID. It really has an impact,” he said.
Clayton Holland, superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and president of the Alaska Superintendents Association, highlighted the COVID-19 pandemic impacting students’ learning and opportunities for early reading instruction.
“Those kids were in kindergarten or first grade at that time, they are fourth and fifth graders now, and we are seeing that impact still,” he said. “We’re making great progress. But I think we can’t ignore where we just were, and what we’re seeing.”
Holland pointed to systemic issues facing Alaska families that impact students’ testing performance.
“Alaska has always lagged on the NAEP assessment. It’s not a new thing,” Holland said. “So given where Alaska has been and the enormity of issues that Alaska faces and all in all areas, it’s not just education, it’s instability in the home, with domestic violence and crime. I think we all know Alaska doesn’t rank well in those areas, and that has an impact on everything. So you know, education is left to really pick up the pieces.”
Cuts to school library staff and services have also taken a toll, he said.
“You have a key role that librarians play with hooking kids up with the right books, and knowing how to use a library and reading to students. Books are for pleasure, not just for learning how to read. They all correlate together,” he said. “And unfortunately, librarians become — when you’re looking at classroom teachers or other positions —they do become those positions that are often cut and let go.”
Many local libraries are trying to pick up student engagement, where schools may have cut library staff and resources. Rachel Nash, president of the Alaska Library Association and librarian in Soldotna said she has seen signs of some children being more interested in reading locally. But said local library programs can only go so far.
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do though, to replace having a certified school librarian in the classroom or inside the library,” she said. “And that is something that’s been of concern to all of the libraries in the state.”
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