Policy Services
Quality Schools/Quality Student Service
Subject Area:
Education Programs

5.1 SCHOOL-TO-WORK PROGRAMS
The Association of Alaska School Boards strongly supports adequate and equitable funding for the
implementation of school-to-work programs, including school-to-work centers, vocational programs, and
career technical student organizations, while ensuring resources to satisfy requirements of the High
School Graduation Qualifying Exam and demands of the No Child Left Behind law at the same time.
Rationale. Both the U.S. Department of Education and the Alaska Department of Education & Early
Development have endorsed and encouraged districts to offer school-to-work programs.

The implementation of school-to-work programs inevitably results in additional expenses that are not part
of the standard budget schedules of school districts and secondary schools. Increased costs include, but
are not limited to: purchase of equipment and materials related to occupations, transportation for students
between schools and workplaces, training for staff members, release time for staff members, new staff
positions (school-to-work coordinator, transition specialist, job coach), insurance and workman’s
compensation costs.

There are a large number of students in rural villages that do not complete high school or job training
programs. There is a need to provide school-to-work programs like the Rural Student Vocational Program
(RSVP), which was eliminated in 1998, or innovative regional residency centers to enhance opportunities
for these students. At the same time, school-to-work programs must integrate and ensure basic academic
achievement. Amended 1999, 2002 (Sunset Nov. 2008)

5.2 CURRICULUM EXPANSION VIA TECHNOLOGY
AASB urges the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (EED) and other entities to
support and encourage its distance delivered education programs for students and teachers in
partnership with local districts using existing facilities whenever possible, and supports funding for the
purchase and installation of distance delivery education equipment.

Rationale. All school districts need to have the capability to offer a variety of courses for all students,
including the remedial student, vocational student, the student who left school without graduating, and the
college bound student. The technology exists to provide satellite instruction throughout the United States.
In order to take classes otherwise not available, students who attend small high schools must leave their
community or take correspondence classes. There are examples in the state of success in delivering
such courses utilizing technology. Many districts in the state are exploring the use of current technology in
the form of distance delivery. Programs that are currently being offered in local districts could be utilized
by other districts in-state, or substituted for purchased programs now in use, with funding and support
provided by EED.

Expanding distance delivery could also help meet the needs of “highly qualified” teachers and
paraprofessionals under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Amended 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
(Sunset Nov. 2008)

5.3 NATIVE LANGUAGE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
AASB supports state funding for staff training, program development and materials preparation to
promote Native language instruction for those districts that desire Native language programs. AASB also
urges Congress to clarify the No Child Left Behind Act to bring it into compliance with the Native
American Languages Act and to support opportunities for American Indian, Alaska Native, Native
Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students to retain and use Native American languages, including adequate
funding for federal programs that can support Native language instruction.

Rationale. The languages of the Indigenous Peoples of the United States have become endangered. The
extinction of these languages would further erode the rich heritage of the Indigenous Peoples of the North American Continent. The technology exists to provide satellite language instruction in the Native tongues to
communities throughout the United States. If we as a nation do not respond to this need to preserve this
rich linguistic heritage, the language will become extinct. Financial support from the government for the
preservation of Native languages would enable the use of a technology that has helped speed the loss of
indigenous languages to reverse that trend. In today’s modern world technology and global issues make it
necessary for our children to become proficient in English. Learning English, however, should not be at the
expense of indigenous language programs. Amended 1998, 1999, 2004 (Sunset Nov. 2008)

5.4 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
AASB recommends that the Community Schools Act of 1980 be reinstated and the state explore
independent funding status for Alaska’s Community Schools.

Rationale. AASB recognizes that Community Schools extends the concept of public education beyond
the traditional K-12 program of "schooling" and views everyone in the community as both teacher and
learner. Tight budgets and state demands for strict accountability may place community schools in
competition with district academic priorities. Other states fund community schools in a variety of ways and
this independent model may save community schools in the future. Amended 2001, 2004 (Sunset Nov.
2008)

5.5 INCREASING STUDENT CONTACT TIME
The Association of Alaska School Boards supports expanding the school day or extending the school
year, with adequate state funding, to account for state mandated student testing, professional
development, collaboration/planning, and/or increased instructional contact time.

Rationale. The lack of time is identified as one of the top challenges facing schools when it comes to
effective schooling and raising student achievement. Education Summit participants identified the need
for more time to align curriculum, more student contact time (day/week/year), more teacher preparation
time, more time for professional development, reducing the loss of instructional time, entering school at a
younger age, time for remediation efforts, and time to communicate test results and work with public
expectations and collaborate with appropriate entities.

In addition, policymakers have decreased student contact time through state mandates that require
additional testing days and related professional development requirements that potentially impact student
achievement. The most important challenge is an inadequate amount of time on task by students.
Educators need time to make sure that each student has a solid foundation before moving him/her to the
next level. Adopted 2000, Amended 2001, 2002, 2003 (Sunset Nov. 2008)

5.6 MODIFICATION OF THE ALASKA CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
AASB urges the Alaska state legislature to convene a study of the implications of the current Certificate of
Achievement law and desirability of modifications to reflect actual student achievement and avoid
disadvantages relative to graduation requirements of other states.

Rationale. Alaska’s graduation standards are higher than many other states. Students with an Alaska
Certificate of Achievement may know and be able to do more than graduates from other states. Alaska
Certificate of Achievement holders may be unfairly denied access to post secondary and employment
opportunities compared to students from other state unless the Certificate of Achievement can equate
what they know. Adopted 2006

5.8 ENCOURAGING CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AASB encourages member districts to develop well-articulated curriculum for civic education for students
and provide effective teaching strategies for civic instruction.

Rationale. In HCR 6, the 25th Alaska Legislature noted that residents place a high priority on meaningful
civic learning in our schools, and “it is the responsibility of each generation of Americans to teach the next
generation how democracy works.” While some schools in Alaska have developed excellent civics
education curriculum, the legislature declared that “there has been a steady decline in the attention paid
to advancing civic learning opportunities, locally, statewide and nationally.” AASB believes that civics
content can be integrated into reading, writing and math instruction without diminishing attention to tested
subjects. A citizens task force studying the issue of improving civics education in Alaska schools is
scheduled to submit a report to the legislature in early 2008. Adopted 2007

5.9 REQUESTING THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY
DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE STANDARDS-BASED ASSESSMENTS IN THE YUP’IK
LANGUAGE
AASB supports the Lower Yukon School District in its request to the state to provide standardized
assessments in the Yup’ik Native language.

Rationale. Students who have a strong first language in their ethnic group perform better academically.
Students who learn English as a second language with a strong first language do better academically on
standardized tests. In the Lower Yukon School District, a culturally responsive curriculum that uses the
local language and cultural knowledge provides the foundation for the rest of the curriculum and
implements the goals of the State of Alaska’s Cultural Standards. Adopted 2007

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