Even though many of Alaska's students are getting a good education, historically Alaska has some of the largest achievement gaps in the country. Compared to other states in America, Alaska ranks at or near the bottom in reading and math scores. This document is a call to action. Thousands of Alaskans have stepped up to answer this call and have…

Business leaders in Alaska cannot find the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent they need to stay competitive. Students' lagging performance in K-12 is a critical reason why. The good news is that the nation's most effective STEM education programs can help turn the tide. Alaska students have made little progress in math…

High academic standards are an important first step in ensuring that all Alaska's students have the tools they need for success. These standards reflect the collaborative work of Alaskan educators and national experts from the nonprofit National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment. Further, they are informed by public comments.…

As a follow-up to a 2007 Edvantia, Inc. report entitled "A Legacy of Leadership and Lessons Learned: Results of the Rural Systemic Initiatives for Improving Mathematics and Science Education," (ED531892) Edvantia, Inc. sought and received support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to hold a forum in the nation's capital that…

The 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized "Blueprint for Change," building off last year's "Yearbook"…

This document provides criteria which are designed to be used by school administrators, professional staff, and community representatives to assess mathematics programs and to provide a basis for establishing goals in teaching mathematics. Other possible uses for the information generated by the criteria include: validation of exemplary programs…

For five years running, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has tracked states' teacher policies, preparing a detailed and thorough compendium of teacher policy in the United States on topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. The "2011 State…

This booklet provides parents with information about immunizations and vaccine-preventable diseases, balances the benefits and risk of vaccination, and responds to inaccuracies or misinformation about immunizations and vaccine-preventable diseases. Section 1 presents a message to parents about vaccination. Section 2 offers facts about…

The Alaska edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on teacher…

This manual outlines crisis policy development, specifically targeting students at risk for life threatening behaviors. Its stated intent is to present a consistent message to all school districts so that they can create adequate and prudent standards for the care of their young people. The materials in this manual are intended to help school…

Uses examples from pen-pal letters written in English to unknown Navajo peers by elementary and secondary Athabaskan students to argue that even in written English, the Athabaskan sense of place is evident, and it is an integral part of the construction of self and the world. (SM)

Some sociopolitical contexts of Alaskan schools undermine Yup'ik Eskimo teachers' classroom use of their cultural knowledge and create barriers to their training. Yup'ik leaders have formed a teacher organization that studies traditional language and culture for classroom use. The article examines how those efforts changed classroom practice,…

Wildlife is often described as one of Alaska's most important and valuable resources. Helping wildlife can take many forms. This document contains the directions and parts of two games for use with the "Alaska Wildlife Week" materials. The games "Brant for the Future", a simulation of bird and human interactions in the Pacific…

This article discusses the family as source of values, parents as role models, character education, and where to find help. A sidebar describes a leadership training program for students at West High School in Anchorage (Alaska) contributed by Joan Kuersten. An annotated list of resources with publication information and addresses of organizations…

The Alaska Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) Committee sought to develop a coordinated plan of action to deal with the recruitment and retention of special education teachers, a significant problem for such a rural state with immense distances and widely diverse population centers. Two subcommittees were formed to work on…