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For Immediate Release, January 27, 2021
Contact: Melodie Wilterdink, (410) 725-9079, Melodie@AlaskaPolicyForum.org
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Policy Forum has released a new report: Funding Students Instead of Institutions in Alaska. By analyzing the impact of implementing education savings accounts (ESAs), report author Corey A. DeAngelis, Ph.D., finds that such a program would increase academic achievement and educational attainment, resulting in long-run economic benefits of over $800 million for the students enrolled in just the first 10 years.
ESAs allow a portion of children’s education funding to follow them to the format of learning that works best for their families—whether that is homeschooling, public school, online classes, private school, or many of the alternatives that have launched during the pandemic.
“Every child in every family in every community in our state deserves an exceptional education. There is no excuse for forcing a one-size-fits-all education on our students. We have a duty to ensure the next generation and all generations following are given the opportunity to succeed.”
- Bethany Marcum, CEO at Alaska Policy Forum
The traditional method of distributing funding based on residential assignment has left dissatisfied parents and students with few options for recourse. DeAngelis finds that funding students directly instead is likely to produce substantial social and economic benefits for generations to come. Read the full report at https://alaskapolicyforum.org/2021/01/report-funding-students/.
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Alaska Policy Forum (APF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank dedicated to empowering and educating Alaskans and policymakers by promoting policies that grow freedom for all. APF does not accept any form of government funding. To learn more about APF, visit www.AlaskaPolicyForum.org.