With one policy change, Alaska can improve learning, reduce poverty and ensure more students are on the path to success in career and college. Alaska invests huge sums into public K—12 education but […]
Video: Alaska Students Must Read by 9
Testimony on SB 111 – Read By 9
This is a copy of the verbal testimony APF provided to the Senate Education Committee on April 10, 2021. Click here to open a printable PDF of the testimony in a new tab. […]
Test-Based Promotion Policies are the Motivation Students and Schools Need
It’s no surprise that reading is a critical skill for young children to learn. In fact, by third grade, students “stop learning to read and start reading to learn.” This means it is […]
Top-Paying Majors at University of Alaska, Ranked
The Texas Public Policy Foundation has released an interactive tool that classifies programs at universities based on average annual earnings, monthly loan payments, students’ average debt-to-earnings ratio, and gainful employment equivalent status. The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing the median debt […]
Alaska’s Cost of Higher Education, Ranked
Given the recent budget woes of the University of Alaska (UA) system and falling enrollment for nearly a decade, it is reasonable to wonder if earning a degree in Alaska is a sound economic investment for students. In other words, do Alaskan students leave […]
Alaska Should Consider Changing Its Kindergarten-Start Birthdate Policy
It is time for Alaska to consider a June 1 kindergarten birthdate rule. Most Alaskan students are not showing up for kindergarten fully ready for school. That is especially true for the very […]
Top 10 Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding The Alaska Reads Act
Myth 1: ALL research indicates students should ALWAYS be socially promoted, even if they are far below expected proficiency in reading in 3rd grade. Reality: Over a dozen studies show the benefits of […]
Press Release: APF Releases Interactive 2019 PEAKS Maps
Click here to open the press release as a PDF in a new tab. ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Policy Forum (APF) has published new interactive maps of the 2019 Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s […]
Press Release: “Well-Intentioned, but Poorly-Executed”: Law Firm Finds Serious Flaws in Education Ballot Initiative
Click here to open the press release as a PDF in a new tab. ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Students’ Educational Bill of Rights ballot initiative contains “a number of potential legal flaws” […]
Students’ Bill of Rights: “Well-Intentioned but Poorly-Executed”
Proponents of the Alaska Students’ Educational Bill of Rights ballot initiative have begun collecting signatures, but according to a preliminary legal opinion from the law firm Holland & Knight: “The Initiative is a […]
The Literacy of Alaska’s Children Must Be Addressed
This article was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News on September 6, 2019. In the midst of debates surrounding current budget cuts and the Alaska Permanent Fund, we are neglecting to address […]
Be Careful What You Ask for with K–12 Testing Changes
By Bob Griffin On October 1st 2019, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board passed a resolution questioning the accuracy of Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (better known as the PEAKS test). In […]
Third-Grade Literacy: Alaska’s students must Read by 9
The Problem Statistics for literacy among Alaska’s children are dismal. Alaska’s K-12 education system has arguably the worst student outcomes in the nation in the fundamental task of teaching children to read by […]
Online maps of 2018 Alaska public school test results now available
Parents and community members can now easily compare Alaska’s public schools via user-friendly maps that display student performance results. School districts across the state released the results of Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools, or […]
School districts apply new union rules
Background On June 27, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court announced a decision which held that public employees do not have to pay union dues/fees as a condition of employment. This is commonly referred […]
Free Anchorage BBQ!
Join your Anchorage community for a FREE family barbecue in the park! There will be exciting activities for all ages complete with food, face-painting, obstacle courses, and more! While you’re having fun in […]