Invest in human capital

To the editor:

Education in Alaska is struggling to keep up with the demands placed on it by many entities: increased graduation rates and lower dropout rates, additional electives, increased career/technical offerings, greater accountability, more efficiencies, additional choices — and the list continues.

School boards, staff and communities are working to meet these challenges with less and less support and are now teetering on the edge. School districts have continued to reduce teaching and administrative staff as well as supplies, custodial services and an ever-increasing deferred maintenance list.

School boards are committed to delivering a world-class education to every student and ensuring opportunities exist for their success. Some communities are able to increase their local contribution to make up for funding shortfalls, but many others are unable to provide this additional support.

The Association of Alaska School Boards is respectfully requesting of the Legislature the following to fulfill their constitutional mandate of establishing and maintaining a system of public schools:

• Provide a fully funded base student allocation able to serve every student in the state;

• Fully fund a budget that ensures students, parents, school boards, teaching staff and communities that in August the doors to our schools will be open and the buildings fully staffed, clean and well maintained.

The key to the future economic success of Alaska and alleviation of this current budget dilemma depends on a well-educated work force. Critical to this is providing a world-class public education system.

School boards want to partner with the Legislature and our communities to provide this system. The Legislature’s past support is acknowledged and appreciated. Please join your school board members in advocating to provide for the education of Alaska’s children, Alaska’s future.

Andi Story, president

Norman Wooten, executive director

Association of Alaska School Boards