Collaborative community-driven education solutions for Alaska's students

The public education system in Alaska is facing significant challenges that need to be addressed through a collaborative and community-driven approach. Blaming and vilifying educators, school boards, and education associations will only exacerbate the problems and further erode trust between these stakeholders and the communities they serve. We need to acknowledge the root causes of declining student outcomes, such as declining birth rates, outmigration, economic uncertainty, and the failure to adequately fund schools to keep up with inflation and rising costs. Flat per-student funding for years, despite increasing needs and expenses, has put a strain on the system. Rather than imposing top-down reforms or pitting charter schools against neighborhood schools, we should focus on fully funding public schools with built-in accountability measures. We should expand proven models within the public system, pay educators competitive salaries, and foster genuine partnerships with communities. The success of Alaska's students hinges on stability, not constant upheaval. We cannot attract and retain quality educators through uncertainty and vilification. Respect, transparency, and responsiveness are vital to rebuilding trust and growing enrollment. The real moral imperative is to listen to what families want: a say in their children's education, trusted educators in the classroom, and politics out of the curriculum. We urge you to prioritize collaboration, commitment, and community-driven solutions over division and political theater. Alaska's students deserve better, and we stand ready to partner in creating a public education system that truly serves their needs.