Education
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- Personal Conviction
- A Distorted Funding Formula
- Before & Beyond K-12
- Interactive Education
- Recent Education Funding
- Incentive Systems
- State Scholarships
Personal Conviction
Education should be one of the State's highest priorities. I was a member of the Legislative Education Funding Task Force which came to consensus on how to adequately fund our schools and equitably implement the district cost factor. We finally have adopted a forward funding mechanism. However, we need to think of more than just money. Society has added so many new tasks onto the schools that we need to encourage innovative solutions to make the schools more effective and relevant to all students. My experience in education is broad based and my keen interest is rooted in my belief that education is the key to our children's and society's future. I will be attentive to both the funding and quality initiatives that must be addressed. I will seek active involvement from both the educational community and constituents in these vital issues.A Distorted Funding Formula
The Foundation Formula, the policy wherein the state pays a 'basic' allotment per student to the individual school districts, was a 'model for the nation' when I first taught school in Fairbanks in 1969. The formula - established by the legislature - considers various 'cost' factors for education in each school district. It is obvious that education in the bush is more costly on a per-student basis than in urban areas.The federal government caps the amount any school district can spend above the formula to ensure the legally required relatively equal funding across the State. I worked to change the formula to adequately reflect what is needed for top quality schools.
Before & Beyond K-12
Education beyond K-12 is a vital part of many communities in this District. I support the expansion of the Kachemak Bay branch of the College and vocational education such as the Alaska Vocational and Technical Center in Seward. The addition of shipboard firefighting school to AVTEC provides a much-needed service as well as a boost to the economy. Studies have shown that pre-K preparations such as Head Start are our most truly effective long term investment for education outcomes. I supported increases in voluntary pilot programs so we can find the most effective models that coordinate with local institutions. I was the instigator of the new program through the University of Alaska, Kachemak Bay Branch for pre-correction officer training program, developed in conjunction with Corrections and Public Safety. Good paying jobs are available within District 35 at Spring Creek and this program will allow local people to develop the skills for a successful career. The program also allows students to assess whether corrections, court, or police and trooper jobs are what they are interested establishing a career in, without obligating themselves to the extensive and expensive training for a specific job. A $50,000 state grant provided for the development of the in-person and distance education curriculum.Interactive Education
I presented to the School Board candidates in 2001 copies of the '40-year experiment' in education, "Northern Ireland's Education Row", The Economist Jan. 20, 2001. England adopted our 'comprehensive' one-size-fits-all approach, and Northern Ireland had maintained a 'tracking' system. Obviously Northern Ireland includes numerous political problems and a mixed social structure. Yet all social 'classes' of students performed better in the Northern Ireland model where they learned with appropriate educational experiences. This recognizes the same learning advantages that occur in the Chugach Model where by using the appropriate technique for each individual students learn better. The sit-at-your-desk model does not work well for many of our students. We MUST progress to appropriate interactive education. The expansion of home schooling, Flex school, and the Connections program are recognition of the reality that students learn in different ways. Although these are good responses to select problems, they are indicative that our 'regular' schools are not filling the student needs. Of course, many of our great teachers try to do this as individualized education, but I believe our system must integrate these proven lessons if all our children are to receive the great advantage of superior education through appropriate learning experiences for each child. The Federal "No Child Left Behind" program served to highlight disparities between schools but has also harmfully narrowed the focus of education to only "test the 3 R's". It has also constrained great teachers from exciting students with the diversity of the educational world.Recent Education Funding
In 2005 I sponsored HB24 which would have required an early, separate education operating budget. However, after passing the House, the Senate attached conditional language to our earliest ever House education bill, requiring passage of a retirement bill before it became effective - making education funding in 2005 about the latest ever passed. Under this future procedural threat, the early funding bill never left the rules committee and died. However, as a member of the Legislative Education Funding Task Force, I helped craft forward funding by incorporating the 3 year base student allocation for 2008, 2009, and 2010, in statute, additionally implementing a phased-in Geographical Cost Differential solution.Incentive Systems
I support the teacher mentoring program that had proven results in retaining teachers within Alaska by almost 10%. I believe we need to get more money directed to Vocational/Technical education without reducing the quality of purely academic education for the college bound. Incentive systems must be carefully designed to accomplish the goal of improving student outcomes. I hope we will incorporate the lessons of "The Science of Motivation" into any new program. You can see what our challenge is at www.TED.com, for a short video by Dan Pink on this new science.State Scholarships
I support an expanded State scholarship program to encourage and enable more Alaskans to get a college degree or work-related certificate. Though just in the development stage, the Governor's proposal for a merit-based system is a good start. However, we need to get a good 'bang for the buck' and expand the number of Alaskans getting higher education. The current proposal needs to address more than just graduating high school Alaskan seniors. Our population now has one of the lowest education levels in the country and just addressing high school seniors would take a generation to improve that situation. At our November 24th, 2009 Joint Education hearing we had presentations by the Administration and Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education. These materials are available at link coming soon. I will push to be sure we have definitive goals and mechanisms that will target our money in ways that research shows will most effectively accomplish the goals.