Alaska’s education system is failing our students, not because we don’t spend enough money, but because we continue to protect a government monopoly that stifles innovation, traps families in failing schools, and puts the priorities of bureaucrats ahead of children. While 32 states, Washington, D.C., and even Puerto Rico have implemented robust school choice programs, Alaska lags behind. We have no vouchers, no education savings accounts, and no meaningful tax-credit scholarships. What we do have is a system designed to serve institutions, not students.

Our challenges are well known. Alaska’s vast geography, rural and Native communities, and widespread teacher shortages create unique educational obstacles. Yet instead of adapting, our public school system, driven by the Anchorage School District, doubles down on a rigid model that has failed to deliver. We rank dead last in national reading scores. Our graduation rate lags behind the national average. Families who want better for their children are left with few options unless they can afford private tuition out of pocket.

Governor Dunleavy was right to veto the $275 million BSA increase last week. That bill contained no reforms, no accountability, and no support for parents.

The blame lies not just with the system, but with those who prop it up. Groups like NEA-Alaska, the Alaska Association of School Boards (AASB), and the Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) wield enormous influence over policy. These organizations use public funds, or union dues, to lobby for more public funds. They oppose reforms that threaten their control and fight to preserve a monopoly that continues to produce dismal results.

Governor Dunleavy was right to veto the $275 million BSA increase last week. That bill contained no reforms, no accountability, and no support for parents. Alaska already spends over $18,000 per student, one of the highest rates in the country, but student performance has not improved. Simply throwing more money at the system will not fix it.

On April 17, the governor introduced a reform bill that finally puts parents and students first. His legislation supports open enrollment, expands charter school access, increases funding for homeschoolers, ties funding to accountability, and rewards reading proficiency. While not robust enough, these are the kinds of changes we need.

The bill even includes common-sense policies like requiring school districts to regulate cellphone use during the day so kids can focus on learning.

The AASB and ACSA use your tax dollars to lobby Juneau for more of your tax dollars. The AASB hosts an annual legislative fly-in, using students and school board members to pressure legislators for more funding, with no mention of better outcomes. The ACSA, led by an Executive Director, testifies regularly that schools are “starving,” even as districts hide money, misallocate resources, and preserve bloated administrations. This cycle of lobbying and spending leaves classrooms behind and keeps kids stuck in a failed model.

House Bill 69, which Governor Dunleavy vetoed, proposed a $1,000 increase to the BSA with no reforms attached. The AASB and ACSA supported it because it gave them more money and more power. They ignored the fact that Alaska’s system is already among the most expensive and least effective in the country. They ignored the growing demand from parents for alternatives and the clear need for change.

The governor’s new bill marks a turning point. Open enrollment would allow students to attend any public school in or outside their district. Charter school reforms would streamline applications and protect schools from unfair closures. Correspondence programs would receive full funding, giving homeschoolers the tools they need. A modest BSA increase would be tied to real reforms. Schools would be rewarded when students show measurable reading improvement.

The bill even includes common-sense policies like requiring school districts to regulate cellphone use during the day so kids can focus on learning. Every piece of this proposal aims to put students first and challenge the status quo.

But we can go further.

The Educational Choice for Children Act, introduced in Congress as H.R. 833, offers a federal model Alaska should follow. It provides tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations, which in turn help families afford tuition, tutoring, therapies, or homeschooling. A state-level version could change everything. It would mean rural and Native students finally have access to culturally relevant education. It would give every parent, not just the wealthy, the ability to choose what is best for their child. It would spur competition and improvement in public schools and help re-engage students who left the system behind.

Arizona, West Virginia, and Florida have shown us the way. In those states, families receive $8,000 to $10,000 per child to pursue the education that fits them best. That’s what real choice looks like. That’s what Alaska needs.

Let’s reward good teachers. Let’s put money into the classrooms, not the school district administration.

We can build policies that work in rural communities, support online education, and provide transportation where necessary. What we cannot do is continue to allow what are essentially publicly funded lobbyists to block reform. That is beyond unacceptable.

The NEA, AASB, and ACSA may want to preserve this failing education system as it is, but the people of Alaska are ready for something better. Parents want choices. Students want success. And our state cannot afford to be last in education any longer.

It is time to end the monopoly. It is time to stop rewarding failure. It is time to give every Alaskan family the tools they need to thrive. I do not believe it can be found in the Prussian model of education any more.

Let’s pass meaningful reform. Let’s support the governor’s bill. Let’s push for school choice. Let’s reward good teachers. Let’s put money into the classrooms, not the school district administration.

Because our kids deserve better. They deserve an education system that is there for them, not one that needs them just to plus up numbers for funding.  

And Alaska deserves a future built on excellence, not excuses..

The views expressed here are those of the author.

Click here to support the Alaska Watchman.