Alaska’s education system is among the most expensive and least effective in the United States. Despite annual per-student spending exceeding $18,000, Alaska ranks near the bottom nationally in reading, math, and graduation rates. This failure is not due to lack of investment, but to structural inefficiencies rooted in a bureaucratic funding model that prioritizes administrative overhead over student outcomes.

This section proposes a constitutionally sound, system-wide restructuring of Alaska’s K–12 education model. The plan replaces the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) and all school districts with a lean compliance and disbursement agency. At its core is a universal Education Savings Account (ESA) framework that empowers families with direct control over their child’s education funding while ensuring public oversight, constitutional compliance, and access for all children.

Constitutional Compliance

This reform is designed to comply fully with Article VII, Section 1 of the Alaska Constitution, which states: “The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State.”

Key points of constitutional compliance include:

— System of Public Education: This proposal does not abolish public education. It redefines it by establishing a system of universal access to publicly funded education through ESAs. Every child remains eligible, regardless of geography or income.

— Legislative Action: Reforms are executed through general laws passed by the legislature, meeting the constitutional requirement of establishment by statute.

— Open to All: The ESA model ensures all children, including those in rural, low-income, or special needs categories, have access to education options.

— Neutrality and Equal Protection: The program remains content-neutral and provider-agnostic. ESA funds may be used at any qualifying public, private, religious, charter, tribal, or homeschool program, consistent with recent U.S. Supreme Court precedents (e.g., Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue, 2020).

STRUCTURAL REFORMS

Abolish DEED and District Bureaucracies

— Sunset DEED’s regulatory and grant functions by FY2028.

— Eliminate all 54 school districts (including REAAs).

— Create a new ESA Disbursement and Oversight Office under OMB or an independent board.

Universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs): Allocate $10,000 to $12,000 per child annually into individual ESAs.

Eligible uses include:

— Public, private, or charter tuition

— Homeschooling materials and online platforms

— Tutoring, therapy, and special education services

— Transportation or technology for educational access

End Hold Harmless and Minimum Funding Guarantees

— Repeal AS 14.17.490 and minimum enrollment thresholds over a two-year phase-out.

— Redirect funding to ESA enhancements, rural transition grants, and innovation partnerships.

Phase Out Tenure in State-Funded Education

— Honor existing tenure rights for current public school teachers under AS 14.20.145–.175.

— Eliminate tenure provisions for all new educators entering the workforce after the transition to an ESA-based system.

— Allow individual ESA-recognized education providers (charter schools, private institutions, homeschool cooperatives) to determine their own employment and retention policies.

Justification: In a system where education dollars follow the student, performance and accountability—not time in position—must guide personnel policy. Tenure, while originally intended to protect academic freedom, has evolved into a rigid barrier to innovation, staffing flexibility, and student-centered outcomes. Phasing it out for new hires ensures fairness without violating existing contractual rights.

Fiscal Impact

These savings allow full ESA implementation while expanding access to rural, tribal, and special education services without raising taxes or reducing academic choice.

Employee Transition and Legal Safeguards

To support school district and DEED employees during the transition, the following legal and financial mechanisms will be enacted:

— Voluntary Separation Incentives: One-time buyouts or 2–3 years of service credit for retirement-eligible personnel.

— Reassignment Programs: Qualified staff may transition into ESA administration, Regional service centers or charter, tribal, or nonprofit educational organizations.

— Federally Funded Retraining and Placement: Use WIOA and ARPA funds for teacher and administrator recertification, with support from UA and industry partners.

— Bridge Compensation: Offer up to 12 months of salary continuity for transitioning employees to ensure financial stability and uninterrupted service. All employee transitions will honor existing contracts and PERS/TRS protections, avoiding involuntary layoffs wherever possible.

Legal Implementation Framework: To enact this reform, the Legislature must repeal or amend applicable portions of AS Title 14:

— AS 14.12 (District Governance)

— AS 14.17 (Foundation Program)

— AS 14.20 (Tenure)

— AS 14.30 (Administrative mandates and assessments)

Pass enabling legislation establishing:

— The ESA Disbursement Office

— Governance rules for ESA use and oversight

— A two-year phase-out schedule for districts and DEED

Community Transition Support: A statewide Rural Education Transition Grant Program will be established to:

— Fund hub school conversions

— Support tribal- or charter-based school creation

— Expand internet access and virtual learning in remote regions

— All reforms will be phased to ensure no community loses educational access during the transition.

Oversight and Transparency

ESA Compliance and Audit Office

— Ensures legal use of ESA funds

— Conducts performance tracking and outcome reporting

Public Education Transparency Dashboard

— Reports per-student spending, academic results, and provider performance

Legislative Review and Community Feedback

— Annual public hearings on educational access and performance

— Community-driven feedback loops for continuous improvement

Implementation Timeline (FY2026–FY2029)

Conclusion

This transformation ensures Alaska’s education system complies with the constitutional requirement to “establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the state” by shifting from bureaucracy to direct, accountable funding of educational services. It replaces inefficiency with innovation, restores parental authority, guarantees access, and meets both legal and moral obligations to future generations.

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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