Despite the fact that most Alaska students are failing reading and math and state test scores are some of the very worst in the nation, the head of the Alaska Association of School Boards (AASB) is lavishing thanksgiving and praise on Alaska’s failed public school system.
In a Nov. 26 column to fellow educational bureaucrats, AASB Executive Director Lon Garrison attempted to deflect mounting criticism of Alaska’s public schools.
Instead, he focused on how hard the educational establishment has worked to pressure lawmakers into pumping historic levels of new funding into the state’s chronically failing schools.
“This past year has tested Alaska’s public schools in ways few could have predicted or sustained without exceptional resilience,” he claimed. “School boards and their districts endured another long and exhausting legislative session as we worked to secure sufficient and stable funding. Public schools remained the subject of pointed criticism from the Governor’s Office, including repeated claims that local school boards do not care about student achievement but instead maintain a system focused on spending money rather than improving student outcomes.”
Rather than openly acknowledge that approximately 70% of Alaska students can’t read or write at grade level, and that many parents have pulled their children from traditional schools in favor of home education or private schooling, Garrison simply stated that all the criticism is “patently false.”
He did, however, admit that schools are experiencing a mass exodus of students, and districts are responding by closing down underused facilities. He made no mention, however, of the need for improved teaching, better curriculum or robust accountability measures to ensure schools are using increased funding to perform their most basic duties.
Instead, he blamed old buildings, staff shortages, natural disasters and the recent federal government shutdown.
“Layered over all of this is a persistent narrative that public education is failing,” Garrison complained. “And yet, through every challenge, Alaska’s school boards have remained steady. You have demonstrated resilience not as a slogan, but as daily practice.”
He then praised school board members around the state for showing up to meetings, enduring critical public comments from the community and fulfilling state and federal legal mandates.
“And despite all of this, you persist in your work, committed to improving student learning and maintaining the health of your schools,” he gushed. “Your perseverance is a quiet kind of leadership, but it is powerful – and essential.”
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Garrison then lavished praise on school board members for answering unpleasant emails, building relationships with the school communities and attending numerous workshops, seminars and retreats, like the one AASB held earlier this month.
He ended by committing to double down on lobbying for more state education funding, despite the historic spending increase that was approved by the legislature earlier this year.
Nowhere in his overview of public education did Garrison mention the rising demand for greater school choice options like expanded homeschooling, more parent-run charter schools and scholarships that would allow students to attend private schools.
He did, however, boast about the fact that his organization “has stayed the course” and remained grounded in its mission to “advocate for children and youth by assisting school boards in providing quality public education, focused on student achievement, through effective local governance.”
“Thank you for your leadership,” he concluded. “Thank you for your resilience and perseverance. And most of all, thank you for your commitment to Alaska’s students.”
7 Comments
When you are given a sum of money to produce educated children you do the best with what you have. If you can prove that you achieved good educational outcomes with what you were given, but given more you could produce even greater results, then an argument for more funds would have some merit to it.
The “best”? That’s the problem. No one I know thinks the public school system does anything well aside from whining about needing more money. Like a tumor the bureaucracy keeps growing unchecked. Meanwhile there’s no history, civics lessons and little Johnny can’t read or write in cursive and is seemingly unable to make change unless the cash register tells him how much. Pitiful and not “the best”. Give me a break.
No, we do not throw good money after bad results with the same game plan. No plan out of the governor’s office or legislative body has shown good results yet. All bad salesmen should be put out of a job. Time to look for better personnel.
and yet we’re 49th in 3rd grade reading nationwide.
No more money. I feel we’re pumping money into a rat hole and seeing dismal returns on the millions we spend on “education”.
Alaska is at the bottom 10 for education, yet we’re in the top ten for school spending. No.
Do your job or we’ll find someone that can.
70% 70%! 70% 70% !!!!
STUDENTS in OUR STATE THAT CANNOT READ AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL. Your FIRED!!
In addition there is a lack of interest in moral values, the Western Civilization foundation of America. Students are not being taught values that help students achieve. Instead they are taught that there is no right or wrong, only what socialists decide is right or wrong called “social justice.” This is not equal justice under the law. Look up on Youtube “Truth is Rising.” It is a one and one half hours documentary of the chronologically of historical events. Pray for the return of the Rule of Law, family values, Bill of Rights, and Ten Commandments which set up the criminal code. Students and young adults are floundering with no set moral compass.