
Part I: Alaska’s constitutional convention spending spree
Editor’s note: This is the first of four parts in a series of articles by J.H. Snider on Alaska’s 2022 constitutional convention referendum vote. Part I describes the spending spree over the referendum. Part II proposes a deterrence theory


Passionately independent Alaska homeschoolers set for annual convention
The annual Alaska Statewide Homeschool Convention is slated for April 21-22. Hosted by Alaska Private and Home Educators Association (APHEA), the event is the state’s largest gathering of completely independent homeschoolers – families that choose to


Aside from homeschooling, Alaska ranks poorly on educational choice
By Sarah Montalbano – Alaska Policy Forum The Heritage Foundation recently released its inaugural Education Freedom Report Card for the U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Alaska ranked 45th overall and is in the bottom ten states for having few


Mat-Su School Board calls state’s youth sex survey ‘disgusting’ and ‘insane’
A controversial youth survey from the Alaska Department of Health will likely be rejected in state’s second largest school district. On Jan. 18, the Mat-Su School Board held a work session in which the majority emphatically condemned the idea of using local


Alaska in 2023: Trends, predictions and prescriptions
Editor’s note: This article is adapted from a talk given for the Valley Republican Women of Alaska’s Jan. 19 meeting in Wasilla. I want to address a few major trends and developments in Alaska as they relate to our population, education and political


OPINION: Why Alaska should never pass a budget exceeding $7.7 billion in state funds
By Vance Ginn and Quinn Townsend – Alaska Policy Forum Introduction While revenue estimates for the state of Alaska hit a record high last fiscal year, this upcoming fiscal year 2024 (July 2023 – June 2024) is another story. The Fall 2022 revenue


Equity Committee plans to undermine unwanted speech at Anchorage Assembly meetings
Powerful and well-connected left-leaning activists, who comprise the newly formed Anchorage Equity Committee, are formalizing a strategy to root out what they deem to be unwanted “hate” speech, so-called “systemic racism” and other social or


Alaska’s rising education expenses fueled by benefits and a growing administrative apparatus
By Sarah Montalbano – Alaska Policy Forum The Reason Foundation recently published the 2022 K–12 education spending spotlight examining school finance trends from 2002 to 2020. The Alaska data points, calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau, show


OPINION: Alaska Supreme Court blocks grand juries from investigating corrupt officials
Alaska Supreme Court Order (SCO) #1993 (effective Dec. 1, 2022) just rewrote Criminal Rule 6 and 6.1 to unconstitutionally suspend the right of Grand Juries to investigate and indict corrupt public officials. This was done immediately after the Kenai Grand


Most NEA-Alaska spending goes to staff, not dues-paying school employees
By Sarah Montalbano – Alaska Policy Forum The National Education Association-Alaska (NEA-Alaska) claims that it “advocates for an excellent public education” and “advances the interests of public-school employees.” Yet, its tax records

