By Brandy Pennington, Thomas R. Daly, Michelle Hodel, Cheryl Markwood, Sami Graham, John and Beth Hillyer, Romney Taylor, Christine Robbins, Evelyn Dutton and Dee McKeeAlaska’s educational landscape stands at a crucial juncture, with some pushing for increased Base Student Allocation funding but no expectations for change within the system. However, we diverge from the conventional narrative.
One of the core tenets of this approach is the conviction that families don’t merely desire more educational choices; they crave better choices. The emphasis here is not solely on the quantity but on the quality of available options. Whether it be traditional neighborhood schools, charter schools, or some form of blended homeschooling, the goal is to ensure that every student has access to a valuable and high-quality education that suits their individual needs and aspirations.
Moreover, families place more trust in their child’s teacher than in the district school board when it comes to making decisions in the best interest of their child. School boards have to make unpopular but necessary decisions. For instance, when a school board opts to keep a school with low enrollment open rather than consolidating it with a nearby school, resources are diverted away from students in the rest of the district.