Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

EDUCATION
Begich Middle School Wind Turbine Dedication (32)Education is the key to our kids' -- and Alaska's -- future. That's why I have been a strong supporter of education in the Senate. Here are some of the highlights of what I supported this past legislative session:

Vocational Education

Teachers, parents and students continually express interest in more hands-on vocational education programs for skill building, problem solving and teamwork. That's why I voted to increase spending for vocational education by over 50%, allowing the expansion of vocational education programs into middle schools.

School Meals

We spend over $1 billion every year in Alaska, but if our kids are going to school hungry and are unable to focus on school, that money is wasted. Yet every day in Alaska thousands of kids go to school hungry. The research is clear: children who have breakfast at school attend more regularly, perform better on standardized tests, pay better attention, and perform better in math and reading. Alaska was one of a handful of states in the country that does not contribute towards school meals. Investing in school meals has been a top priority of mine for years. I sponsored Senate Bill 3 to help ensure that every child could count on a healthy, nutritious breakfast and lunch in order to focus on their studies. As a result of SB 3, the legislature included $3 million in the budget to help school districts provide nutritious Alaskan foods to students.

Pre-K Programs

READ poster (cropped)Studies show that students who participate in Pre-K programs are more likely to graduate high school, go onto college, and get better paying jobs. These students are less likely to require special education or repeat a grade, become teenage parents, or commit crimes. It is clear that the investments we make in Pre-K education today pay big dividends in the future. I voted to include over $2.8 million on Pre-K education in the budget, along with an additional $1 million for Parents as Teachers, a program that helps parents get their kids ready for school.

Alaska Performance Scholarships

Bill talking with students (cropped) Student loan debt is crushing college students and can be a financial obstacle for Alaskans who want to continue pursuing a higher education. If Alaskans do well in school, I believe they should be rewarded for their hard work for their post-secondary education. This session, I voted to create a $400 million Alaska Performance Scholarship Endowment, to support our children with thousands of dollars in scholarships to pursue higher education.

Pupil Transportation Funding

With rising oil prices, schools are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing pupil transportation costs. I voted to help reduce this burden by increasing transportation funding for school districts by nearly $20 million this year.

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