Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Parental Involvement in Education

I am a cosponsor of SB 106 "K-12 Scholarship Program", which would allow State funding for each child's education to be managed by that child and his parents. This would permit families to choose the education format that best meets that child's educational needs.

All options must continue to be available to parents, including traditional public schools, optional school programs, private schools and home school. Home school in Alaska must continue to be parent-driven.

State oversight of education should be minimal. Control of schools needs to be at the local community level. Standardized, one-size-fits-all programs do not make sense.

Our high school graduation rates are around 67%. We are failing to engage too many of our young people with the existing approach to education.

I enthusiastically support Career and Technical Education (CTE). I believe that CTE opportunities must be made more available for both our high school students as well as adults seeking a change in careers.

Education of Alaska's youth

The Alaska Constitution, Art 7, sec. 1 states that the legislature shall maintain a system of public school. We have some great Alaska public schools and teachers! I genuinely support their efforts to educate our next generation!

I have been delighted to secure appropriations … for example … for Girdwood's K-8 school to purchase functional furniture. Girdwood K-8 scores from 90.91% to 95.05% proficiency on Standards Based Assessment! That's among the highest of other schools in the district! Clearly it's a school that has strong parent support and involvement, and great teachers!

Parental involvement makes the biggest difference in a child's success. Parents help teachers succeed, parents make schools safer, parents make results happen!

I support Parental Choice in education. That means the ability of a parent to use the State allocated funds to choose the best education opportunity for their child...public school, charter school, specialty school (such as Gateway, for dyslexic kids), private school, or home school.

You and I are not "cookie cutter" people. We are each different, just as our kids are each different. Parents should have the opportunity to make the choice of the best education opportunity for each of their children.

Education is first, last and always about children. We need to support programs that succeed. We need to put more money into the classrooms, and less into the administration.

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