The Anchorage School Board has the difficult task of cutting $25 million from the budget due to continued flat funding from the state. Inflation erodes our education dollars annually. Despite passionate public testimony for valuable programs, the School Board still must cut $25 million from the budget. Then, it will have to cut $25 million again for each of the next five years.
The School Board has given us Destination 2020 with its vision for educational success with strategies to meet 90 percent proficiency in reading, writing and math. That is wonderful! But we will not get there without adequate funding.
Alaskans had a vision for constructing the oil pipeline in the '70s. Gov. Hammond had a vision for creating the Permanent Fund. Gov. Parnell had a vision for students to earn their university education with the Alaska Performance Scholarship. Now we need a vision to fund public education in Alaska. Without sustainable funding for K-12 education, very few children will qualify for the Performance Scholarship. What is Alaska's vision for funding education?
— Anne Adasiak-Andrew
Anchorage