Education

Alaska Policy Forum director Bethany Marcum has supported steep cuts to state spending that would impact public universities. Now, some lawmakers question whether she should have a seat on the board that governs those universities.

The board had sidestepped its existing process for reconsidering library materials and voted instead to refer the book directly to the municipal attorney last week.

The House Education Committee voted 5-2 in favor of a bill that would increase state education funding by $175 million in the coming fiscal year, far less than the requests put forward by school advocates.

The town halls will be held at three district schools on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week.

Incumbent Dave Donley is running against Irene Boll, while incumbent Andy Holleman is up against Mark Anthony Cox.

A resolution adopted by the education board encourages the state education department to ban transgender girls from competing on girls sports teams, instead allowing them to compete alongside boys in an “open” division.

The Senate Education Committee advanced a bill that would increase public education funding by $257 million in the coming fiscal year.

This proposal on the April ballot marks the Anchorage School District’s attempt at passing a smaller bond after last year′s $111 million bond narrowly failed.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said his measure was not meant to target LGBTQ youth, while Democratic Sen. Löki Tobin called it “the most divisive piece of legislation” introduced this year.

There’s no risk of “catastrophic collapse,” according to the district, but in a message to families Monday said ceiling pieces could come down.

A federal grant is helping researchers study how much students eat during lunch, and how much they move throughout the day.

Members of Teamsters Local 959 on Sunday approved a new contract with Durham School Services, and regular bus service is resuming Monday but with rolling route cancellations.

Judy Eledge, who ran unsuccessfully for the Anchorage School Board and has drawn controversy during her time working at the Anchorage library, was appointed to the Education Commission of the States by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

The strike began in late January, leaving families with no option but to drive students to and from school for more than four weeks.

Minority Leader Calvin Schrage accused “a minority of the majority” in the Republican-dominated House of holding off on increases to school funding. Meanwhile, the Senate majority is charging ahead.

Susan McKenzie is the department’s current director of Innovation and Education Excellence. She will assume the role on April 1.

Students at Susitna Elementary School shifted to remote learning Wednesday and Thursday and will continue in remote mode Friday, a message to families said.

There is bipartisan interest in addressing the crisis with the sector facing a fiscal cliff from the end of coronavirus aid.

The Anchorage School District reached a settlement agreement after an investigation that found the district violated the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Durham School Services got off to a chaotic start in August and is in the midst of a bus worker strike. The company neglected to file for at least two permits, officials say.

Many of the changes approved by the school board this week reflect research conducted within the Anchorage School District and are aimed at improving students’ physical, mental and academic well-being.

The policy comes amid the recent rise of ChatGPT, an online chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate answers, from essays to software fixes.

Eligibility rates for the Alaska Performance Scholarship have also dropped to their lowest-ever levels, leading to calls for reform.