[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6097915,"mediaKeyId","2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a","parentId",2826233,"title","Principals praise CTE for engagement and workforce pathways; urge continued support","audioSeconds",775,"startMs",2444000,"endMs",3219000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a&start=2444&end=3219","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a/thumbnail_2444000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6097915/Alaska/Principals-praise-CTE-for-engagement-and-workforce-pathways-urge-continued-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097915-0745d0fddf0a7530ccc3eadf79ace7f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921408&Signature=RY2FhOaHu7OcDxsORje9~pRA5lCbDVXNE4soLK9-YGJ6Vzj0KlbCvzJXOH6dLTstAVBTgDj28wNDGxx5Y~o-uu1ttIgyIQuzb-yUSAAtA7cKZPj~OxrSp67N0daNVD8Yhq-4MESAYMeq63D7o68kzGkHMHQ1UQvJrNwRr8MgKzv8PxoEWSXKinx~iL00RmJuG7flRJmnOVsxSB3unLiwcEEv9MYYfas2qEMrOMEbliZS3hjK~JeOJSRiQqg6HoUQjClOGtH3eMd5~3ly7i9jXcMyCJQTCkMc~jZD-gM6r6T9D-edQdvZbMZPACTcvV1HDya9nnvjiDuHq9k9ZU0TNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","Juneau — Secondary school leaders told a March 31 joint education committee meeting that career and technical education (CTE) programs across Alaska provide hands‑on learning, raise graduation rates and prepare students for immediate employment or further training.

Rick Dormer, principal of Ketchikan High School and president of the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals, provided examples of local CTE offerings—maritime and fisheries programs, aviation partnerships, automotive repair, construction of small housing units, and culinary and health‑career training—and described how those programs keep students engaged.

\"CTE courses... they bring students to school,\" Dormer said. He gave personal anecdotes: his daughter earned a CNA license in high school and secured better employment while in college; students with CTE backgrounds can enter lucrative jobs directly from high school.

Why it matters: Witnesses said CTE supports workforce development in Alaska, complements academics and can improve graduation rates. Dormer thanked the Legislature for expanding the Alaska Performance Scholarship to include CTE tracks and urged continued investment in equipment, staffing and partnerships—particularly because CTE programs are resource‑intensive.

Implementation and equity: Dormer noted that districts often welcome part‑time or homeschooled students into CTE courses, but that rural and small districts face high startup costs for vocational programs. He urged continued support for partnerships—such as with University of Alaska Southeast in Ketchikan—that enable dual‑credit classes and practical career pathways.

Evidence: The CTE discussion began with Dormer’s presentation of statewide CTE data and local program descriptions (topic intro) and continued through examples of college and work transitions for students (topic finish).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/31/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION","oneSentenceSummary","Secondary principals described career and technical education programs as key to student engagement and direct workforce entry, and thanked lawmakers for expanded Alaska Performance Scholarship coverage for CTE tracks.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097920,"Principals warn rising youth mental‑health needs and counselor shortages are harming learning",273,2591000,2864000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a&start=2591&end=2864","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a/thumbnail_2591000.jpg","/articles/6097920/Alaska/Principals-warn-rising-youth-mentalhealth-needs-and-counselor-shortages-are-harming-learning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097920-cdf485de4dabaad5f40fed6ded09be9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921408&Signature=XNXMaouswVo-CHK5A0jVWtaewsO3jnqxIKaQtQ2VV25S8T-9nbt-Hf6V3biuoIWvp-h5J07Iz7Zr18y1zRNlcU9Xta2oU36YQe27whsCc3L6eIvJ17-~NGj3qf4tDnwRPu7NaHrlsybioRlZPuTRtEmM3R-kRJNqU2TLeLYWx5djr9k3N49pGXqc9iGpKH3ICzqRhKohuuGzlXMrj0QIIm3nHHxGcD2k6SLTcaCNU2-esSZHLC-wOrXRGU8mwORywtacqJRKaOiEeDCzXc8qSZuNmwfNojpbnDSblsGNtXmgGaIhOFoS79J3er1OONt3H9-bacCBGjetxbaWDJa50g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — Secondary school leaders told a joint education committee on March 31 that Alaska students report high levels of anxiety and sadness, that suicide rates and mental‑health needs remain acute, and that limited counselor and social‑work staffing leaves schools vulnerable.

Rick Dormer, principal of Ketchikan High School, cited state Department of Health figures and local youth surveys: in his district’s 2022 youth risk behavior survey, 37 percent of Ketchikan High students reported feeling so anxious for two weeks in a row that they could not do normal activities; 41 percent reported feeling so sad or hopeless they stopped usual activities. \"A student feeling this way is gonna have a very difficult time learning,\" Dormer said.

Dormer framed mental‑health staffing as both a safety and academic issue: the American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250 students per counselor, but national averages are higher and many Alaska schools fall short. Ketchikan High, he said, has two counselors for 500 students, while many other schools in the state have none.

Why it matters: Dormer linked chronic absenteeism, mental‑health distress and the loss of long‑term staff to diminished school safety and lower student achievement. He recounted that in the prior month his district experienced a teen suicide death and another attempt requiring air transport.

What districts are doing: Dormer described federal grant support—for example, a SAMHSA grant funding a social worker at his high school—and local efforts to lock doors, use cameras and provide emergency apps to staff. He stressed that long‑term staffing continuity and positive relationships between students and staff are crucial to prevention, and that when schools lack consistent adults who know students, warning signs are more likely to be missed.

Policy implications and requests: Dormer and other witnesses asked for investments that strengthen social‑emotional supports, increase counselor and social‑work staff, and stabilize leadership and teacher staffing so positive relationships can be built and maintained.

Evidence: The mental‑health and safety discussion began with Dormer’s presentation on teen suicide rates and local survey results (topic intro) and continued through committee questioning about the nature of student fears and district supports (topic finish).","Secondary and high‑school principals told lawmakers that student mental‑health indicators and suicide rates are high in Alaska, that counseling resources are inadequate, and that staff turnover worsens school safety and prevention efforts.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097925,"Principals urge full pre‑K funding and fidelity to Alaska Reads Act to improve early literacy",1106,1088000,2194000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a&start=1088&end=2194","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a/thumbnail_1088000.jpg","/articles/6097925/Alaska/Principals-urge-full-preK-funding-and-fidelity-to-Alaska-Reads-Act-to-improve-early-literacy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097925-13219c35ce72b762732e119ae52f3d0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921408&Signature=V1cqJJn1seX03CYQ7KrSv44oDnkNfdd02tEXgvAg1TF6Lgt43efyAHg3ZMO7OoPe75PMe5KuebvTFv1gw3ZJIG6L1elLGPci2dH4Ff1qskB8onHfE8ae-3YO7Zp5gwG8YJPAWhzyUnRgOLSM3bPq~9HrRDy69U6WR6uyk9HS9VzgF~c66mRceZEtv7W3bPi6CtfTp39eMAH3O8xyiAvrnlz5CNvhCL75afwJchP6~EG4P--fghAM1paBI3p~c66im1XoiWf6KDcU3iyALL7QAHKhwdCGbQlteUD-CeT1bcJpf9NjQ~e9G8HGlXInpDljn9Dfj~U6eoPNvrhw-lWJsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — Alaska elementary principals and the Alaska Council of School Administrators pressed legislators on March 31 to fund universal, developmentally appropriate pre‑K as part of the Base Student Allocation and to ensure districts have support to implement the Alaska Reads Act with fidelity.

Lori Rextaschel, principal of Chinook Elementary School and president of the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals, told the joint education committees that early investment pays dividends. \"For every $1 that is invested in early childhood produces a $16 return,\" she said, citing research presented in the association's materials. Rextaschel said early childhood funding should include \"full 1.0 ADM funding for pre‑K students\" and that programs must include appropriate curriculum, playground equipment and nutrition services.

Why it matters: Witnesses connected early childhood investment to later outcomes that the Alaska Reads Act targets: reading proficiency by third grade and reduced dropout rates. Rextaschel described using federal Title I funds at her school to finance a staff member dedicated to implementing the Alaska Reads Act, running school‑wide 35‑minute small intervention groups and using the Individual Reading Intervention Plan (IRIP) to inform parents and interventions.

Speakers emphasized equity and the need for funding to reflect the higher per‑student costs of preschool‑aged services, including adapted playgrounds and developmentally appropriate curricula. Representative Elam asked whether pre‑K funding would be statewide; presenters confirmed that Alaska Reads Act funding and pre‑K allocations are structured to be available statewide subject to statutory requirements for curricula and program supports.

Implementation and fidelity: Rextaschel said some districts can supplant state funding with federal Title funds to meet Alaska Reads Act requirements, but many cannot. That produces inconsistent implementation across districts and often forces schools to reallocate staff from other services.

Evidence: The pre‑K and Alaska Reads Act discussion began with Rextaschel's presentation on early childhood (topic intro) and closed with committee follow‑ups on funding design and program requirements (topic finish).","Elementary principals and ACSA leaders told lawmakers that sustainable pre‑K funding in the Base Student Allocation and full ADM funding for pre‑K are needed to support early literacy and long‑term student outcomes tied to the Alaska Reads Act.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097928,"Alaska educators cite retirements, pension gaps and turnover costs in statewide retention crisis",4894,1398000,6292000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a&start=1398&end=6292","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a/thumbnail_1398000.jpg","/articles/6097928/Alaska/Alaska-educators-cite-retirements-pension-gaps-and-turnover-costs-in-statewide-retention-crisis","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097928-e81fd641dff0de051d5773a5b7402042/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921408&Signature=XqTsbzaAeTpMX2cS~A~AHGOrZgPkyrz91kyYP1IUlR2dRUutxozitwsxBbfVe-5n~VbSqTcpy0Ic4BTttK8ROYEeQHAmcokKJT3WBLKzHmahX2pAJJXsnl9OdzzDK0A4MTGPYbK~6KFGfj1YBCMVg2ioWt0zySfAWh00cjJ93ZzP4iWSCm6kaqlHY8Mo1L00OAH~ZRZDJ62srPwC29dpF0qpqRKcDYesGQdUe-vrUYGSwQf00JgbM3DwFVBcZOFWSgc14oAAVZYtOuHTc-dt0fO9lNGmBF-qwTigShtY8j~NG1IRahOjEWAQM6N8JKVDFzQFrLRNlQ5HgCt1kBEV0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — Witnesses at a March 31 joint education committee hearing described rising teacher and administrator turnover, identified retirement benefits and pay as primary drivers, and outlined statewide mentorship and recruitment efforts intended to keep educators in Alaska.

Lori Rextaschel, principal of Chinook Elementary School and president of the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals, cited widely used cost estimates and local experience: \"It is estimated that it costs $20,000 every time a teacher turns over,\" she said, and noted a Wallace Foundation estimate that replacing a principal can cost about $75,000. Rextaschel and other speakers tied turnover to lower student proficiency in high‑turnover districts.

Why it matters: Testimony linked staff turnover to direct instructional disruption and higher long‑term costs for districts. Officials said the loss of a defined‑benefit pension for many educators increased departures to the Lower 48 and to other states offering stronger retirement packages.

What leaders are doing: Several presenters described mentoring and induction programs. Rick Dormer, principal of Ketchikan High School and president of the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals, detailed the Alaska School Leadership Academy (ASLA), a two‑year mentoring program for principals funded in part by Title IIa grants that has served more than 77 percent of Alaska districts and reported thousands of mentor meetings. Jennifer Rinaldi, Alaska School Leadership Academy principal lead, said turnover and outside job opportunities account for some principals not completing the second year of mentorship.

The Alaska Educator Retention and Recruitment Center (ARC), represented by director Jennifer Schmitz, said it is coordinating a statewide implementation of the governor's teacher recruitment and retention playbook, operating a teacher‑personnel database and hosting virtual job fairs to connect candidates to districts. Schmitz noted the timing challenge created by funding uncertainty: districts hesitant to commit to hires before state budgets are finalized may lose out on out‑of‑state candidates who must sign contracts earlier.

Speakers also mentioned international hiring: Schmitz cited H‑1B visa statistics for FY24 showing 20 districts with teachers on H‑1B visas, 34 initial H‑1B approvals and 63 continuations, and said international applicants accounted for a large share of active applicants in the ARC database.

Policy points and requests: Lori Rextaschel called on legislators to \"provide and fund a public pension system or a viable alternative retirement system that fairly compensates all district staff.\" Testimony also emphasized recruitment investments, statewide mentorship expansion and predictable funding that allows districts to make earlier hiring offers.

Evidence: The recruitment/retention discussion began with Rextaschel's presentation on turnover and pension effects (topic intro) and included ARC's job‑fair and visa data later in the hearing (topic finish).","Administrators and principals told lawmakers that teacher and principal turnover is high, that retirement benefit changes have driven departures, and that mentorship programs help but cannot fully offset pay and pension gaps.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097932,"Alaska education leaders warn flat formula and one-time funding pushed districts to 'fiscal cliff'",248,3632000,3880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a&start=3632&end=3880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826233-af982608c3872e02d8b51c834a052c9a/thumbnail_3632000.jpg","/articles/6097932/Alaska/Alaska-education-leaders-warn-flat-formula-and-one-time-funding-pushed-districts-to-fiscal-cliff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097932-f037610afdc0336b79725f1a93c85904/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921408&Signature=OwLlZOvajBCr1aGMz0T4gY6sk~iUwa3HZ0dbmPB24aMdWo6GhQ-8RRX1xEMfyic~2o~hC~ZkuAO2rzbtCoHiwUqjUNwSQT6GhN5Ups6IAfC73Ii4pz-lOwl9ihbJIOxNqd4iLWRIFK12L9rEDkWdiUd17d2FFcUK6g~LEIJmRUG2wCTNaCp7ZwVpceInmyBWbvqpyZj3t2pYXvkhwjHqrlcJQGbvu9gYw8vBSK9iAbooUAcmcMn3CvZJ-t6pPB8O29o2T96gdTNrCDGk0HOnTQKISF3I8YkSZJeM27HuqFNjkQVDz1eg2Cc3AJeKEZEPGG7LPk8eZyzepEsGlHDRuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — School leaders from across Alaska told a joint House and Senate education committee meeting on March 31 that the state's flat Base Student Allocation (BSA) and reliance on one‑time funding have left districts unable to plan, driving program cuts and rising deferred maintenance.

At the hearing, Clayton Holland, superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and president of the Alaska Superintendents Association, said districts are building multiple budgets because the final state funding picture is unknown. “We have to guess, and then that corresponds to we don't know how many staff we can bring back,” Holland said.

The message mattered because, as Lisa Paradis, executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, put it later, \"Education is not failing. It is starving.\" That theme reappeared across testimony: school business officials, superintendents and principals described rising fixed costs for health care, utilities and transportation combined with BSA that has not kept up with inflation.

Why it matters: Districts said the mismatch forces them to spend operating funds on noninstructional needs, reduces funds available to hire or retain staff and delays maintenance. Philip Hewlett, chief financial officer of Galena City School District and president of the Alaska Association of School Business Officials, described a “fiscal cliff,” citing repeated one‑time allocations that cannot sustain programs.

Key details cited to the committees included:
- Deferred maintenance: Superintendent Holland said the Kenai Peninsula alone has about $400 million in deferred maintenance; he noted the state backlog at roughly $330 million. \"We're losing heat dramatically,\" he said, describing roofs and crumbling walls.
- Transportation shortfall: Philip Hewlett said districts have spent about $44 million out of general operating funds above state allocations for transportation in the last 10 years; one district this year will spend about $200,000 from its general fund to cover the gap.
- One‑time funding effects: Holland and others showed charts intended to demonstrate how multi‑year, inflation‑adjusted funding differ from episodic one‑time grants, and how uncertainty forces districts to create several contingency budgets.

Speakers urged approaches that extend beyond short‑term dollars. Katie Parrott, senior director of management and budget for Anchorage School District, asked lawmakers to avoid a moratorium on school bond debt reimbursement and highlighted the linkage between bond reimbursement reductions and rising facility backlogs in Anchorage.

Committee questions focused on the timing and scale of cuts under different BSA scenarios. Clayton Holland outlined what a $680 per‑pupil cut might mean for his district: elimination of reading specialists, loss of elementary counselors, reduced distance‑education services, and elimination of sports stipends and other extracurricular staff. Representative Story asked how specific scenarios would affect the Kenai; Holland listed targeted program losses tied to each funding level.

What lawmakers heard about accountability and transparency: Parrott reiterated that district budgets, audit reports and historical expenditure data are publicly available through the Department of Education and Early Development and district websites, and that school business officials face numerous separate audits and reporting requirements.

What's next: Witnesses asked the legislature to consider increasing the BSA to match inflationary pressures and to fund deferred maintenance and bond debt reimbursement separately so districts can stop shifting operating dollars to cover building repairs. Senators and representatives in the room acknowledged the competing state revenue pressures and said new revenue sources would be needed to increase the BSA.

Evidence: The funding discussion was anchored in Superintendent Holland's presentation (topic intro) and the deferred maintenance examples later in his slides (topic finish).

","Superintendents, finance officers and associations told a joint House–Senate education hearing that the Base Student Allocation has not kept pace with inflation, forcing districts to use one-time money and local general funds for basics such as transportation and major maintenance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Principals praise CTE for engagement and workforce pathways; urge continued support

Principals warn rising youth mental‑health needs and counselor shortages are harming learning

Principals urge full pre‑K funding and fidelity to Alaska Reads Act to improve early literacy

Alaska educators cite retirements, pension gaps and turnover costs in statewide retention crisis

Alaska education leaders warn flat formula and one-time funding pushed districts to 'fiscal cliff'