Issues

Class Size
Class size needs to be reduced. There are some high school classes that currently exceed 40 students, and many elementary classes are also overcrowded. With these high numbers learning is in jeopardy. The school board needs to allocate the appropriate resources to address this problem now.

Appropriate School Board Role
The role of the school board is to make policy and to ensure its fiduciary responsibilities are carried out appropriately. It is not the role of the board to administer the schools nor micro manage the staff. Decisions based on politics should take a back seat to the needs of our children.

Budgeting Process
The school board needs to ensure that the budgeting process is done in a way that honors stakeholder input and is completed in a timely manner. School staff, students, and families need the appropriate resources in place well before the school year begins. Once the budget is developed, the board needs to minimize any changes that may disrupt the school year.

Dropouts
Our dropout rate is too high. We need to insist the educational program addresses the needs of all our children and ensures each child receives a quality education.

Declining funding/Rising costs
Costs are rising and funding is declining. We need to work with our legislators and assembly to ensure our fair share of funding comes to our school district. We also need to look within areas we can be more efficient in.

Building Partnerships
With resources growing more scare, property owners in the borough carrying a considerable tax burden, and educational demands rising, building stronger partnerships with our borough assembly, legislators, businesses and other entities could be one way to address some of our issues. We can and should work together to make a difference for our children.

Career/Technical/Trades Programs
Alaska has many opportunities for young people interested in learning a trade. College is not the only option for many students. With the traditional blue-collar workforce aging, and fewer young people filling those positions, students with a desire and appropriate skills will find many potential job openings in the skilled trades. We need to increase our program offerings in this area.

Preparing Students for the 21st Century
We need to be sure our students are prepared to meet the demands of future employment opportunities. Reviewing our curriculum in order to be certain our course credit requirements and rigor are appropriate to prepare our students once they graduate is critical.

New School Buildings
We will need to keep ahead of the growing population centers of the borough in order to plan properly for potential new school buildings. In addition, working with our legislators will allow us to continue to maximize potential state reimbursement through any bonding for capital projects. By working together we can focus on meeting the building needs for our students in a timely and efficient manner.