Education

All Alaska education news stories including child care, K-12 schools, university and policy.

LISTEN: Hard hit by government closures and consumer fears of exposure to COVID-19, restaurants are on the brink

Bars and restaurants are once again closed to indoor drinking and dining in Anchorage, but some restaurant owners say they can't afford another shutdown, and will defy the order and stay open. Some will close permanently. What's the best answer to keep people safe and keep businesses whole?
“Shin-chi’s Canoe” by Nicola Campbell, “Not My Girl” and “When I Was Eight” both by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, and “My Name is SEEPEETZA” by Shirley Sterling will be available in fourth grade classrooms and elementary school libraries. (KTOO file photo)

Alaska families: Can we follow you as kids return to school?

Alaska is about to start a very unusual school year. And as we cover schools reopening this fall, we’d like to follow some of you through this transition.

Anchorage School District to begin high school sports Monday

High schools can begin conditioning only practice based on guidance from the Alaska State Activities Association

LISTEN: It was supposed to be a record year for Alaska tourism. Then COVID-19 hit.

How much has federal CARES Act funding helped Alaska's visitor industry and will these businesses survive the winter?
A line of elementary children line up and walk down the hallway out to recess in the winter

LISTEN: As school starts, here’s the latest science on kids and coronavirus

Dr. Elizabeth Ohlsen, a public health physician with the State of Alaska, explains the latest science of how the coronavirus impacts children and how to mitigate the spread of the disease in schools.
Two young boys smile at the camera while playing with play-doh at a kitchen table

From ‘pandemic pods’ to private tutors, Anchorage Facebook group offers support

Following a national trend, many families are finding support and resources on social media.
An empty conference room

Anchorage School District enrollment is down 11 percent

Enrollment in the Anchorage School District remains significantly lower than normal just two days before school starts. Currently, enrollment is down by 11 percent compared...
aerial photo of buildings and trees

LISTEN: Weathering budget cuts and COVID-19, the UA System preps for a new school year

COVID-19 has thrown higher education into turmoil. State budget cuts, loss of research funds and the sudden departure of the University system president are also challenging education leaders at an already difficult time. What’s the outlook?
Screenshot of four women talking on a zoom video conference call

Administrators, parents, and health officials weighed in on school reopening. But what do students think?

Three high school students from across Alaska share their thoughts on the start of the school year.
Two girls sit on inflatable balls while working on laptops

PHOTOS: Anchorage families begin a new school year during a pandemic

Families in Anchorage show how they're approaching the '20-'21 school year.

LISTEN: Not every student in Alaska has access to reliable internet. How are officials handling distance education in rural Alaska?

How will rural students access course materials in areas with little or no broadband? And how will teachers build relationships with students that can’t log on?
An empty hallway with a long corkboard on the wall that's empty as well

Cluster of COVID-19 cases closes three schools in Mat-Su School District

Students at those schools will be learning online while the schools are sanitized and a contact tracing investigation begins.
A woman smiles while bent over looking at her laptop screen in her classrom.

As the school year begins, Alaska school administrators worry low enrollment could impact state funding

Financially, there is a lot at stake. State funding of public schools is tied directly to enrollment.
A man speaks at a podium

LISTEN: U.S. House incumbent Don Young is here to answer your questions

Alaska has only one U.S. House seat and Congressman Don Young is seeking his 25th term in that position. What does he want to accomplish in the next two years if he is re-elected?
A teacher sits at her desk in a classroom full of tables and chairs but no students

When will the Anchorage School District reopen to students? Possibly mid-October, district says

Superintendent Deena Bishop says the decreasing number of covid cases in the city is a good sign for resuming in person learning.
Political Candidate Alyse Galvin smiles at the camera in front of trees

LISTEN: U.S. House candidate Alyse Galvin is here to answer your questions

Challenging Alaska's lone and long-serving U.S. House representative for a second time, Alyse Galvin is running as an independent with support from state Democrats.
A school beneath a snow-covered mountain

After 18 months of negotiations, Mat-Su teachers move closer to a strike

All members of the Mat-Su teachers union are eligible to vote over the next few days on whether to go on strike. The district will have 72-hours notice before a strike takes place.
An empty hallway in an elementary school with a black arrow sticker on the floor pointing in one direction that says "one way"

Palmer High School temporarily closed after single confirmed COVID-19 case

The district will provide an update on the length of the closure Tuesday evening.
A line of elementary children line up and walk down the hallway out to recess in the winter

Anchorage School District outlines plans for return to school buildings

The youngest children will return first, in mid-October. Middle school children will return in November and high school students will return in early 2021
A teacher sits at her desk in a classroom full of tables and chairs but no students

Excitement and betrayal: families and teachers react to Anchorage plan to return to classrooms

As families await more details from the district, they’re trying to figure out what this plan means for them.