LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY

Alaska education funding does not have to be at others’ expense

Lon Garrison, AASB Executive Director

The Anchorage Daily News recently published an op-ed by myself, Lon Garrison (AASB), Dr. Lisa Parady (ACSA), and Caroline Storm (CEE) that pushes back against a misleading narrative in Alaska’s public education policy discussions: the false choice between raising the Base Student Allocation (BSA) and preserving the Permanent Fund dividend. Instead, it calls for a broader discussion on Alaska’s overall fiscal priorities and the Legislature's constitutional obligations.

It’s an important issue that bears repeating. Here’s the full article as published in ADN:

BOARD DEVELOPMENT

Advocacy Role as a School Board member,

and Collaborating with Parents and Community

Pete Hoepfner, Board Development Coordinator

As a School Board member in Alaska, it’s crucial to address the challenges posed by flat funding of the Base Student Allocation (BSA) and the shortcomings of the teacher retirement system. 

The flat funding of the BSA restricts our ability to invest in essential resources, staff, and programs that directly affect student outcomes. Without adequate funding, schools struggle to maintain quality education, leading to larger class sizes, reduced extracurricular activities, and diminished support services for students.

Furthermore, the failures of the teacher retirement system create a significant barrier to attracting and retaining qualified educators. A robust retirement plan is vital for ensuring that our teachers feel valued and secure in their careers. When teachers are not supported, it impacts their ability to provide the high-quality education our students deserve.

Registration is Now Open!

This year’s Spring Boardsmanship Academy is focused on Establishing Meaningful Tribal Consultation for Educational Programs (Day 1) and Building Boardsmanship Skills (Day 2).

Tribal Consultation in Education is a collaborative process between tribal leaders and school districts serving Alaska Native or American Indian students. (From ESSA Tribal Consultation Overview for School Districts).

This event will provide a space for school board members and tribal leaders to collaborate to establish a shared vision and develop initial steps for tribal consultation.

LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN & YAI RECAP

Alaska Students and Education Leaders Call for Action by the Legislature on School Funding

More than 100 students, school board members, and superintendents convened in Juneau for AASB’s Annual Legislative Fly-In and Youth Advocacy Institute (YAI), urging policymakers to address Alaska’s education crisis.

The event featured workshops on civil discourse, legislative processes, and education policy, with discussions centered on school funding, teacher shortages, and long-term investments. At YAI, students honed advocacy skills through public speaking and testimony preparation.

Attendees shared firsthand accounts with the Joint Senate/House Education Committee, highlighting the devastating impact of a decade of underfunding on their schools.

Testifiers pressed lawmakers for action on key education priorities, including increasing the Base Student Allocation (BSA) through HB 69, expanding mental health education, tackling deferred facility maintenance, and improving teacher recruitment and retention.

Of Roses, Thorns, and Speech:

Our Most Basic Right

John Sedor, Sedor, Wendlandt, Evans & Filippi, LLC

Part 7 of the series Back to Basics

This year we are exploring “the basics.” “Basics” does not necessarily mean simple; it means foundational. For instance, in January, Clint explained the foundational relationship between student records and a District as set out in FERPA which was signed into law in 1974 by President Gerald Ford. This month, we step back even further into our history as we explore the foundations of speech by and between the government and its citizens.

For those who attended the Law & Policy Day in Juneau on February 8th, we took a “deep dive” into Free Speech and Schools. Presentations by NEA-Alaska, the conservative Independence Law Center (from Pennsyvania) and the ACLU set up a spirited panel discussion facilitated by former Senator Tom Begich. We learned that the tension that can be created when opposing viewpoints collide … is exactly what the First Amendment intended. Like a rose and its thorn, we cannot enjoy our right to express ourselves without recognizing that we may find the expression of others a proverbial “thorn in our side.”

Renewing defeated motion at future meeting – “renewal”

Ann Macfarlane, Professional Parliamentarian

Robert’s Rules of Order is quite strict about dealing with something once in a meeting and moving on.

If a motion has been defeated, the only way to bring the same motion up again during that meeting is to move to reconsider the motion. You have to have voted with the prevailing side—the side that won the vote—in order to move to reconsider.

The reason is pretty obvious. We don’t want to have a disgruntled minority bringing up something over and over again during the meeting.

How can the board respond to anonymous public comments?

Answer:

Written communications submitted to the School District are considered public records, so you can share the anonymous comments with the school board.

However, anonymous comments are 'non-actionable'. This is because the Superintendent doesn't have anyone to follow up with on the comment. So senders should not expect the board to do anything about them. 

To discourage anonymous public comments, it is recommended that you post a statement addressing this, such as "If you submit comments anonymously the district will not take action on the concerns. A contact must be attached for follow-up purposes" 

Got a question? Email Jenni Lefing or Katie Oliver

AASSP 2025 Principals of the Year

The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) sponsors regional and statewide Principal of The Year recognition awards to honor the educational leaders who play such a pivotal role in student success.

Principals of The Year may be nominated by anyone – students, staff, parents, district office staff or principal peers - with awards finalized by AASSP members in their region. Regional Principals of The Year are eligible to be in the running for the statewide Alaska Principal of The Year. Here are the 2025 honorees.

Sheri Boehlert 

Alaska's 2025 Principal of the Year

The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals proudly names Sheri Boehlert, principal of Schoenbar Middle School in Ketchikan, as the 2025 Alaska Principal of the Year.

A lifelong educator in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District, Boehlert began her career as an elementary teacher (1994-2005) before becoming principal of Pt. Higgins Elementary (2005) and later Schoenbar Middle School (2016). She earned her Bachelor’s in Education from Western Washington University and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Arizona State University.

Superintendent Michael Robbins praised Boehlert, stating, “She is an outstanding educator—one of the best I’ve had the privilege of working with. She always puts students first and has built strong, meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and the community.”

Looking for a New Superintendent?

The Association of Alaska School Boards has been conducting successful and economical superintendent searches for over twenty years. Our Superintendent Search Service provides expert facilitation of the entire search process, including identifying the needs of the district, recruiting candidates, conducting background searches, facilitating interviews, and all the steps to help with the hiring process.

If you would like AASB to conduct a superintendent search for your district, or have questions, Learn More or Contact Us