School spending cuts hurt Anchorage students more than you think

Alaska’s school funding has dropped behind other states in a big way. While most states increased education spending by 26% from 2017 to 2022, Alaska only managed a 13% increase — barely enough to cover rising costs. Even when adjusted for Alaska’s high living expenses, the state still spends 15% less per student than the national average. This isn’t overspending; it’s underfunding, and yet schools are blamed when they struggle. Standardized test scores get used as proof that schools are failing, but that’s misleading. Many students skip testing entirely. Last year, only 14% of those learning from home even took the exams. When the state lets some students avoid testing and then uses the incomplete results to cut school budgets, it’s not fair accountability — it’s a setup to justify further cuts. Poverty plays a huge role in test scores, yet schools get punished for their students’ backgrounds. Instead of blaming schools for neighborhood struggles, we should ask how they help kids overcome those challenges. Despite Alaska not having universal pre-K, Anchorage schools actually help struggling students make big progress over time.

The governor pushed a reading law but didn’t fund it properly. Mississippi spent $15 million yearly on literacy programs and built strong pre-K systems to support its reading law. Alaska promised pre-K support through its reading law but hasn’t delivered. Meanwhile, the state has repeatedly blocked education funding bills — even ones that passed with overwhelming support. This isn’t just about money. It’s about a long-term push to weaken public schools by defunding them and redirecting funds to private and religious schools. Over the years, millions have been moved from public education to less-regulated private programs. That shift didn’t happen by accident — it was a deliberate choice. After recent school funding votes failed by narrow margins, parents and communities have started speaking up. The real question isn’t whether schools need to change — it’s whether leaders will finally invest in kids instead of dismantling the system.

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