Rebuilding Alaska's Public Education: A Call for Smarter Funding, Leaner Administration, and Systemic Reform

Public education in Alaska is in the midst of a slow-motion crisis, one that touches every district, family, and student in the state. While there are success stories worth celebrating, the overall system is under intense strain due to outdated funding mechanisms, unsustainable administrative bloat, and a university pipeline that continues to produce graduates ill-prepared for the real work of today's classrooms. In the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD), we are pushing forward with innovation and determination, but we are not immune to the structural dysfunctions that plague Alaska's education landscape. To move forward, we must embrace a model that ties funding to actual needs, rethinks our administrative infrastructure, aligns educator preparation with real-world classrooms, and empowers unions to advocate for both staff and students in a unified, forward-thinking strategy.
The Broken Formula: Linking the BSA to the CPI
At the heart of Alaska's education funding is the Base Student Allocation (BSA), a per-student funding figure that has remained largely stagnant since 2017. Despite inflationary pressures, health care cost increases, and growing community needs, the BSA has not kept pace with reality. Linking the BSA to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) would provide a stable, predictable funding model that reflects real-world economic conditions. Education is one of the only state-funded systems not adjusted annually for inflation. This disconnect has effectively created a yearly funding cut in real dollars, forcing districts to lay off staff, freeze wages, defer maintenance, and cut programs.
While opponents argue that funding alone does not ensure outcomes, predictable funding is essential for long-term planning, workforce stability, and student support. CPI indexing is not a silver bullet, but it is a rational first step that brings education into line with every other major budget item subject to inflationary pressures.
Administrative Overload: Trimming the Bureaucratic Fat
One of the loudest and most accurate criticisms of Alaska’s education system is that too much of the money goes to administration, not the classroom. This is particularly egregious in large urban districts where central office costs have ballooned. In some districts, the ratio of administrators to students rivals or even exceeds the number of classroom support staff.
MSBSD has, in many respects, avoided the worst of this bloat. The district has taken steps to streamline administrative functions and keep more funding at the school level. However, even in Mat-Su, we are seeing the pressure to expand administrative roles to meet ever-growing compliance and reporting requirements from the state and federal government. This is where union leadership becomes crucial. We must push back against the idea that "more administrators" equals "more effective oversight."
Lean does not mean under-resourced. It means building systems that prioritize service delivery over bureaucratic preservation. It means investing in staff who are in direct contact with students — paraeducators, custodians, special ed aides, nutrition workers — rather than proliferating desk jobs that monitor them.
Reforming University Education Programs: Grounding Teacher Prep in Practical Experience and American Values
One of the major barriers to delivering high-quality education in Alaska is the misalignment between university teacher preparation programs and the real-world demands of the classroom. Many new teachers arrive with minimal classroom experience and insufficient training in managing student behavior, adapting lessons to diverse learners, and handling the stress and responsibility of a dynamic classroom environment.
Education programs must return to a fact-driven, experience-based approach. Future teachers need hands-on training, not just theory. Programs should emphasize student teaching, real-world mentorships, and measurable skill development in literacy, math, classroom management, and professional responsibility. Alaska’s classrooms are often multi-grade, rural, and culturally diverse. New teachers must be prepared to meet these challenges from day one.
In addition, Alaska’s teacher training should instill a love for this country and an appreciation of its founding principles, while also preparing educators to teach history honestly — recognizing the mistakes as well as the achievements. Respect for our nation, our Constitution, and our communities should be part of the foundation, not an afterthought.
The University of Alaska system must be held accountable for producing teachers who are ready to lead, not just pass exams. Programs should be evaluated based on job placement success, feedback from school districts, and real classroom outcomes. Partnerships with local school districts, extended apprenticeships, and results-based certifications should become the norm.
Teaching is not an academic abstraction — it is a practical, mission-driven career. Alaska must build an educator workforce that is grounded, capable, and committed to preparing the next generation of responsible, knowledgeable citizens.
What MSBSD Is Doing Right
Despite these challenges, MSBSD continues to lead in several areas. The district has:

• Maintained a relatively lean central office compared to similar-sized districts.
  
• Pushed for innovative career and technical education (CTE) pathways, giving students access to trades, healthcare, IT, and public safety careers.
  
• Built strong relationships with community partners, including the business sector and post-secondary institutions, to improve alignment between education and local labor markets.
  
• Maintained a clear focus on student outcomes, with continuous tracking of absenteeism, discipline, and graduation rates.
  

This progress is meaningful and has been driven by a collaborative culture between administration, educators, staff, and the union. But we are not without fault.
Where We Must Improve
MSBSD, like other districts, faces increasing pressure to do more with less. Staff cuts are happening now, not in theory. We are losing experienced employees in vital support roles. The district's facilities plan, while ambitious, still struggles to prioritize renovation and repurposing over expensive new construction. While some schools thrive, others are overwhelmed with overcrowding, behavioral challenges, and a lack of specialized support.
Additionally, MSBSD must improve in implementing meaningful professional development for classified employees, ensuring that all staff have opportunities to grow, certify, and advance. Communication between leadership and site-level employees needs work, especially as decisions are made that directly affect working conditions and student outcomes.
The Role of Unions: Not Just Protecting Jobs, But Rebuilding Systems
Too often, unions are dismissed as self-interested or resistant to change. That stereotype ignores the reality on the ground. In MSBSD and across Alaska, unions are leading advocates for sustainable reform that benefits students and workers alike.
Our goals are clear:

• A funding model tied to reality, including CPI-linked BSA increases.
  
• Reduction in administrative overhead to protect and expand student-facing roles.
  
• Modernized education preparation programs that reflect Alaska’s needs.
  
• Fair wages and benefits that allow districts to retain skilled workers.
  
• Safe, adequately staffed schools where learning is prioritized and disruption is managed.
  
• Respect for frontline expertise, ensuring staff have a seat at the table when policies are made.
  

Union leadership has also led the charge in defending public education from privatization efforts masquerading as "choice," pushing back against efforts to defund public schools in favor of lightly regulated charter or correspondence programs that lack transparency and accountability.
We recognize the importance of reform, but it must be done with, not to, the people who make schools run.
Conclusion: Building a Better Path Forward
Alaska can no longer afford patchwork fixes or top-down mandates. We need a coherent vision for public education that starts with honest conversations and ends with concrete action. That means:

• Funding that tracks inflation and actual costs.
  
• Trimming bureaucratic excess to reinvest in classrooms.
  
• Universities producing the teachers we actually need.
  
• Districts like MSBSD learning from their successes and correcting their shortcomings.
  
• Local Unions being recognized not as obstacles, but as vital partners in systemic renewal.
  

If we want schools that are safe, effective, and inspiring, we need to invest wisely, reform boldly, and govern collaboratively. Alaska’s children deserve nothing less.
By Rick Morgan, President, Mat-Su Classified Employees Association (CEA)