"Alaska’s urban consumer price index has risen by more than 15% in the last five years. In the same time period, the Base Student Allocation was raised by only 0.5%, meaning virtually the same level of funding is worth significantly less." #akleg
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Important read from "Why Thousands of Teachers Are Leaving the Classroom" governing.com/now/why-thousa #akleg
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"(Reed) said he’s had as many as 36 students in one class already, and he can’t imagine adding more. “I didn’t even have enough desks or chairs for students,” he said. “Everyone was crammed in so tight, they couldn’t even move around the room.” #akleg
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“Without a significant change in the BSA in the coming years, I’m not sure how we move forward as a district,” (Sitka School Board member Tristan) Guevin said #akleg
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“Our teachers need and deserve better pay and benefits. But as a school board and as a district, we have no way to raise revenues, so are largely at the mercy of the state and local government, and by extension, AK and Sitka residents, and what they’re willing to provide.” #akleg
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"More than anything else, school districts across our state are underfunded and under-resourced, and there doesn’t seem to be the political will to change things at the state or local levels.” #akleg
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Voss continued: "The second thing our state must address is a retirement system that includes a pension. Alaska is the only state that does not offer one, and to become competitive in recruiting and retaining quality teachers, it should be reinstated." #akleg
Voss continued: "Increasing the BSA will mean schools can stay open, more appropriate class sizes, and better resources are provided to students." #akleg
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Voss continued: "When one considers how greatly our daily expenses have increased during this same timeframe, it’s easy to understand what an impact flat funding has had on education. " #akleg
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From 16 year ASD teacher Kevin Voss : "First, the Base Student Allocation, or BSA, which has not been increased nor adjusted for inflation since 2017, must be increased." #akleg
"In 2019, ASD’s budget covered 44 certificated staff.. This yr, we were funded for 38.. We’ve had cuts to custodial staff, security, instructional coaches and parapros. .. students are facing greater academic and mental health needs than has been seen in a generation" #akleg
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"safety can become an issue when there are 32 students in a classroom, which has become the new normal in many middle school classrooms. " #akleg
Alaska students deserve better. "Teachers sleep in the Dillingham school as housing crisis collides with staff shortage" kdlg.org/education/2022 #akleg
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Vieira cont. “They don’t have access to Social Security. They have one leg to stand on in retirement and it’s based on the amount of money that they earn today.” Full story here: kcaw.org/2022/04/22/sit #akleg
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“They (Tier III teachers) don’t have the flexibility to wait for their salary to increase because they need to take those dollars and put them in account and let them sit for as many years as possible, so that they can have a chance of success in retirement,” Vieira said. #akleg
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This is a historic and momentous day for Alaska educators. A huge thank you to Rep. , @RepKellyMerrick, Rep. Bryce Edgmon, , , Rep. for their support to advance HB 220. Alaska's educators thank you. #akleg
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Cont.. "the state must recognize that the defined-contribution of TRS Tier III does little to help districts recruit teachers to AK. #akleg needs to decide what it can do to make Tier III more attractive. HB 220, being considered by the Legislature, would reestablish a DB tier."
"While this is expected, they are being replaced by teachers placed in the defined contribution tier of TRS who, by most accounts, are a far less stable workforce." #akleg
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"These vacancies present a logistic nightmare for schools. On the retirement front, an average of 280 Tier II Teacher Retirement System teachers are retiring each year. "#akleg
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"the starting salary for a teacher with no experience was $57,717. In one of our larger districts, it was $50,151. Across the country, many states, including Florida, Illinois, Mississippi and New Mexico, are responding to their own shortages with sharp funding increases." #akleg
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"Lack of incentives for educators to move to AK and larger class sizes, ..make teacher recruitment even more challenging. .. cited poor retirement benefits as being one way AK struggles both to attract and to retain the “best and brightest” educators for students." #akleg
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‘It’s time to go’ Read the story RE: the educator exodus on the Kenai Peninsula peninsulaclarion.com/news/its-time- #akleg
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"in Fairbanks, the district is closing three elementary schools and cutting 121 positions — more than 7% of positions in the district" ..No cost is going down’: Alaska schools cut positions and scrape to pay heating bills amid flat funding adn.com/alaska-news/ed #akleg
The effects of the national educator student loan crisis ripple beyond our schools. Cancelling student debt makes our communities healthier, happier, and more prosperous. Learn more: bit.ly/3o6MSep #CancelStudentDebt
Thank you to Valley teacher Kathleen Yerbich for speaking up. Read the full letter to the editor here 👉 bit.ly/3pcjdkt #akleg
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"Without good retirement, there’s an “educational tourists” problem, he said. Teachers stay in their districts for four to five years and then leave. Research shows that higher turnover is associated with lower outcomes for students and higher costs for districts. " #akleg
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"The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is among the many districts in Alaska having trouble filling open jobs and keeping current staff...about 18 teachers are planning on leaving the Kenai school district this year, and he’s expecting a big spike in the spring" #akleg
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"Alaska schools have long struggled to hire and keep teachers. The pandemic is making it worse." Story by of alaskapublic.org/2022/02/03/ala #akleg
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220 is designed to cost SOA and school districts no more than the current PERS 4 and TRS 3 Defined Contribution retirement system.
It has key “risk-sharing mechanisms” built to protect the SOA from the risk of unfunded liabilities while providing a stable retirement. #akleg
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HB 220 would improve Alaska's broken retirement system for public sector employees hired after 2006, including ESPs, teachers, police officers, firefighters, and Alaska State Troopers. #akleg
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House Bill 220, sponsored by Representative Grier Hopkins of Fairbanks, holds the best promise to restore a reasonable retirement for Alaska educators and public employees hired after 2006. #akleg
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Thank you to the members of the #akleg House Labor and Commerce Committee for hearing and passing out HB 220. Thank you to co-chairs and to the bill sponsor Rep. Grier Hopkins
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Live now: House Labor and Commerce Committee hearing House Bill 220. A proposal to fix Alaska's broken retirement system. #akleg akleg.gov/#
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Higher education is meant to inspire imagination and help people pursue their dreams.
However, a recent report found that unpaid student loans affect young educators' ability to buy a home, return to school, or start a family. bit.ly/3zH5h4R #CancelStudentDebt
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