By BOB GRIFFIN
During his press conference on March 15, Gov. Mike Dunleavy highlighted a recent study revealing that Alaska boasts the second most adequately funded school system in the United States. Despite the significance of this finding, there appears to be a lack of media interest in delving deeper into the details of this study.
Conducted collaboratively by Rutgers University in New Jersey and The University of Miami, the study focused not on the total expenditure of states but rather on the adequacy of funding for different state school systems. It considered 125 diverse factors, including variations in the cost of living across states and each state’s economic prosperity. The study’s executive summary emphasized the importance of effective school finance systems that offset uncontrollable factors such as student poverty and labor costs by strategically allocating funds to districts in need.
The study evaluated states based on their ability to strike a balance in funding allocation, considering the specific needs of students and communities. It underscored that the mere amount spent on education is not a comprehensive measure of effective funding. For instance, districts with high poverty rates require more resources to achieve academic goals compared to more affluent districts. This principle underscores the nuanced nature of educational funding, which is influenced by student demographics, labor markets, and other variables.
Alaska secured an impressive score of 95 out of 100 in funding adequacy, positioning it closely behind Wyoming (97 points) and ahead of states like New Hampshire (86 points), Maine (85 points), and New York (83 points). In contrast, states such as Florida, North Carolina, and Nevada ranked lowest in funding adequacy, with scores ranging from 12 to 14 out of 100.
Despite Florida ranking poorly in funding adequacy, it has demonstrated remarkable academic outcomes, particularly in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) where it excelled in reading and math scores for both low-income and upper/middle-income 4th-grade students. On the other hand, Alaska lagged significantly behind in these categories.
While 4th-grade performance is noteworthy, a crucial measure of educational quality lies in the percentage of high school graduates who have successfully passed an Advanced Placement (AP) test with a score of 3 or higher. In 2022, Florida outshone Alaska in this aspect, with 28.8% of its high school graduates achieving this milestone compared to Alaska’s 11.9%.
One notable aspect not captured in the Rutgers study is the substantial federal funding Alaska receives for K-12 education, surpassing the national average by 85%. This federal support significantly exceeds that of other states, including Florida, despite the latter having a larger student population with a higher percentage of English language learners.
The study underscores Alaska’s significant commitment to K-12 education relative to its economic capacity, outpacing the majority of states in state and local funding contributions. The impartiality of the researchers involved in the study from New Jersey and Florida lends credibility to these findings.
While some may argue that the governor selectively highlighted this study, a comprehensive search for alternative adequacy studies yielding different conclusions than Rutgers has proven futile. It is imperative for Alaska to reevaluate its educational funding strategies to ensure that substantial investments translate into tangible outcomes for students. Merely increasing K-12 funding without implementing meaningful reforms is akin to repeating the same actions and expecting different results—a notion tantamount to insanity.
Bob Griffin, a member of the Alaska State Board of Education, shares these insights in his personal capacity.