Eric.ed.gov – Retaining Quality Teachers for Alaska.

This report examines the demand for teachers, teacher turnover, and teacher education in Alaska. Surveys were conducted with school district personnel directors, directors of Alaska teacher education programs, teachers who exited Alaska schools in 2001, and rural and urban instructional aides. Alaska is facing teacher shortages, but these are confined to certain specializations–particularly special education and secondary math and science–and a few rural districts. Since most of Alaska’s teachers come from outside the state, the state is particularly vulnerable to the vicissitudes of the national teacher labor market. In addition, cost-of-living adjusted salaries for Alaska teachers have declined in the past decade. Surveys of exiting teachers found that rural teachers were dissatisfied with student motivation and effort and lack of support from parents. Alaska’s institutions of higher education showed a nearly 50 percent decline in production of secondary teachers in the past 5 years. Among instructional aides surveyed, aides in urban schools were almost exclusively White, while more than half in rural areas were Alaska Natives. Nearly half the aides surveyed were interested in working toward degrees or certification. The primary impediment to continuing their education was lack of money. For rural aides, other impediments were lack of affordable child care and a need to develop academic skills. Urban aides cited lack of support from schools, family, and friends. Policy recommendations are offered. (Contains 39 references and many data tables and figures.) (TD)