Education

ISER’s Diane Hirshberg is working with partners at Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) on ways to strengthen culturally responsive early education. 

Using U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 Annual Survey of School System Finances, Alaska ranks 6th in per-pupil education spending, however the ranking is deceptive since it doesn’t take into account the high cost of delivering education and high cost of living in different places in Alaska. When these costs are considered, Alaska’s per-pupil spending is about average, according to Dayna DeFeo, director of ISER’s Center for Alaska Education Policy Research. 

Diane Hirshberg, along with Charlene Stern, co-chair of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Nolan Klouda, director of the University of Alaska’s Center for Economic Development, will be working with partners in the Neets’ąįį Gwich’in communities of Vashrąįį K’ǫǫ (Arctic Village) and Vįįhtąįį (Venetie) to explore Indigenous and non-Indigenous educational pathways necessary to sustain and develop economic, political, and social goals of indigenous communities. 

Soon, Alaska Native elementary students in 14 rural Alaska communities will be studying Drones in ways to both connect their science education to their communities and increase their engagement in STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. These are among the objectives and goals of a newly awarded  National Science Foundation Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) grant, “Drone Research and Opportunities for Native Elementary Students" or  DRONES. 

ISER Center for Alaska Education Policy Research (CAEPR) Director Dayna DeFeo and Research Professionals Jessica Passini and Trang Tran provided findings from two separate evaluation projects at a statewide meeting of educators and education administrators.

ISER Director Ralph Townsend and ISER faculty Diane Hirshberg provided information on school funding and the retention and turnover of teachers in Alaska at the February Alaska Municipal League (AML) Winter Legislative Meeting in Juneau. AML is an organization of cities, boroughs, and unified municipalities representing over 97% of Alaska residents.

ISER's Center for Alaska Education Policy Research (CAEPR) Director Dayna DeFeo presented to a national audience of teacher educators, higher education administrators, and policymakers on innovative ways that Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT) survey data may be used to inform policy, practice, and cross-institutional collaboration.