State Report

Alaska

Alasla is building the foundation for high school transformation across 1 Policy Action.

State Report

Alaska

Alasla is building the foundation for high school transformation across 1 Policy Action.

Overview

State leaders in Alaska have established a solid foundation for high school transformation through policies that empower school systems to award high school students credit toward graduation based on demonstrations of proficiency, not seat time, and successful completion of high-quality work-based learning experiences.

These efforts support the achievement of the goals outlined in the state’s March 2025 workforce development plan, developed in part to address significant labor shortages in the state. As of this writing, there are over 10,000 posted but unfilled positions in the local economy, which is expected to add 5,000 new jobs to the workforce in 2025. High school transformation, which includes establishing robust high school work-based learning programs, can support state efforts to fill gaps in labor supply and demand.

As a next step, state leaders in Alaska could develop a Portrait of a Graduate that reflects the broad set of competencies that all high school graduates should have by the end of high school. In addition, state leaders could explore opportunities for a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Highlights from Alaska

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Highlights from Alaska

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Highlights from Alaska

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Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Alaska
Alaska’s economy will add an average of 39,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 27,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Alaska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Alaska’s 4.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $18 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Alaska
In Alaska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 17 percent of Alaska 9th graders met the math proficiency benchmark on the state assessment. 30 percent were proficient in English.³ 22 percent of Alaska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 22 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. (2024). 2023-2024 statewide results. https://education.alaska.gov/assessment-results/Statewide/StatewideResults?schoolYear=2023-2024&isScience=False
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Alaska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Alaska workers by $542 annually, totaling $10,856 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $1,108 per year, adding up to $22,177 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Alaska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Progress

High school is where America’s future takes shape. Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, and leaders—but our schools are still rooted in a century-old model built for the industrial age. As automation and AI transform the job market, too many students leave high school unprepared for what comes next.

Alaska

Alaska

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Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data