| June 30, 2006 Early Education Works Alaska Democratic Party, press release Alaska
one of few states with no statewide pre Kindergarten
News this week that almost 40 percent of Alaskan students don't graduate from High School came as little surprise to those who have pushed education reform in Alaska. "The sad thing is we all agree early education works, but the Governor is still cutting back on the few early education efforts we have in this state," said Rep. Les Gara (D-Anchorage). While nationwide studies show pre-kindergarten education has a very positive impact on student achievement, Alaska remains one of only 11 states that don’t offer statewide pre-kindergarten education. Longtime early education advocate Candace Winkler and Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau joined Gara and others in calling for better statewide early education efforts last session. "There is no greater community investment than funding early childhood education," said Winkler, Director the Anchorage-based early education non-profit Child Care Connection. Gara said Alaska is unfortunately moving in the wrong direction on this issue. The only statewide pre-kindergarten education program, federally-funded Head Start, is available only to low-income parents. Even that program serves fewer and fewer students in Alaska because state funding has remained flat the last 4 years and not risen with inflation. In addition, President Bush and Congress cut federal Head Start funding this year, resulting in a $270,000 cut in Alaska. In February, Rep. Gara called on the Governor to make up for the federal funding reduction, and help avert further Head Start cuts, but the Governor did not respond to help avert the cuts. (See Attached letter). RuralCap, a Southcentral-based Head Start provider, reports that Head Start classes have been closed in recent years in Hydaburg, Noorvik, Seward and other communities. A statewide group, the Ready To Read Ready To Learn Task Force, is continuing to study early education. But Gara notes, "Studying the problem is good, but standing by in the meantime and ignoring the best statewide early education program we do have is the wrong step in the wrong direction." A growing number of studies indicate that early education vastly increases academic achievement and success in the workforce. |
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