Today Governor Mike Dunleavy released the results from a statewide public opinion poll on education in Alaska. The poll revealed strong support for increasing education funding, yet as a general approach to improving education outcomes, Alaskans believe that “change and reforms to the education system” are more important than “increasing education funding” by a margin of 1.7-to-1. While 77% of Alaskans surveyed support increasing BSA funding, 57% said that changes and reforms to the education system are the most important factors in improving education outcome, compared to 33% who said that increasing education funding is the most important factor for improving education outcomes.

“If the significant shifts over the past decade in how Alaskan families are choosing to educate their children were not already a worthy indicator, this survey confirms that Alaskans want to reform public education in Alaska so it works better for their children,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. “School funding is essential, and like most of the survey respondents, I support necessary education funding. However, increased funding is not a silver bullet. It’s not the be-all and end-all, and it should not be the end of the discussion. Anyone who thinks that merely increasing the BSA will fix Alaska’s education system deceives themselves. Alaskans want an adequately funded education system that does not maintain the status quo. They want children able to read, write and perform math at their grade level. The responsibility we bear as policy makers is to craft education policy that produces the results Alaskans want to see – not to write blank checks to school districts. They want their children to get the best possible education. For many families, charter schools can do that. As long as I am governor, I will advocate for children, not special interests.”

Other key findings include:

75% support an open enrollment system
73% support public charter schools using excess capacity of other public schools
71% support a bonus incentive program to recruit and retain teachers
64% support a greater allocation of education funding to public charter schools
58% support a greater allocation of education funding to public homeschooling
56% think undercapacity schools should be consolidated when student impact minimal
54% support resources to transport students to their school of choice
23% support use of PFD to increase education funding
15% support use of PFD to keep undercapacity school building open

The poll was conducted by Dittman Research from March 20-24, 2024.

Full polling results are available at gov.alaska.gov/education-reform.