NEWS: Report: Over 600 Alaska Teachers, Staff Eliminated Last Three Years
Democratic legislators push for solutions so students get the education they need
ANCHORAGE – Alaska schools lost over 600 teachers and staff across the state over the past three years as per-student classroom funding has remained flat, according to an Alaska Legislative Research Services report Representative Les Gara and Representative Harriet Drummond released today.
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NEWS: Gov’t Regs Not the Place for Women’s Health Decisions
Democratic legislators stand up against bureaucratic intrusion into women’s health decisions
ANCHORAGE – Today, House democratic legislators Beth Kerttula, Harriet Drummond and Geran Tarr spoke out against the governor’s bureaucratic intrusion into Alaska women’s personal health decisions. The Parnell administration recently announced it was bypassing the legislative process and applying language designed to restrict access to abortions through regulations.
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NEWS: “New” Oil Regs a Fool’s Errand, Need More Work and Review
Democratic Legislators highlight big risks in draft Oil Wealth Giveaway regulations
JUNEAU – Today, Alaska Democratic Legislators warned of significant risks, impossible expectations, and the potential for industry to game the system in their official comment letter to the Alaska Department of Revenue on its proposed regulations for Senate Bill 21, the governor’s oil wealth giveaway.
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NEWS: School Ratings Linked to Lack of State Commitment to Education
Performance improving, but budget cuts and annual uncertainty hindering progress
Today, as the State of Alaska released its new school rankings, House Democratic Representatives said school rankings would improve in Alaska if school districts could count on adequate resources from one year to the next.
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NEWS: Congress’ Student Loan Fix Highlights Need for Alaska Rate Reduction
Today’s federal deal doesn’t lower burden of high-cost Alaska student loans
Today, after Congress passed a compromise plan to address federal student loan rates, Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) is encouraged that this could improve the chances of finding a way to reduce the high cost of Alaska student loans and help lower the costs of higher education and job training for Alaskans.
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