Alaska Faces Teacher Exodus as Funding Lags Behind

Low pay, lost pensions, and chronic underfunding drive record teacher turnover and declining student achievement

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A new opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News argues that the root cause of Alaska's high teacher turnover and declining student performance is inadequate education funding. The state has seen teacher turnover spike from 12% in 2006 to 22-24% in recent years, far above the national average of 7%. This has coincided with a decline in student achievement, with Alaska students now lagging the national average by 13-15 points in 4th and 8th grade reading and math. The author contends that cutting education budgets, failing to keep up with inflation, and eliminating defined-benefit pensions have all contributed to the teacher exodus and academic decline.

Why it matters

Alaska's chronic underfunding of education has led to a teacher retention crisis that is dragging down student achievement across the state. This issue has major implications for the future workforce and economic competitiveness of Alaska, as well as the quality of life for students and families. Addressing the teacher turnover problem requires a significant increase in education funding to raise salaries, restore benefits, and provide the resources needed for teachers to succeed.

The details

According to the opinion piece, Alaska's teacher turnover rate has more than doubled from 12% in 2006 to 22-24% in recent years, far exceeding the national average of 7%. This spike in turnover coincides with a steady decline in student performance, with 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores falling 13-15 points below the national average. The author argues that the root cause is chronic underfunding of education, with teacher salaries failing to keep up with inflation and the state eliminating defined-benefit pensions in 2006. Compensation for Alaska teachers has fallen well below the national average, discouraging people from pursuing teaching careers and driving experienced teachers out of the profession.

  • In 1996, Alaska's teacher turnover rate was around 12%.
  • From 2012 to 2022, Alaska's teacher turnover rate reached 22-24%.
  • In 2006, Alaska discontinued its defined-benefit retirement program for teachers.

The players

Frank Jeffries

A retired professor emeritus of management who taught for 24 years at the University of Alaska Anchorage and spent 20 years in private industry.

Anchorage School District Superintendent

The superintendent of the Anchorage School District, who recently called for a $1,000 increase in the Base Student Allocation to address funding challenges.

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What’s next

The governor created a working group in 2020 to study the issue of teacher retention and compensation in Alaska. The group's report recommended addressing compensation as the top priority, but concluded that Alaska must first address its current fiscal situation before implementing solutions.

The takeaway

Alaska's chronic underfunding of education has created a teacher retention crisis that is significantly harming student achievement across the state. Restoring competitive teacher salaries, reinstating defined-benefit pensions, and providing adequate resources for schools is essential to reversing this trend and ensuring a high-quality education for all Alaska students.