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This document contains four reports detailing a four-phase research project on Alaska Natives' attitudes and values toward education. A literature review examines the history of Native education in Alaska, issues in research on American Indian and Alaska Native education, dropout studies, student assessment, language and culture, learning styles, teaching styles and teacher training, distance learning and technology-based education, parent and community involvement, and higher education. The other three reports present findings of interviews with Alaska Native educational and cultural experts; a random telephone survey of 1,000 Alaska Native households; and focus groups with students, parents, and elders in Anchorage and rural Aniak and with business representatives and human services personnel. Common themes that arose across the four studies included barriers to education for Alaska Native students, the role of language and culture in education, family and community problems contributing to the high Native dropout rate, racism in urban schools, high teacher turnover and poor teacher quality in rural schools, and the need for parent and community involvement in schools. Appendices contain 147 references, a list of relevant educational Web sites, and breakdowns of focus group findings by group type. (SV)

Student demographics on campuses increasingly reflect diversity. A counselor's ability to help this emerging campus population requires the use of multicultural interventions that affect the student and the system. Counselors must redefine the process of clinical assessment and intervention to include ethnocultural factors and they must intervene at the systemic level. Attention to ethocultural factors requires familiarity with a non-Western value system that reflects group harmony, deference to the needs of the family, and interdependence rather than a traditional western value system. Students of color generally respond well to culturally appropriate interventions, yet relevant assessment and intervention strategies vary for each group of students. Several suggestions are given on how counselors can develop and refine cultural assessment and intervention skills. Some suggestions include: (1) understand how a person's ethnocultural factors may affect others; (2) seek training opportunities that broaden understanding of how social, political, and global realities affect students' perception and response to their environment; and (3) develop supervision skills that value and stress a student's ethnocultural factors. Collectively, all helping professionals must commit to systemic interventions that strengthen the multicultural and human relations skills on campus to make the whole campus receptive to student diversity. (JDM)

This study examined college students' proneness to dropping out, focusing on student success in developmental mathematics. The study investigated whether or not three groups of college freshmen taking developmental mathematics (completers, grade C or better; nonsuccessful completers, grade D or F; and noncompleters, grade W) were significantly different in terms of dropout proneness scores on the College Student Inventory, which was designed for incoming freshmen and included 194 items that focused on academic motivation, social motivation, general coping skills, receptivity to support services, and initial impression. The dropout proneness scale measured students' overall inclination to drop out prior to completion of a degree plan. The inventory was administered to incoming freshmen (n=402) enrolled in a development mathematics for the fall l996 semester, either during a summer freshman program or during fall orientation. Only students who had completed the College Student Inventory were included in the sample. Researchers collected demographic data and college course grades from the student information system. Results highlighted statistically significant differences between successful completers and nonsuccessful completers on the dropout proneness score. Nonsuccessful completers had higher dropout proneness than successful completers. There were no statistically significant differences between noncompleters and nonsuccessful completers. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)

The report presents a detailed analysis of data from a survey of 436 graduates of Juneau Douglas High School (Alaska) from 1985-86 through 1988-89 (44% return rate). Findings included the following: 49.1% of graduates were female, 45.2% were male, and for 5.7% the information was not given; the largest ethnic group was Caucasian (73.2%) with the next largest Alaska Native (6.0%); 50% were currently attending postsecondary school on a full-time basis; 25.9% were in the work force and 5% were in the military; part-time work involved 12.6% of graduates and government agencies employed 9.4%; most graduates left the state to attend postsecondary schools, with 18.9% staying in Alaska; respondents had a high-school grade point average of 2.87; students rated their high-school preparation at 6.76 on a 10-point scale; and respondents had parents with a mean of 14 to 15 years of education. Data on graduates who had attended or were currently attending postsecondary institutions are also analyzed separately in more detail. (DB)

The report analyzes data from a survey of 133 Mt. Edgecumbe High School (Alaska) graduates from 1985-86 through 1988-89. Findings included the following: 50% of graduates were female and 50% male; the largest ethnic group was Eskimo (42%) followed by Aleuts (24%) and Caucasians (12%); 47% of graduates were attending postsecondary institutions on a full- or part-time basis; 35% were in non-military occupations, 5% were homemakers, 3% in the military, and 11% unemployed; 73% of current postsecondary students were attending Alaskan institutions, with 27% attending out-of-state schools; the largest percentage of students with a known major were majoring in business (24%); college students had a mean grade point average of 2.93; and students' parents had a mean of 11 years of education. A separate, more in-depth profile of students currently attending a postsecondary institution is provided. Extensive graphs and charts detail the findings. (DB)

The report analyzes data from a survey of Barrow High School (Alaska) graduates (N=82 with a 51% return rate) from 1985-86 through 1988-89. Findings included the following: 71 percent of graduates were female and 29 percent male; the largest ethnic group was Inupiaq (42.68%) followed by Caucasian (30.49%) and multiple-ethnic background (15.85%); 25.61% of graduates were currently attending postsecondary institutions on a full- or part-time basis; 58.54% were working in non-military occupations, 3.66% were in the military, and 10.98% were unemployed; the largest employment category was government (32.93%); postsecondary students were attending in-state institutions over out-of-state institutions by a 3-to-1 margin; most students did not declare a major, but the largest single major, business, was declared by 19.05% of students; students reported a mean grade point average of 2.88; 76.19% of students attending postsecondary institutions were female and 57.14% were Caucasian; graduates rated their high-school preparation as 6.97 on a 10-point scale; and parents of the graduates had a mean of 12 years of education. Extensive charts and graphs detail the findings. (DB)

This survey attempted to determine public satisfaction with University of Alaska services, the educational program needs of Alaskan households, and where the university system stands among the priorities of the Alaska public. Telephone interviews with 900 Alaskan households were conducted and results analyzed. Findings are detailed for the following areas: perceived importance of the University of Alaska, extent of the university's influence, alumni satisfaction, public priorities for the university, funding issues, funding alternatives, market demand, educational service demand, market image, market communications, and marketing challenge. Recommendations focus on the need to provide the University of Alaska with sufficient resources to provide both variety and convenience of offerings and to market itself aggressively. Following an executive summary, the report's analysis details results for each question, including statewide totals and results for each of the four regions. The report concludes with an unedited recording of open-ended comments by respondents. The survey instrument is attached. (DB)

A collaboration of the major public Alaska education entities commemorates two key milestones of gender equity in education: (1) the 25th anniversary of Title IX of the federal 1972 Education Amendments, that prohibits gender discrimination against students and employees of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education institutions; and (2) the 15th anniversary of Chapter 18 of Alaska Statutes, prohibiting discrimination based on sex or race in public education in Alaska. This report, based on historical, legislative and newspaper archives, and current publications and discussions on gender equity in Alaska education, shows progress that has been made toward gender equity in the areas of athletics, mathematics and science education, vocational education, technology, and education administration. In some areas, such as athletics and non-traditional occupations, things are clearly better than a generation ago. In other areas such as mathematics and science, there has been little change. The report advocates that the state renew its commitment to gender equity by encouraging full participation in education to all of Alaska students. Sections of the paper include: (1) Introduction; (2) Legislation; (3) History; (4) Results; and (5) Status. A 31-item bibliography concludes the paper. (EH)

This report summarizes statewide data and individual school district performance for Alaska's 53 school districts and addresses how well the districts are meeting the goals of the Alaska Quality Schools Initiative. The report is divided into four sections that address the four components of the initiative: high student academic standards and assessment; quality professional standards; family, school, business, and community network; and school excellence standards. The first section, on student assessment, includes results of the California Achievement Test, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Scholastic Assessment Test, and American College Test. This section also includes information on the number of students who passed advanced placement examinations, number of high school graduates, and number of students who received an alternative diploma or certificate. The second section includes information on statewide performance standards for teachers and administrators, licensing and continuing development, teacher salaries, and the number of Alaska hires for 1996. The third section summarizes school district efforts to increase parent involvement in schools. Six districts are currently involved in Partnership 2000, a national initiative to provide opportunities for parent and family support of student learning. The fourth section includes information on school accreditation, certification of preschool education programs, student attendance rate, 9th-grade-cohort graduation rate, annual dropout rates for grades 7-12, environmental education, and total education revenues and expenditures for 1995-96. Data on individual school districts include demography, supplemental program participation, and results of the California Achievement Test. Includes a list of Alaska school districts and superintendents and many data tables and figures. (LP)

This annual report describes activities and accomplishments during fiscal year 1995 of the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) which, among other activities, oversees the Alaska Student Loan Programs (ASLP). The report also reports on the ASLP's administration of a Loan Fund to provide lower-interest loans to Alaska residents. It describes the following ACPE programs: Alaska Student Loans; Family Education Loans; Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Loans; the Professional Student Exchange Program; State Education Incentive Grants; Teacher Scholarship Loans; the WAMI (Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Medical Education Program; the Western Regional Graduate Program; the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program; and the Winn Brindle Memorial Scholarship Loans. The text of the report describes each program, defines eligibility criteria, and summarizes current program participation data and costs. Also reported are the year's activities in the areas of institutional authorization, institutional compliance, activities of the Alaska State Approving Agency (which reviews programs for veterans benefit eligibility), a review of Finance Division responsibilities, and information about support services. Thirteen appendix tables provide additional data on attendance; number, amount, and average size of loans; longitudinal data on total borrowing; most frequently attended institutions; distribution data for the State Education Incentive Grants; and historical data on participation rates for the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education program. (CH)

This report presents recommendations resulting from a study conducted during 1993-94 assessing rural secondary education in Alaska. Components of the study included a survey of 800 randomly selected rural households, a survey of boarding school graduates, an assessment of rural university student achievement, and other related research. A task force was appointed to review the research and to preside over public hearings concerning rural secondary education. The task force recommended to the Alaska State Department of Education that the state should: (1) facilitate the development of educational plans and assessments for rural secondary education at the local level; (2) investigate the feasibility of developing a junior college program at a rural boarding school; (3) facilitate the development of consolidated residential high schools; (4) enhance funding dedicated to public education; and (5) rewrite labor and tenure laws to allow rural school districts more control in hiring teachers. Additional recommendations and supporting discussion concerning boarding schools, vocational education, distance learning, correspondence programs, and high school/university transitional programs are also included. Contains 12 references. (LP)

This report summarizes a study conducted during 1993-94 evaluating rural secondary education in Alaska. The six components of the study included: (1) a survey of boarding school graduates concerning how well their educational experience prepared them for college, trade school, and employment; (2) a telephone survey of 800 rural households assessing the quality of rural education; (3) a two-part review of national research and Alaskan research on rural education, outlining options for improving rural secondary education, and identifying benefits and limitations of the small local high school and residential high school; (4) a study comparing the achievement of rural and urban students at the University of Alaska; (5) interviews with rural high school teachers, superintendents, boarding school personnel, and other stakeholders of rural education; and (6) an analysis identifying the minimum criteria and infrastructure needs for boarding school development and operations. From this research and public hearings, a task force recommended that the state should (1) facilitate the development of educational plans and assessments for rural secondary education at the local level; (2) investigate the feasibility of developing a junior college program at a rural boarding school; (3) facilitate the development of consolidated residential high schools; (4) enhance funding dedicated to public education; and (5) rewrite labor and tenure laws to allow school districts more control in hiring teachers. (LP)

This annual report describes the activities of the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education during the 1992-93 fiscal year and the administration of the various student financial aid programs under its direction. It discusses the Commission's mandate, membership, goals, and current functions, including priorities for the coming year and new program directions. It provides information about the administration of the Alaska Student Loan Program, the Alaska Family Education Loan Program, the Alaska Teacher Scholarship Loan Program, the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Loan Program, and the Alaska Student Loan Corporation. Combined financial statements and auditors' reports are included. It also reviews the activities of the A. W. "Winn" Brindle memorial Scholarship Loan Program; the Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho (WAMI) Medical Exchange Program; the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Professional Student Exchange Program; and the State Educational Incentive Grant Program. An appendix provides additional quantitative data on the Alaska Student Loan Program. (MDM)

This report briefly summarizes Alaska's student financial aid programs and the participation levels for 1991-92. After introductory remarks, more detailed sections focus on the following specific programs: (1) the Alaska Student Loan Program; (2) the Alaska Family Education Loan Program; (3) the Alaska Teacher Scholarship Loan Program; (4) the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Loan Program (federally funded); (5) the A.W. "Winn" Brindle Memorial Scholarship Program; (6) the Alaska Student Loan Corporation; (7) the Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho Medical Program; (8) the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Student Exchange Program; and (9) the State Educational Incentive Grant Program. An appendix contains additional data on the Alaska Student Loan Program such as the top states of attendance for Alaskans, information on the number and amounts of loans made annually to undergraduate and graduate students attending in-state and out-of-state, summaries of the average size loan awarded each year, and data on institutions most frequently attended by Alaska Student Loan borrowers. (GLR)

In accordance with a Legislative Budget and Audit Committee special request and the provisions of Title 24 of the Alaska Statutes, a review was conducted of the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education's experience with various collection contractors used to collect defaulted student loans. The primary purpose was to assess the success that private contractors have had in collecting student loans. The report begins with descriptions of the Alaska Student Loan Program, the Alaska Student Loan Corporation, and two collection agencies: Collect Alaska Network, Inc.; and Patterson and Van Abel. A historical background of the situation of defaulted loans is presented, along with an analysis of the gap in processing past due accounts, the default rate, prospective policy and approach, and attachment of permanent fund dividends. Information regarding collection proceeds and costs is also provided. Recommendations are made for improving internal controls involving collection contracts, and for further developing and implementing a policy for identifying and writing off uncollectible student loan accounts. The Commission's response to the findings and recommendations is attached. (JDD)

A survey of Alaska high school seniors was conducted in fall 1982 to determine students' opinions of their overall high school experience, their need for additional assistance in selected academic and career planning areas, general demographic information, their plans after high school graduation, and specific postsecondary plans. A total of 3,505 (60 percent) of the seniors, completed the questionnaire. A comparison of college-bound and noncollege-bound students covers the following areas: sex, race, school size, household income, grades earned, and occupational choice. For college-bound students, information is presented on the state in which they planned to pursue their postsecondary education, colleges in Alaska they planned to attend, reasons for institutional choice, their familiarity with financial aid, and plans to return to Alaska for those seniors who planned to attend college out of state. Findings include that (1) many seniors expressed a need for assistance in improving mathematics skills and in developing career or educational plans, and (2) seniors who had higher household incomes and who earned higher grades were more likely to plan postsecondary education than were other seniors. A questionnaire is appended. (SW)

The use of instructional facilities at University of Alaska campuses was assessed in 1982 through a comparison of usage rates and prescribed standards. The objective was to assist the state legislature evaluate present and future capital improvements requested by the university and to enhance institutional managerial decisions regarding the need for and use of instructional facilities. Space for classrooms and class laboratories was evaluated, along with average weekly room hours of instruction and percent student station utilization. Overall findings and 11 institutional summaries are presented, along with nine recommendations. In addition, graphic representations of facility usage for each campus are provided, including comparisons between the institutions. Finally, detailed information for each unit of the university system is provided. Computer printouts provide data on each classroom and class laboratory by institution, as well as supporting data. Major findings include that (1) the campuses exhibited varying degrees of need for additional instructional facilities, and (2) there was a strong relationship between the number of part-time students and the evening use of classrooms and class laboratories. (SW)

A joint Teacher Crops/Career Opportunities Program/State of Alaska project in its fifth year, Cross-Cultural Education Development/Alaska Rural Teacher Training Corps (X-CED/ARTTC) focuses on exploration of the ends desirable to meet the educational needs of the culturally different and development of the processes necessary to achieve them. A microcosm of the broader society, it provides a cohesive environment dealing not only with the delivery of instruction but with cross-cultural dynamics and the politics of educational change. X-CED/ARTTC departs from the historical teacher education program in that: (1) the students are field-based; (2) "team leaders" are university instructors with full faculty status, salaried exclusively from State funds and located permanently in the field; and (3) a new and alternative curriculum (in content, process, means, and locale of delivery) is being created by the faculty who combine their knowledge and talents with their experience from living and working in the clientele's cultural environments. This paper presents an overview of the: (1) program's efforts and (2) plan to develop a curriculum which has unique features and will co-exist with the more conventional university offering. The proposed undergraduate and graduate programs are outlined by areas of study and degree emphasis. (NQ)

Issues related to the compilation of a comprehensive statewide plan for postsecondary education in Alaska are addressed. The following areas are examined: planning, coordination, and evaluation; academic program planning and review; student entrance and passage through the Alaska system of postsecondary education; financial support, allocation, and efficiency; facilities planning; and proposed statewide procedure in preparing the Alaska Masterplan for Postsecondary Education. Among the considerations under planning, coordination and evaluation are data collection and management, computerized data and information systems, accountability, external review, and the role of the Alaska Commission of Postsecondary Education. Academic program planning and review considerations include the systems concept, program delivery, program review, review indicators, manpower requirements and projections, maintenance of quality, and consumer protection and disclosure requirements. Additional areas include: equal opportunity, state student financial aid, resource allocation methods, public and private sharing of facilities, and facilities utilization. Appendices include: academic review procedures and criteria; recommendations regarding institutional authorization for consumer protection; a proposal for an educational information network in Alaska; proposed community college funding formula; and facilities inventory and utilization standards and measures. (SW)

This 1980 report describes the present status of Alaskan women in the labor force. Extensive use is made of results of the 1976 Survey of Income and Education, an expanded version of the ongoing population survey conducted by the United States Bureau of Census. These topics are covered: demography of Alaskan women, race, age, families, labor force participation, current employment of women in the government and private sectors, occupations, wage and salary information, higher education and apprenticeship training, women and unemployment, characteristics of the unemployed, characteristics of job seekers, inroads to the work force, Work Incentive Program, Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, and Senior Employment Program. Extensive figures and tables are provided. The following facts are reported: 62% of Alaskan women sixteen years ofage and over are in the civilian labor force, since 1950 the proportion of women heads-of-family has doubled to 11%, women comprise over one-third of private sector employment, women constitute a majority of postsecondary students, women are moving into traditional male-dominated disciplines in postsecondary studies, and the number of women enrolled in apprenticeship programs is almost three times the national average (3%). A list of agencies offering employment assistance is appended. (YLB)

A survey of high school seniors was conducted in Alaska to provide a profile of Alaskan seniors and their postsecondary plans. A written questionnaire, consisting of 17 questions, was sent to all public secondary schools identified as having a twelfth grade and to all senior correspondence students. Responses represented 47 of the 51 districts, and 68 of the 96 schools with a twelfth grade. Of the total 5,123 seniors identified, 2,499 returned the questionnaire. Four types of variables of questions were included: demographic characteristics of the student, high school experiences, postsecondary plans, and detailed plans of respondents planning or pursuing some type of postsecondary education. Two specific questions that were analyzed are: how seniors planning to attend differ from those who are not, and where seniors planning to go to college intend to go and what factors enter into that choice. Seniors were found to be quite satisfied with their high school experiences, but a large number feel in need of additional assistance or education in deciding on a career or education, improving mathematics skills, expressing their ideas in writing, and improving reading skills. The great majority of seniors who plan to pursue education at a postsecondary level plan to leave Alaska. A sample survey form is appended. (SW)

The needs for postsecondary education in Alaska are discussed in a policy statement covering the planning environment (economic and enrollment), need and demand for services, system responsiveness, and supporting resource requirements (faculty, facilities, and funding). Recommendations include the following: (1) Institutions should continue to improve and expand counseling and advisement services for existing and prospective students, with particular emphasis on meeting the needs of the adult continuing education student, and part-time learner, and other groups of nontraditional students such as single parents, women, rural students, and older citizens. (2) Guidelines and funding mechanisms for addressing the need for adult continuing education should be developed and coordinated with various providers of educational opportunities in academic institutions, governmental agencies, business, or industry. (3) The needs of education consumers should be clarified in surveys. (4) Manpower demand and supply analysis for selected fields should be conducted. (5) Regional (multi-state) planning and resource sharing should be encouraged. (6) A state-level student loan program should encourage access to any institution. (7) The concept of a state-wide postsecondary education agency is endorsed to plan postsecondary education and to advise the governor, the legislature, and the educational community. (8) Community colleges should maintain an open admissions policy and low levels of tuition and fee charges for community college students. Further suggestions are made for program offerings, vocational planning, adult basic education, and budgeting. (SW)

This conference was an attempt to have the fishing industry join the state of Alaska in building fisheries education programs. Topics addressed in papers presented at the conference include: (1) fisheries as a part of life in Alaska, addressing participation of Alaska natives in commercial fisheries and national efforts; (2) the international perspective, discussing fisheries education system in Japan, Newfoundland fisheries, fisheries education in Denmark, and fisheries research and training programs of the Whitefish Authority (Hull, England); (3) technology of the fishing industry, including community college, university, and college programs; (4) fish as food, considering the educational needs of the seafood processing industry/workers and educational needs in food science and technology; (5) marine resource management, discussing aquaculture systems, constraints and outlook for fisheries and aquaculture, and education for marine resource management; and (6) the business of fishing, focusing on education for the business of fishing, educating fishermen and others to appreciate the importance of fishing as a business, and government involvement in United States fisheries development. Summaries of workshops considering fisheries and marine education needs in Alaskan elementary and secondary schools, planning for vocational/technical education, and university level programs (providing a survey of educational needs of fisheries/ecologists) are included. (JN)

During the fall of the 1986-87 school year, Alaska high school seniors were asked their opinions of their overall high school experience, their need for additional assistance in selected academic and career planning areas, and general demographic information (sex, race, school size, household income, grades, and occupational choice), as well as what they planned to do after high school graduation. Of the 6,649 Alaska seniors, 2,971 (44.7%) responded to the survey. Comparisons were made between students planning for postsecondary education and those not planning for it. Questions were included to obtain information on disciplines targeted for statewide examination by the State Department of Education (science, natural resources, and social sciences). Among the findings are: (1) a doubling of the percentage (22.7%) of seniors rating their overall high school experience as "poor", compared to previous years; (2) differences in satisfaction among students in large schools compared to small schools; and (3) generally high overall satisfaction with decision-making abilities and experience in the target areas. Appended are the survey instrument and selected data tables. (LB)

A summary is presented of findings from a survey that sought to record the opinions of teachers and administrators in the Alaskan schools on key educational issues. Results of previous nationwide surveys are synthesized on the topics of teacher education programs, teacher certification, inservice teacher education programs, and incentive programs. Responses from Alaskan educators on important issues that will have an impact on teacher education and certification in their state are presented in the second section. The issues include: (1) attracting persons to the teaching profession; (2) teacher preparation; (3) teacher certification issues; (4) recertification of teachers; and (5) incentive programs. The final section offers statistical results and data analysis of a statewide climate survey. Graphs and charts depicting results are accompanied by narrative analysis of the issue under consideration and the educators' opinions. The statewide climate survey instrument is appended. (JD)

Pertinent information about the Alaska Student Loan Program is summarized. The topics covered include: purpose of the program; terms; questions and answers concerning loan amounts, application procedures and repayment; a payment reminder including a schedule of payments; the Alaska student loan statutes; and the Alaska student loan regulations. (KM)

The seventh annual survey of Alaska public and private high school seniors was conducted to document the pattern of postsecondary education outside the state and to understand underlying motivations. For 1983-84, 2,949 of a total of 5,952 seniors in 217 schools responded to queries on their sex, race, primary home language, family income, academic rank, opinion of school experience, need for assistance in academic and career planning, and postsecondary plans. Results indicate that while most students are satisfied with high school experiences, those from large schools are more satisfied than those from small schools; those with higher household incomes and higher grades are more likely to continue with postsecondary education; only 26.9% of seniors from small schools plan to attend 4-year postsecondary schools as compared to 46.9% from large schools; of those planning to attend college, 40.2% plan to attend schools in Alaska; students choose out-of-state schools because specific programs are available; 75% of seniors planning to attend out-of-state colleges plan to return to Alaska after completing schooling. A follow-up to the 1982-83 senior survey is appended and indicates the survey predicts, with a high degree of accuracy, the proportion of seniors who will attend in-state postsecondary institutions. (NEC)