 AK STAR and Alaska Science Standards Validation-
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DEED will conduct a validation study for both the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) and the Alaska Science Assessment in May 2023. The purpose of the validation study is to evaluate whether the assessment cut scores approved in summer 2022 remain appropriate for 2023 and future test administrations. Cut scores are those scale scores that sit at the borders of two achievement levels and allow us to define proficient and non-proficient performance.
As part of the validation study, DEED invites stakeholders to participate in meetings to revisit the established cut scores and review student performance from the 2022 and 2023 administrations of AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment. This process will allow DEED to ensure the cut scores are an accurate reflection of student performance in Alaska.
Stakeholders are invited to submit their name and experience by completing the Educator Interest Survey to be considered for these studies.
The validation study meetings will take place virtually according to the following schedule—
AK STAR
May 23 – 25, 2023
8:00 am – 5:00 pm daily
Alaska Science Assessment
May 31 – June 1
8:00 am – 5:00 pm daily
Please contact Kari Quinto or Rachel Schweissing for more information.
 Four Teachers Named Finalists for Alaska Teacher of the Year
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development announced four teachers as finalists for the 2024 Alaska Teacher of the Year: Catherine Walker (Anchorage School District), Jennifer Reinhart (Kenai Peninsula Borough School District), Megan Henry (Anchorage School District), and Michelle Heminger (Fairbanks North Star Borough School District).
“Congratulations to our four finalists for Alaska’s Teacher of the Year and those who were selected by their peers for this special recognition,” said Acting Commissioner Heidi Teshner. “These four teachers are a testament to the teaching profession and deserve recognition for the impact they are making in the classroom and in their school communities. Thank you for choosing to be a public school teacher in Alaska and for all you do to help our students be successful.”
Media Contact:
Laurel Shoop
Special Assistant and Legislative Liaison
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
(907) 465-8703
 Registration is Open!
The time has come to register for the upcoming Alaska School Safety & Well-Being Summit! Educational leaders, key staff, and strategic stakeholders, including representation from every district across the state, will convene to improve school safety and well-being in Alaska by both learning and sharing methods to: Promote healthy development through trauma-engaged and restorative practices, improve school climate, and be better prepared for any possible school crisis.
Each district will be provided a small travel grant to help bring in a team that may include administrators, teachers, school counselors, parents, community members, and school board members.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 – Thursday, September 14, 2023 William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center Anchorage, Alaska
Kaktovik Students, Teacher Create Innovative Numbering System
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We are incredibly proud to announce that the Kaktovic numerals, a unique numbering system created by students and their teacher in Kaktovik to reflect the Iñupiaq oral counting system, have been encoded into Unicode as of September 2022! This innovative system, based on the human body – hands, fingers, and toes – will now be accessible on smartphones and computers worldwide.
Thank you to Unicode and Google for recognizing and supporting this incredible achievement, which demonstrates the power of cultural preservation and the ingenuity of Alaska's young minds!
Find out more about the Kaktovic numerals and their journey to Silicon Valley in this article from Scientific American.
Let's celebrate the success of our Kaktovik students and their valuable contribution to the global community!
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Through May 2023, DEED is hosting weekly hour-long webinars to take a deeper dive into the Alaska Reads Act. The webinars will focus on each of the four programmatic parts of the Alaska Reads Act, as well as teacher certification, data collections, and application to world and Alaska Language programs. Multiple webinars are also scheduled which will be dedicated entirely for Q&A and clarification. These webinars are open to the public but will be tailored to educators leading implementation efforts in each district or school.
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Alaska Career Information Systems (AKCIS) 360 is now even more scalable from small to large schools and districts. Join Alaska districts and schools who are innovatively implementing Personal Learning & Career Plans (PLCPs) to help every student discover how their studies in school and work-based learning opportunities are preparing them for their future.
What is new? Responsive design, self-surveys, and their results, to name a few! However, all of the critical features you have come to use and rely on from AKCIS are available to you, including the connections to Alaska resources providing access to training before students graduate, as well as how to explore and research postsecondary education options in Alaska and out-of-state.
If you have already participated in AKCIS 360 training this year, navigate to https://acpe.alaska.gov/PLANNING/AKCIS
On-Demand training is available on the News from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) page https://education.alaska.gov/information-exchange-blog/news-from-the-alaska-commission-on-postsecondary-education-76
AKCIS 360 is sponsored and administered by ACPE.
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