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The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) School of Education has received the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) gives this national award to educator preparation providers whose programs earn reaccreditation with no areas for improvement or stipulations.
UAS is the first institution in Alaska to receive this distinction, and is among a small group of providers nationwide to be recognized in this way.
“This award reflects the quality of our teacher preparation programs and the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Carlee Simon, dean of the UAS School of Education. “Reaccreditation affirmed that both our initial and advanced programs meet national standards. The Frank Murray Award goes a step further by highlighting that our initial programs reached the top tier of excellence with no findings at all. That is rare and speaks to the strength of our programs and partnerships across Alaska.”
Named for Frank Murray, the founding president of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and an early member of the CAEP Board of Directors, the award recognizes educator preparation providers that meet all accreditation standards and demonstrate strong evidence of continuous improvement.
“This recognition underscores our commitment not only to meeting standards but to preparing educators who are ready to serve Alaska’s students and communities from day one,” Simon added.
For more information about the UAS School of Education and its programs, visit uas.alaska.edu/education.
DEED will be hosting several Communities of Practices (CoPs) during the FY26 school year. These CoPs will be starting in October. DEED will contact you with more information about each CoP you choose. Click on this link to receive more information on one or more CoPs.
Reducing Chronic Absenteeism
DEED is launching a statewide campaign to help you address chronic absenteeism in our schools, we know schools have been working on this issue, and we want to support you as we move towards a successful reduction. This COP will be a place for Educators to gather and share ideas from across the state and nation.
School Mental Health
The Community of Practice will be a space for district representatives and community partners to share ideas and resources, explore types of mental health supports in schools, and implement strategy options in different regions.
School Safety
This community of practice around the development of Threat Assessment Teams and other safety topics that arise from districts.
Safe Children's Act for Teachers
This community of practice allows for teachers and other school staff members to share ideas about how they are implementing the safe children's act lessons to prevent child sexual abuse and dating violence. Resources will be available throughout the school year.
Safe Children's Act for Providers
There are many local agencies and other health providers that schools invite to support their efforts to meet the safe children's act. This community of practice is a space to help these agencies support schools when asked.
Rural School Counselor/Social Worker/Nurse
During these meetings, Seattle Children’s provides speakers to address specific concerns expressed by the group. The goal is to increase support to rural and remote School Counselors and School Social Workers in the hopes of assisting them in supporting their schools, as well as reducing turnover at these sites.
School Health ECHO
Meets monthly to address best practices for school health.
 All certificated educators are obligated to abide by the Code of Ethics. School administrators should distribute the Code of Ethics to certified staff regularly. School administrators are advised to distribute the PTPC Handbook to each school site annually, per 20 AAC 10.310.
More information can be found at https://education.alaska.gov/ptpc or contact: Executive Director Melody Mann
 REGISTER ONCE and join us on Zoom every Tuesday and Thursday between September 16 and October 14, 2025 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for a variety of unique live sessions from a multitude of new and returning Guest Presenters!
Who Should Attend the ACAC Training?
Professionals from educational institutions, state agencies, Alaska Native Corporations and Tribal Organizations, and local non-profits who help Alaska’s students plan and prepare for postsecondary education and career training are encouraged to take advantage of this free professional development opportunity.
Why Attend the ACAC Training?
The ACAC Training will equip you with the knowledge, resources, and tools to support Alaska’s students navigate their postsecondary journey. Additionally, you will develop partnerships and engage in meaningful collaboration with other Education and Workforce Development Stakeholders from all over Alaska!
What to Expect?
For the 2025 ACAC Training, we will continue with our successful series of short, unique live sessions from a multitude of new and returning Guest Presenters. ACAC Training sessions will take place on Zoom, on every Tuesday and Thursday, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Sessions will be recorded and made available promptly.
Please reach out to Dominika Szpotanska, ACAC Coordinator, with any questions.
State funds available for school districts to support hunter education programs!
DEED released this Request for Applications September 11th. Applications are due to DEED by October 3 at 5:00pm. Funding is available for 10-20 grants of up to $50,000 each. Funded activities can include programs that promote the safe handling and use of firearms with students, professional development for teachers or community members to become hunter education instructors, and provision of supplies and student course fees for the Department of Fish and Game Hunter Education Program. Firearms and ammunition cannot be funded. Emphasis is placed on the Hunter Education Course and Volunteer Instructor Information available from Alaska Department of Fish and Game which is already prepared to provide all necessary equipment for completion of the State’s established Hunter Education Certification Course.
Contact Sheila Box with questions at 907.465.8704 or sheila.box@alaska.gov .
Join DEED at 2:00 on Thursday, October 16 to learn about a new Exemplar Parent Handbook for Preschool. REGISTER HERE This presentation is part of the 2025-2026 webinar series: Alaska Early Education Program Standards.
The exemplar handbook was developed to serve as a clear, accessible model for early childhood programs across the state. It reflects best practices in family engagement, early learning, and operational transparency and is aligned with the Alaska Early Education Program Standards.
Funding provided by AASB, developed in cooperation with DEED.
Contact Jayne.mcfarland@alaska.gov with questions.
ACPE (Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education) – Alaska’s Higher Education Agency is thrilled to offer a suite of FREE resources to help educators support PK-12 students as they explore and plan for education and career training after high school.
You can access all Kids2Careers resources at: https://acpe.alaska.gov/Kids2Careers.
On this page, you will find Kids2Careers resources for Educators & Partners as well as Students & Families. Here are some examples of the content available through Kids2Careers:
Kids2Careers Postsecondary Planning Presentations (9-12):
For classroom or evening presentations with families, these presentations highlight time-sensitive steps, where to access, and how to use Kids2Careers planning resources & templates. Zoom is the most common form of presentation delivery. (Modified presentation available for neurodivergent and transition students.)
Kids2Careers Postsecondary & Career Prep Panel Discussion (5-12):
Available with or without the Kids2Careers Curriculum Program (described below). Panelists share their pathways to success, including high school planning steps, lessons learned, and college/training experiences; Q&A with students and panelists.
Kids2Careers Classroom Curriculum (5-8):
Postsecondary & career exploration curriculum typically used with grades 5-8; however, some smaller high schools and ELL classrooms use the 6-lesson Classroom Curriculum.
Early Career Explorers Activities (PK-4):
Designed for early elementary, some special needs students in middle and high school also use the Early Career Explorers downloadable activities, depending on their developmental level.
Planning Resources & Templates for Students and Families:
- Grade Level Planning Steps (for students & families)
- College & Career Training Tips (for college-bound and technical-bound students)
- Planning Templates (for college-bound and technical-bound students)
- Digital Planning Calendar (Alaska-specific deadlines; Google calendar can be personalized and shared; for college-bound and technical-bound students)
To schedule a meeting or an overview presentation, visit: https://meetingwithshelly.youcanbook.me
Please contact Shelly.Morgan@alaska.gov or 907-269-7972 for additional details.
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is excited to share that three new pathways for Educator Registered Apprenticeship have been approved! Adding to the existing K-12 Teacher Pathways, DEED is now approved to offer Secondary and Special Education Teacher Apprenticeship pathways and a Principal Apprenticeship pathway under DEED sponsorship. These expanded apprenticeship opportunities are available due to the incredible partnership between DEED, the Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education consortium, Sealaska Heritage Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, and the National Center for Grow Your Own.
Alaska’s Educator Apprenticeship programs are part of a national movement to address teacher turnover and ensure that all students have access to highly trained teachers. Alaska committed to addressing teacher turnover with the Alaska’s Education Challenge, which lead to the Alaska Teacher Retention and Recruitment Playbook. Creating new pathways for paraprofessionals to become certified teachers was a noted strategy, and DEED recognized that the new Apprenticeship for educators approach was well aligned to state goals. According to David Donaldson, the founder and managing partner of the National Center for Grow Your Own, Alaska is one of the first ten States to have their Principal Apprenticeship Pathway approved by the United State Department of Labor. DEED is working closely with districts around the state to share more information about these preparation pathways and how they can support potential educators in reaching their career goals and filling vital district positions.
Learn more about Alaska’s Educator Apprenticeship programs here: https://education.alaska.gov/t-rap.
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