The Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) and Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) have reviewed the AK Star Assessment results released by the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) on Aug. 30.
Members of the Alaska Superintendent Association (ASA) worked with DEED to develop the assessment and implement a test to measure student growth over time and drive student learning. Together with MAP Growth and AK Star, educators and parents can better understand their students’ overall growth and where students need additional assistance and intervention support.
“The test results just released give us input to evaluate student performance and growth in Alaska,” that statement said. “We are encouraged to see modest growth in proficiency and noteworthy findings in the release of the AK Star results. Along with the use of MAP and M-Class tests, educators can inform families of their student’s progress throughout the year. The spring 2024 AK Star results will help us to assess student growth in the coming years and see the progress being made to increase student achievement with consistent support.”
As with previous assessments, there was high participation among students attending neighborhood schools and Charter Schools: 94.4% in English, 94.2% in Math, and 89.9% in science. However, it remains difficult to evaluate correspondence performance statewide, with only 14.7% participation in English, 14.6% in Math, and 10.5% in science.
Statewide assessments of students play a pivotal role in evaluating the effectiveness of educational systems and ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all. These assessments provide valuable insights into students’ academic progress, allowing educators and policymakers to identify strengths and areas for improvement within the curriculum and teaching methods. Moreover, statewide assessments help maintain accountability standards by measuring the overall performance of schools and districts, providing transparency, and promoting informed decision-making.
“By regularly assessing student achievement statewide, educational stakeholders can implement targeted interventions, allocate resources more efficiently, and foster a culture of continuous improvement in education. Ultimately, these assessments serve as essential tools in striving toward educational excellence and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential,” the statement said.
Lon Garrison, AASB Executive Director, and Dr. Lisa Parady, ACSA Executive Director, acknowledge the resilience and dedication of educators amidst nearly a decade of state underfunding. Dr. Parady and Mr. Garrison emphasize the challenges faced, including larger class sizes and unfilled teaching positions, hindering personalized student instruction—especially compounded by the demands of the new Alaska Reads Act—without sufficient state funding.
“The statewide assessment scores reflect the repercussions of chronic underfunding and instability within Alaska’s public school system, directly impacting student education outcomes. I am confident that education leaders will continue to commit all available resources to supporting and improving the achievement of our Alaska students,” states Dr. Lisa Parady, ACSA.
“The results of the AK Star Assessment indicate that Alaska’s students are making gradual progress, but they still face significant challenges. It’s no surprise that with limited resources, local school boards struggle to improve student success. To achieve the state’s goal of providing an excellent education for every child every day, it’s crucial for the State of Alaska to make deliberate and sufficient investments and for local governance to be effective, along with the implementation of high-quality curriculum and instruction.” Lon Garrison, AASB.
ACSA and AASB are committed to ensuring the success of every student in the state. We will continue to work with partners in the education community, DEED, and legislators to ensure that every student in Alaska has access to the education they need to succeed.
