ANCHORAGE — The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs heard from the Arctic Slope Community Foundation that a tribal educator apprenticeship program can address chronic teacher turnover and increase the share of Alaska Native teachers teaching Native students.

“The biggest challenge in education is that our children continue to face some of the lowest educational outcomes,” said the foundation’s executive director, describing statewide figures he attributed to chronic underfunding and high teacher turnover. He told the committee that less than 5 percent of Alaska’s teachers are Alaska Native while roughly 25 percent of students are Alaska Native.

The foundation’s tribal educator apprenticeship, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, allows community members to “earn while they learn” and gain certification without leaving their villages. The program has enrolled 24 apprentices since 2023, the executive director said, but demand exceeds available funding and organizers turned candidates away in 2024 because of money shortages.

Panelists, including Senator Murkowski, said the draft legislation includes a section to fund similar apprenticeship programs and asked the committee to ensure direct funding and technical assistance to tribes and local partners.

No statutory language was adopted at the roundtable; staff will consider testimony while drafting the education provisions.