News from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

AKCIS.org – Alaska Career Information System

The future may be uncertain, but a Personal Learning & Career Plans put students in charge of their futures. Whether students are meeting in-person in your classroom, online synchronously or asynchronously, or with little access to the internet, AKCIS allows students to answer, “Who am I?”, “Where am I going?”, and “How do I get there?”  ACPE sponsors this robust resource FREE to everyone in Alaska. 

To receive the AKCIS Newsletter each month, sign-up here: http://list.state.ak.us/mailman/listinfo/akcis. 

Single Sign-on with Clever Rostering

Students are accessing their AKCIS Personal Learning & Career Plans (PLCPs) using single sign-on through Clever.  This means students do not have to remember their usernames and passwords, and teachers and counselors save time on the data management side.  Clever authenticates student credentials between the district SIS and AKCIS. 

Clever is available to schools for free, including complimentary tech support.

Need assistance, or not sure if your district is using Clever to access AKCIS, please contact Julia Renfro at AKCIS@alaska.gov.

New! AKCIS PLCP 360

AKCIS is growing! We've been listening to your experiences and requests and have launched a brand new look and feel for AKCIS called AKCIS PLCP 360! The new site is more accessible, intuitive, and easier for students to navigate. This session walks through navigation including the User Dashboard, PLCP activities, Assessments, Careers Clusters and Careers, Schools, and Employment, including document creation for Resume and Cover Letter tasks.  

Audience: Students, Families, Teachers, Counselors, College and Career Advisors, District Personnel, Administrators

Webinar Recording: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3nhVYVDEn0

Alaska LIVE Job Shadows archived webinars available

Review and share our recorded Alaska LIVE Job Shadows videos.  6^th-12^th grade students joined us to ask Alaska guest panelists more about their careers. We also highlighted programs of study available to school-aged students who are interested in these fields. Specific Employability Skills, or “Human Skills”, are important to Alaska employers. Each recording focuses on one of the Employability Skills.

Recordings for previous events are available for:

• Oil & Gas Occupations here
• Construction Occupations here
• Health Occupations here
• Maritime Occupations here

ACPE Launches Enhanced Education Refinance Loan Program for Student Loan Borrowers

To better address the challenges of student loan debt in Alaska, the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) introduces an enhanced Education Refinance Loan program (REFI). Through ACPE’s enhanced REFI loan program, borrowers have the opportunity to refinance their current private, state, and federal education loans into one loan with a repayment term of their choosing. Applicants may select a repayment term of 5, 10, or 15 years, through a convenient and secure online application process. Offering fixed interest rates ranging from 3.55% to 5.00%, one simplified lower monthly payment, no origination fee, or pre-payment penalties, ACPE’s REFI program offers Alaskans a way to lower their monthly expenses and save their hard-earned money.

Alaskans interested in saving money and refinancing their outstanding education loans are encouraged to visit ACPE’s REFI loan site (acpe.alaska.gov/LOANS/Refinance-Loan) to review these program enhancements and submit their application.

ACPE Releases the Alaska Performance Scholarship Program Review and Recommendations Report

The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education has published a report reviewing 10 years of the Alaska Performance Scholarship, including recommendations to improve the program. The report was created by McKinley Research (formerly McDowell Group). ACPE is developing an action plan to address the recommendations laid out in the report. ACPE welcomes questions and feedback. You can find the report here.

ACPE to continue suspension on testing requirement for Alaska Performance Scholarship

To preserve student access to the Alaska Performance Scholarship, and at the direction of the Alaska Department of Law, ACPE will continue to administratively suspend the APS testing requirements for Alaska’s 2021 high school graduates. Eligibility will be determined by meeting existing curriculum and GPA requirements. Read more: https://acpe.alaska.gov/FINANCIAL-AID/AK-Performance-Scholarship

Early Career Explorers – PreK-4th grade FREE Downloadable Educational Resources (in-school, distance learning, and hybrid models)

ACPE’s Early Career Explorers educational resources incorporate career exploration alongside traditional subjects to be used in the classroom or at home. Students build a strong foundation to better understand the importance of academics, extracurricular activities, and healthy study habits as it relates to future career goals. Contact Shelly.Morgan@alaska.gov or 907-269-7972 for additional details.

I Know I Can – 1^st-3rd grade FREE Early College & Career Exploration e-Book and Activities (in-school, distance learning, and hybrid models)

Provided by ACPE and Alaska 529 College Savings Plan, the I Know I Can story, and educational activities are available for FREE for teachers and families to share with 1^st-3^rd grade students. Individual books and program materials can be delivered to schools PLUS a digital download, student activities and family tips are also available online. Virtual events connect volunteers with classrooms to read and discuss the story. Students are encouraged to draw pictures of their career dreams and complete related educational activities. Contact shelly.morgan@alaska.gov or 907-269-7972 for additional details.

Kids2College – 5^th-8^th grade FREE Early College & Career Exploration Digital Resources (in-school, distance learning, and hybrid models)

Provided by ACPE and Alaska 529 College Savings Plan, the 5^th-8^th grade Kids2College program is available for classroom & distance delivery, and includes six lessons, 1-hr each with pre-made/customizable PowerPoint presentations, video or virtual college & career panels, virtual campus tours & events, and printed or digital student workbooks and teacher’s guides. Students identify career interests and build personal learning and career plans; learn how to best prepare for college and career training; and learn about college entrance exams, admissions, and financial aid. Please contact shelly.morgan@alaska.gov for additional details.

FAFSA Wednesdays

To meet the needs of students and families who may not be able to receive FAFSA assistance within the hours of operation of the ACPE Success Center, we have introduced weekly evening assistance via FAFSA Wednesdays.

Every Wednesday, year round, an ACPE’s FAFSA Expert is available on Zoom between 3PM and 6PM ready to answer any FAFSA-related questions or guide individuals through the entire FAFSA process if that is the need.

FAFSA Wednesdays sessions are free to attend and no registration is required. Individuals can drop in at any time between 3PM and 6PM on Zoom to receive assistance. For more information, please connect with Dominika Szpotanska, ACAC Coordinator.

ACPE Virtual Success Center – Postsecondary Planning Assistance

Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) Success Center staff are available to answer questions about FAFSA, scholarships, postsecondary programs, and more! If you or your students have questions about navigating the postsecondary landscape in these uncertain times, please contact ACPE’s Success Center team at 800-441-2962, Option 4.