News From Dept. of Education & Early Development

Last Call! DEED Seeking Public Comment on COVID-19 State Plan Addendum

To address the extraordinary circumstances of extended and widespread closures of schools due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, on March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education invited, pursuant to section 8401(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), each State educational agency to request a waiver, for the 2019-2020 school year, of assessment, accountability and school identification, and certain related reporting requirements. DEED applied for and received this waiver. Your participation and engagement are encouraged and appreciated as we work together to determine how best to amend our State plan due to the impacts of COVID-19 on accountability for the 2020-2021 school year.  DEED will be hosting two webinars about the State Plan Addendum on December 18^th and December 22^nd.  For more information and webinar connection information, please view the full public notice.

Last Call! Join the DEED team!

DEED is recruiting for a Public Information Officer III. This position manages communication and outreach for the department, including written materials, media relations, and social media. This position may be located in Anchorage, Juneau, or Fairbanks. Interested applications should apply via Workplace Alaska. The recruitment closes December 21.

NEW! DEED Reconsideration FY22 Capital Improvement Project Grant Rankings Available

DEED’s FY2022 reconsideration school construction and major maintenance priority lists are now available. Reconsideration lists are revised based on DEED determinations on district requests for reconsideration relating to rank, budget, and eligibility established in the initial lists previously issued. 

NEW! Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee Member Recruitment

Applicants with an interest in school facilities and their impact on the education of Alaska’s school children are currently being sought to fill positions on the committee, with appointment terms beginning March 1, 2021, through February 28, 2025. The committee approves the department’s capital improvement project application and develops criteria for cost-effective school construction. Letters of interest and resumes are requested by January 18. 

NEW! DEED Announces Alaska Agencies Providing Free Meals to Children

The Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), Child Nutrition Programs, announces the participation of Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) agencies in Alaska to provide meals free of charge to enrolled children without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. You can find a list of CACFP agencies on the Alaska CACFP website. These non-profit, for-profit, or governmental agencies include child care centers, adult day care centers, Head Start programs, emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool and outside school hour care centers, and family day care home providers. These agencies receive funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) CACFP. DEED’s Child Nutrition Programs staff oversee all aspects of this program.  For more information, read the full press release.

December 2020 at the APK and SJM – Virtual Exhibit!

Lot of exciting things are happening at the Father Andrew P. Kashervaroff Museum and Sheldon Jackson Museum this month!  You can see a preview of the new exhibit, MITCH DID THIS³ by Mitch Watley beginning December 4^th.

Alaska State Library, Archives and Museums Continued Closure

The Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum in the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff building will remain closed to the public through December 19 per the Governor’s instructions issued November 12. Please check our web site at lam.alaska.gov for updates.

For assistance during regular Monday through Friday business hours, please call:

Archives............................................... 465-2270
Library Reading Room.......................... 465-2920
Library Historical Collections............... 465-2925
Museum............................................... 465-2901

Women of Alaska Display Featured on Official Election Pamphlet

Women of Alaska is an exhibit on virtual display through the Alaska State Library and Archives. Women have played a significant role in shaping Alaska into the state it is today. Women of Alaska recognizes and celebrates their achievements and contributions to the economic, academic, social, cultural, and political fields within our communities.

Alaska Statewide Virtual System Discussion Board

AKSVS teachers, are you looking for a place of discussion and support? Interested in meeting and sharing with other Alaskan teachers using AKSVS? Check out the Teacher Channel Discussion Board through the Alaska Professional Learning Network.

Trauma Engaged Toolkit Professional Development Opportunities

This fall AASB & DEED will be hosting a series of webinars featuring the Transforming Schools Framework and Toolkit. The first session will take place on September 15^th and will focus on Self Care. Please continue to check back as more sessions are added.

New DEED Science Education Listserv

DEED launched a new Science Education! The listserv will be a space for science teachers in Alaska to share information on teaching practices, instructional resources, community partnerships, lesson plan and unit ideas, professional development opportunities, and to discuss topical concerns in science instruction. DEED will also use it to push out notifications regarding opportunities in science education.  All science teachers in Alaska (pre-K, K-12, and collegiate) are encouraged to join.

Documenting the Impact of COVID-19 on Life in Alaska

The Alaska State Libraries, Archives, and Museums Division is documenting the impact of COVID-19 on life in Alaska. You can help by sharing documents, images, journals, audio recordings, videos, and other digital or tangible items relating to COVID-19 in Alaska.

BrainPOP Subscription

Many of you know that Alaska has a statewide license to BrainPOP, but did you know that your teachers can unlock additional features through individual accounts that can only be set up at the school level? At no additional charge to you?

• For students to access BrainPop: click the LOG IN tab (not ENTER CODE)
• For teachers to whose schools are set up to use BrainPop Educator: use the ENTER CODE

If you have the username and password for DEED’s statewide subscription, please only share it in a way that no one on the internet besides your patrons or students can access the username/password. (i.e. direct e-mail ok, posting to your social media/website/blog is NOT.) If you don’t have the current SLED database credentials, visit the SLED Password Request form and fill it out completely. Expect a response within one business day. The SLED usernames and passwords are good for nearly all the SLED Databases and resources. One request will empower you to help with just about anything SLED related. Contact Martha Ketsdever, BrainPOP Account Manager for Alaska State Libraries, for more information.

Seeking Public Review and Comment on State Content Standards

DEED is seeking review and comment on state content standards. We encourage parents, educators, and communities to take a few minutes to provide input on Alaska's current English Language Arts and Mathematics standards adopted in 2012.