Is Alaska moving too fast away from its local schools?

Alaska will close 12 more schools this year, adding pressure on families who depend on neighborhood education. While some leaders praise charter schools and homeschooling, they often forget how many households need the safety net of their local public school. Alaska’s rising cost of living means many parents juggle two or three jobs just to get by. A single mom working night shifts doesn’t have extra hours to drive her kids to a charter school across town. For her children, the neighborhood school is the only realistic option. Cuts to local schools don’t just affect classrooms. They hurt the whole town. When a school closes, families move away. Empty school buildings can’t attract new businesses or young workers. Alaska already struggles to keep skilled tradespeople like welders and electricians. Many of these training programs are run out of traditional public schools. If those schools disappear, fewer students will learn the trades needed to fill those jobs.People say charter schools and homeschooling give families freedom. That’s true—for those who can take advantage of it. But what about the kids who need special education, speech therapy, or counseling? Those services mostly live in neighborhood schools. Charter schools and homeschool groups often still rely on the local public school for sports, music, and advanced classes. If the neighborhood school shuts down, those shared activities can vanish too. Some policymakers treat local schools and choice programs as rivals. They’re not. They should work together. A strong neighborhood school doesn’t block innovation; it makes it possible. When families have a safe, well-funded public school nearby, they’re more likely to stay in their community. That keeps the town alive and the local economy growing. Closing schools too quickly risks making Alaska less attractive for everyone.