ALASKA TRENDS.

How Alaska approaches PK-12 education is outlined in Alaska Statute 14.03.015: "It is the policy of this state that the purpose of education is to help ensure that all students will succeed in their education and work, shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values of society, and be effective in improving the character and quality of the world about them."

Providing Alaskan students access to quality educational opportunities is an ongoing challenge, and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's (DEED) role in achieving that goal is to provide leadership support, resources, and information.

For Alaska Trends this month, we selected data from DEED to provide a big picture view of youth education in the Last Frontier. For more data and information on the state's education efforts, visit education.alaska.gov.

Alaska has 54 school districts 496 schools and 132,577...