Overview

Alaska has 55 school districts many of which are located in rural parts of the state. Most districts face high rates of teacher turnover and a general shortage of Alaska Native teachers. The Alaska Teacher Supply and Demand 2005 report found that while Alaska Natives roughly make up 24% of the student enrollment in K-12 public schools statewide, Alaska Native teachers only represented about 5% of the teaching force.

In 2003, the Alaska Teacher Placement (ATP) program at the University of Alaska co-hosted five rural educator forums which shared a common theme, the need to grow-our-own teachers. As a follow up to these forums ATP, in partnership with the Alaska Federation of Natives and three rural school districts, applied for and received funds from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a statewide FTA program. Under the three-year grant, over 16 FTA clubs were established in the Bering Strait School District, Lower Kuskokwim School District and Nome Public Schools.

A second three-year grant was awarded in 2006 which expanded FTA to include four additional school districts (Lower Yukon, Northwest Arctic Borough, Lake and Peninsula, and Yukon Flats), Alaska Native Education Association, Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska's Schools (PITAAS), Alaska Native Education Student Association (ANESA) and numerous other affiliates.

2006-2009 FTA Program Goals:

• Expand the FTA program from three to seven school districts
• Develop best practices for FTA clubs and curriculum
• Involve key stakeholders in planning how to help FTA club high school students cross the bridge into college

There are currently over 50 active FTA clubs across the state. Club members range from kindergarteners to high school seniors. Most clubs meet weekly after school to participate in a variety of fun and interesting activities designed to support their interest in teaching.

"FTA is necessary for improving the career outlook and opportunities for students in rural Alaska."

— Jennifer Romer, Teacher

FTA WEB OF CONNECTIONS:

FTA operates based on a "web of connections" that begins with the FTA students at the core. Students are guided by a local FTA Advisor (most often a teacher or school counselor). FTA Advisors are networked with a FTA Coordinator (typically a school district employee) that serves as a point of contact for all Advisors in their school districts as well as the statewide FTA staff. The connections continue at the statewide level with partners that include the Alaska Native Education Association, PITAAS and ANESA, the FTA Planning Group and FTA Advisory Committee, as well as the many communities that support and nurture FTA students.