Rural Alaska offers remarkable opportunities for teachers – most of whom originate from outside the state – to establish relationships with unique communities, connect to land cared for by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, and engage in efforts to align schools with Indigenous peoples’ aspirations for their children’s education.
By Timothy E. Jester, Professor, Coordinator of MEd Teaching and Learning Program, School of Education, University of Alaska Anchorage
Tonia Dousay, Dean, School of Education, University of Alaska Anchorage
Bill Hill, Former Superintendent, Bristol Bay Borough School District
Ty Mase, Superintendent, Chugach School District, Former Superintendent, Lake and Peninsula Borough School District
Aleesha Towns-Bain, Executive Director, Bristol Bay Foundation
Despite these benefits, teacher turnover is almost twice as high in rural schools than elsewhere in Alaska: 36% compared to 19% in urban schools. These high rates of turnover disrupt classrooms and communities and put a costly strain on school districts’ budgets.
Amid this challenge, an innovative partnership program is working to rewrite the story of teacher retention in the Bristol Bay Region of Alaska. The partners include the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), the Bristol Bay Foundation, and four rural school districts: Bristol Bay, Dillingham City, Lake and Peninsula, and Southwest Region.
The Bristol Bay Region is home to three Indigenous groups: Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Dena’ina, and Yup’ik. The schools, which serve predominantly Alaska Native students (80%), are accessible only by plane, boat, snow machine, or dog sled. Student enrollment in the districts ranges from 113 to 574. The average teacher turnover rate is 32%, comparable to neighboring school districts.
In 2020, two visionary superintendents from the Bristol Bay Region shared a plan to improve teacher retention and enhance educators’ connections to students and communities. They proposed designing a Master’s degree program that recognizes the value of educators’ experiences living and teaching in rural communities, emphasizing place-based education tailored to the region’s Indigenous communities.
This vision found fertile ground at UAA’s School of Education, where the faculty and the dean immediately saw connections to the MEd in Teaching and Learning program, a flexible 30-credit online program for practicing educators. Leaders at the Bristol Bay Foundation also recognized the potential for enhancing Indigenous students’ educational experiences through improved teacher continuity and deepened place-based knowledge. A partnership was formed in the fall of 2020 to pilot this innovative initiative.
Between 2020 and 2023, the partners designed a program that blends traditional graduate courses and experiential learning grounded in teachers’ experiences in rural communities. Teachers complete the MEd program in three years through experiential learning (15 credits) and online coursework (15 credits). The experiential curriculum culminates in a portfolio showcasing teachers’ place-based practices.
The retention rates are encouraging. Participants remained in their schools at notably higher rates than other teachers in the Bristol Bay Region. By 2023, participating teachers’ average retention rate was 95% compared to 66% of non-participating teachers. In the 2021–2022 school year alone, 100% of MEd participants returned to their schools, surpassing the 65% rate of other teachers in the Bristol Bay Region.
The program also shows promising results in teachers’ place-based practices. For instance, 88% of participants rated themselves as competent or advanced in incorporating local ways of knowing and teaching and connecting the local environment and resources in their teaching, compared to 44% of non-participants. Furthermore, 100% of MEd participants identified themselves as competent or advanced in participating in local community events and activities compared to 78% of non-participants.
The success of the teacher retention initiative in the Bristol Bay Region is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovative thinking. The first cohort of ten teachers graduated in 2023, and additional teachers have enrolled each year. The program’s reputation is growing across the state as rural districts outside the Bristol Bay Region have adopted the model, including the state’s largest district, and discussions are underway to extend its reach beyond Alaska’s borders.
