A Review of Alaska School District Cost Study

Abstract

The Alaska Legislature’s Legislative Budget and Audit Committee asked the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska Anchorage to review the Alaska School District Cost Study. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) prepared that study for the legislative committee. The study was to provide a “geographic cost of education index” that the state could use to help equalize the purchasing power of educational dollars it allocates to school districts across Alaska. Costs of living can vary substantially in different areas of Alaska. The study, in two volumes plus supplemental materials, was released in January 2003 and supplemented in February 2003. Also, in a response dated April 11, 2003, AIR answered a number of questions that had been raised about the study.