Alaska College of Education

University of Alaska Supporting Recruitment and Retention of Alaska’s  K-12 Teachers

UA Teacher Education Programs

  • UAA’s loss of CAEP accreditation for its initial licensure teacher preparation programs in January 2019 required swift university and Board action to meet student needs.
  • The only certain path for UA education graduates to earn state licensure from an approved and accredited program was for UAF and UAS to step in to provide programs after August 2019.
  • The Board of Regents approved the discontinuation of UAA initial liscensure programs and accepted the modified UAF and UAS proposals to meet student needs. These decisions were implemented such that Southcentral students were offered several options, included face-to-face instruction in Southcentral,  beginning in Fall 2019 to pursue teaching degrees that would lead to state licensure.

University of Alaska: Education Units

University of Alaska Anchorage School of Education
  • AAS Early Childhood Education, advanced and graduate programs and PACE (Professional and Continuing Education)
University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education
  • Initial licensure, advanced and graduate programs
University of Alaska Southeast Alaska College of Education
  • Initial licensure, advanced and graduate programs

UA Teachers are Well Prepared

  • Each spring the different UA education units survey the principals of the schools where the new UA prepared teachers are working
  • Feedback from the principals on the new UA prepared teachers is positive
  • The Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT) Survey (based at North Dakota State) used for this is a nationally validated and administered across the country. Alaska is one of four states where all the EPPs use NExT Survey.

Going Forward

Short term
  • Coordinate websites, marketing, recruiting and advising to provide clear pathways for students across the state but especially in Southcentral to pursue paths to teaching licensure in Alaska.
  • Continue to ramp up UAF faculty in Anchorage and UAS offerings on-line and in Anchorage-based cohort programs to meet current and expected student demand.
  • Align curricula for initial licensure and advanced programs offered at multiple universities.
Mid term
  • Recruit students into the programs
  • UA graduates from other programs: tuition incentives to pursue MAT or M.Ed.?
  • Current UA students: provide clear pathways for moving into teacher programs perhaps through tuition incentives.
  • Preparing Indigenous Teachers & Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS)
  • Future UA students: Educators Rising, Middle College.
  • Assess state needs to reestablish a BA in Early Childhood Education
Long Term
  • Address options for the structure and reporting for teacher  education programs at UA


UAA School of Education updates & FAQs

The Board of Regents, pursuant to Regents’ Policy 10.06.010.C, directed President Johnsen on March 1, 2019 to conduct an expedited exceptional review of the educator preparation programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) focused on: the viability of maintaining programs at UAA and seeking CAEP accreditation beginning 2020; providing programs in Anchorage through the accredited programs at UAF and UAS; and evaluating the long-term viability of programs unaffected by the CAEP accreditation revocation.

On April 8, 2019 the Board of Regents approved a recommendation to discontinue the initial licensure programs at UAA; teach-out through transfer of students, and maintain initial teacher preparation programs in Anchorage through the University of Alaska Fairbanks/University of Alaska Southeast; ceasing UAA programs as of August 31, 2019 when State Board approval expires. Read news release

These FAQs address the impacts of this decision. Updated April 9. Download FAQ


Timeline of UAA College of Education and Initial Licensure Accreditation Review
  • August 2017 Self-study submitted to CAEP
  • April 2018 CAEP Site Visit
  • January 2019 CAEP notice of revocation of accreditation
  • January 2019 UAF and UAS receive UAA student transfers
  • January 2019 DEED waives regulation requiring CAEP accreditation for UAA completers in May and August 2019 but not for subsequent program graduation dates
  • April 2019 Board of Regents votes to discontinue initial licensure programs
  • August 2019 UAS and UAF recruit students in Southcentral Alaska into teacher education programs. UAF begins to offer face-to-face classes on UAA campus