Murkowski Applauds USED’s Decision to Grant Alaska Testing Waiver
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to approve the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development’s (DEED) request for a waiver from federal testing requirements this year due to technical problems that arose during last spring’s testing. “I am pleased the Department […]
Murkowski, Heitkamp Bill Creating Native Children’s Commission Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) today announced that their bipartisan bill to improve the lives of Native American children passed Congress unanimously and now heads for the president’s desk for his signature. The Senators’ bill, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act, implements […]
Murkowski Presses Education Secretary on Important Education Issues for Alaska
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski questioned Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King, Jr. on two issues of importance for Alaska’s schools, students, educators, and communities—whether he would approve Alaska’s request for a waiver from federal testing requirements, and whether he would rescind or exempt Alaska from a proposed new priority for federal competitive education […]
Alaska Dispatch News: Let’s keep all of Alaska’s kids fed over the summer
School is out for the summer. Our Alaska kiddos are running around in merriment, taking more dips in the many local swimming holes, camping and barbecuing with their families, experiencing a summer with record high temperatures. But, school being out for the summer is not all fun and games for all Alaska children. No school […]
Murkowski Secures Investments to Strengthen Alaska’s Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2017. Referred to as Labor-H, it contains a number of provisions secured by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that will strengthen Alaska’s communities. As a member of the committee, […]
Senate Passes Major Education Reform Bill
Today Senator Lisa Murkowski voted in support of the final version of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the long-overdue overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act, which became law in 2002. Today’s legislation passed by a vote of 85-12. The House of Representatives passed the bill on December 2nd by a vote of […]
Murkowski Votes Against Education Secretary Nominee
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, voted against confirming Dr. John B. King to be the Secretary of Education. The Senate confirmed King in a vote of 49-40. “I respect that Dr. King has overcome many challenges in his life, which has led […]
Op-Ed: Every Student Succeeds Act Contains Needed Reforms Good for Alaskans
Fixing the flawed No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been years in the making. Recently, we’ve reached a major milestone. On Thursday, the president signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act, referred to as “ESSA.” Congress passed NCLB in 2001, the year before I came to the U.S. Senate. It was intended to […]