Overview
Our Alaska Student Teaching placement program is a unique experience that allows our students the option to teach in a diverse setting. This Brockport operated placement program is NYSED- approved for New York certification and offers two different options depending on how long you wish to student teach in Alaska
Benefits
- Low Cost
- Free Airfare
- Teaching Housing
Why Student Teach in Alaska?
- Alaska is unique — it is vast, and has a climate, history, and population distinct from Western NY. Alaska is a predominantly rural state, with most communities disconnected from the road system, and 200+ Alaska Native tribes and villages spread out over hundreds of thousands of square miles. Alaska’s schools are nestled in some of the most remote and wild places in the United States.
- Alaska is diverse — Schools in rural Alaska function as community centers for village life in predominantly subsistence-based communities. Many villages have retained strong cultural and tribal language traditions, and offer unique experiences for teacher candidates to learn their craft in vibrant, cross-cultural contexts. Student teaching in Alaska represents a continuation of Brockport’s commitment to preparing culturally competent teachers and engagement with the broader world beyond our walls.
- Alaska needs teachers. Alaska has had a sustained teacher shortage across all levels and content areas for more than two decades, despite high salaries. The state simply doesn’t graduate enough teachers each year to meet school demands. Student teaching in Alaska provides school districts the chance to recruit you for teaching jobs when you graduate.
Student Teaching Locations
Schools in placement districts are rural Alaska schools, typically include 20-150 Pre K-12 students, and serve communities with 100-400 residents. One unique aspect of teaching in rural Alaska is housing. Unlike in NY, the host district provides teacher housing adjacent to the school, with substantial subsidies provided by the district. We ensure that teacher candidates are only placed with districts who can provide teacher housing for the duration of the experience.
Brockport’s partner districts include:
- Alaska Gateway School District (AGSD): Alaska Gateway is a school district in Interior Alaska, operating schools in seven villages with ~350 students. AGSD also operates a statewide correspondence school for an additional ~60 students.
- Iditarod School District: Iditarod is a school district in Interior Alaska, operating schools in seven villages with ~165 students. Iditarod also operates a statewide correspondence school for an additional ~150 students.
- Lake and Peninsula School District (LPSD): LPSD is a school district on the Alaska Peninsula (Southwest AK), operating schools in twelve villages with ~310 students total.
- Nenana School District: Nenana is a single-school district in Interior Alaska, 55 road miles southwest of Fairbanks with ~200 local students. Nenana also operates a boarding school with ~85 high school students from across the state.
- Northwest Arctic Borough School District (NWABSD): NWABSD is a school district in the Arctic region, operating schools in eleven villages with ~1,850 students.
Student Teaching Options
- Full: 15 weeks (full placement) in Alaska. Candidates in this model would be placed in inclusive settings in Alaska for a full semester.
- Split: 7.5 weeks (half placement) in Alaska, 7.5 weeks in New York/beyond (can include a local placement, NYC, Australia, or Ghana). Candidates in this model would be placed in an inclusive setting in Alaska for the first half of the semester and complete the second half in a setting approved by the Field Experience Office.
Contact
Any questions or concerns can be directed to Chris Wilkens, (585) 395-5548, Chair of Education and Human Development or Tracy Peterson, (585) 395-2596, Field Experience Director.