Teaching in Alaska

At the UAF School of Education, we support future educators through certification pathways, field experiences and statewide partnerships that connect teachers to jobs across Alaska. Programs such as the Alaska Statewide Mentor Project, Educators Rising Alaska and the Alaska Indigenous Teacher Corps help recruit, train and retain a well-supported teaching workforce. Whether you're just beginning or advancing your career, Alaska is a place where educators thrive.

Benefits of teaching in Alaska

Teacher teaches behind a computer to an online class

Opportunities in rural and urban settings

The Alaska Educator Retention & Recruitment Center (AERRC) connects educators with teaching positions in both rural villages and urban school districts across Alaska. Whether you’re drawn to tight‑knit, culturally rich rural communities or dynamic urban settings in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau, AERRC offers a centralized job bank and district listings, and empowers educators with training, community connections and career opportunities statewide.

An enthusiastic student teacher holds up an animal skull

Why teach in Alaska?

The University of Alaska empowers educators with unique opportunities in Alaska’s high-demand school system. Teachers receive strong job security, benefits, family-friendly schedules and ongoing professional development. Teaching in Alaska means making a lasting impact on students and communities, embracing creativity and enjoying a dynamic, fulfilling career.

The UAF School of Education does a phenomenal job of preparing undergraduate students for classroom teaching. From day one, the School of Education ensures that students have the knowledge, skills and experience needed to smoothly transition into their future teaching career.

—Owen Fulton, UAF education major

A hand points to text on a piece of paper

How to get certified to teach in Alaska

The State Teacher Education and Certification Office works with school districts and universities to grant educator certifications, approve teacher preparation programs, and administer teacher recognition programs. It is committed to support the State Board of Education and Early Development's strategic priority to ensure high-quality educators for Alaska's children.

Pathways to teaching in Alaska

Teacher certification

Emergency certification

Teacher preparation and partnerships with Alaska schools

Mentors smile at the camera while all wearing blue vests

Alaska Statewide Mentor Project

The Alaska Statewide Mentor Project (ASMP) supports new teachers to ensure every student in Alaska has access to high-quality instruction. ASMP provides individualized mentoring for first- and second-year teachers, helping build a strong, responsive and culturally aware teaching force.

Educators Rising Alaska

Educators Rising Alaska is part of Educators Rising, a national career and technical student organization (CTSO) that supports middle and high school students in exploring careers in education. Through a specialized curriculum based on National Board standards and aligned with the Educators Rising standards, students gain hands-on experience, build foundational teaching skills and engage in reflective learning.

Student handle fossilized footprint molds

Learning by Scientific Design

The UAF School of Education participates in the Learning by Scientific Design (LbSD) network, a program focused on integrating learning science principles into teacher preparation. LbSD is a program developed by Deans for Impact that aims to bridge the gap between learning science research and practical teaching methods. It provides professional development, instructional resources and coaching to help educators understand and apply learning science principles in their classrooms.

Student teachers participate in Alaska Native dancing in a classroom

Alaska Indigenous Teacher Network

The Alaska Indigenous Teacher Network connects and supports leadership in Indigenous UAF alumni teaching in Alaska's public schools. The network provides spaces for connection, mentorship, and professional learning that honor and integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, teaching, and leading. Through shared resources, gatherings, and partnerships, AITN supports culturally sustaining education and works to strengthen local capacity and representation in the teaching workforce. Its goal is to retain a strong Indigenous teacher workforce that reflects and uplifts the students and communities they serve across Alaska.

Community engagement

A face down book waits to be read as art is being taught

K-12 Outreach

K-12 Outreach programs work with school districts and external educational stakeholders to provide a full circle of support for the teaching profession in order to bring out the best in each and every Alaska student. In addition to program support, K-12 Outreach also coordinates the University of Alaska’s contribution to the School’s Report to the State of Alaska.

Sustaining Indigenous and Local Knowledge, Arts, and Teaching

The purpose of the Sustaining Indigenous and Local Knowledge, Arts, and Teaching (SILKAT) project is to bring local cultural knowledge to the forefront of the curriculum and to recruit, equip and retain new teachers with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to competently and confidently teach in and through the arts and culture in Alaska's schools.

A student teacher presents story time with the Nook mascot

Grow Your Own

Grow your own (GYO) teaching programs are initiatives designed to recruit, train and retain teachers from within a local community, often targeting individuals already connected to the school system or the community itself. These programs aim to address teacher shortages and foster a stronger connection between schools and the communities they serve. At the University of Alaska, our GYO programs include Educators Rising Alaska and the Alaska Statewide Mentor Project.