Alaska’s Kids and Families Aren’t Getting Better – You Can Help
Trevor Storrs is the president and CEO of Alaska Children’s Trust
Happy Alaska Children's Day! The second Sunday of June is dedicated to honoring all the children who are Alaska's greatest resource.
Join me and take a moment to think about a child in your life. Maybe it's your grandchild who runs to the door when you arrive. A niece who calls you for no reason except to talk. The kid down the street who waves every morning. A young person at your church you've watched grow up right before your eyes. Your own child. Now ask yourself, “Are things getting better for them than they were for you at their age?”
For too many Alaska children and youth, the answer is no.
In a recently announced ranking, Alaska came in 47th in the nation for overall child well-being by KIDS COUNT — a program of the Annie E. Casey Foundation that ranks all 50 states across four key domains of child well-being: Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family & Community. Last year, we were ranked 40th. Our children, youth, and families are struggling.
Nine percent of Alaska’s children are without health insurance, meaning many miss preventative care and only see a doctor when they’re already sick. Alaska’s child and teen death rate is one of the highest death rates in the nation. In 2023, 43% of Alaska high school students reported feeling so sad or hopeless for an extended period that they couldn’t carry out their usual activities, which is nearly double the rate measured just over a decade ago.
“Changing the trajectory for Alaska’s kids requires action – not hope. In November, Alaskans will choose a new Governor, fill 50 of the 60 seats in the state legislature, elect a U.S. Senator, and send a representative to Congress. We need to Vote for Kids.”
In classrooms, nearly 8 in 10 Alaska fourth graders aren't reading at grade level, and the same share of eighth graders is not proficient in math. One in five high school students isn't graduating on time. Chronic funding shortfalls have forced districts to cut programs, close schools, and increase class sizes.
Child care continues to be a major economic challenge for many families. And according to America After 3PM, 17,000 children are currently served in Alaska afterschool programs, leaving more than 65,000 children without access to safe, enriching activities after the school bell rings.
These pressures compound what is already an economically precarious reality for many Alaska families. Over one in three Alaska children have a parent without secure employment, a figure that has increased 17% since 2019. One in seven children lives in poverty. And 29% live in households where housing costs consume an outsized share of the family budget, leaving little room for anything else.
Today's parents are raising children in a world shaped by technologies that didn't exist when most of us were young, like social media platforms designed to be addictive and linked to poor mental health and predatory behavior, and an AI landscape that brings both new learning opportunities and new risks that families are still figuring out together.
The data makes clear that we are not prioritizing children and families. Although we saw an increase in overall investment this legislative session, Alaska's investment in children, youth, and families has decreased in 2025 by 21% compared to Fiscal Year 2014 to 2017 averages per the Alaska Children's Budget. We can no longer allow the budget for Alaska's Department of Corrections to increase as we continue to defund programs that ensure children, youth, and families have the knowledge, skills, supports and resources to remain out of child protective services and the correctional system.
Changing the trajectory for Alaska's kids requires action – not hope. In November, Alaskans will choose a new Governor, fill 50 of the 60 seats in the state legislature, elect a U.S. Senator, and send a representative to Congress. We need to Vote for Kids.
We know - when families have access to stable housing, affordable child care, quality early education, and mental health support, it doesn't just help them in the moment; it shapes their entire trajectory. But good policy doesn't happen on its own. It happens when strong, informed leaders are in office, and it is votes from Alaskans like you that put them there. When voters show up knowing where candidates stand on child care, education, mental health, housing, and support for working families, we send a clear message about what Alaska values. That's what it means to Vote for Kids.
Children are 24% of Alaska's population. They are 100% of our future. On Kids Day and every day, the children in our lives are counting on us. Vote for Kids.