Alaska Health And Education

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development administers many school districts in Alaska. In addition, the state operates several boarding schools, including Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Nenana Living Center in Nenana, and Galena High School in Galena.[23]

There are more than a dozen colleges and universities in Alaska. Accredited universities in Alaska include the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, Sheldon Jackson College and Alaska Pacific University.[24] 43% of the population attends or attended college.[citation needed]

Alaska has also had a problem with "brain drain" as many of its young people, including most of the highest academic achievers, leave the state upon graduating high school. While for many this functions as a sort of walkabout, many do not return to the state. The University of Alaska has attempted to combat this by offering partial four-year scholarships to the top 10 percent of Alaska high school graduates, via the Alaska Scholars Program[2].

The four main libraries in the state are the Alaska State Library in Juneau, the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library in Fairbanks, the Z. J. Loussac Library in Anchorage, and the UAA/APU Consortium Library, also in Anchorage. Alaska is one of three states (the others are Delaware and Rhode Island) that does not have a Carnegie library.

In 2006, the United Health Foundation ranked Alaska 30th out of 50 states for its population's overall heath.[25]

Positive aspects of health in Alaska include high per capita public health spending ($482 per person; 2nd highest among states),[25] low child poverty (12.1%; 8th lowest),[25] low rates of heart disease deaths (263.1 per 100,000; 3rd lowest),[25] and high rates of exercise (79.4% have exercised in the past month; 15th highest).[26]

Negative aspects of health in Alaska include limited access to prenatal care (36.1% of women received inadequate prenatal care; 4th worst among states),[25] low immunization rates (24.6% of children aged 19 to 35 months fail to receive complete immunizations; 6th worst),[25] and high rates of smoking (24.9%, 6th highest).[25]

Alaska has long had a problem with alcohol use and abuse. Many rural communities in Alaska have outlawed its import. "Dry", "wet", and "damp" are terms describing a community's laws on liquor consumption. This problem directly relates to Alaska's high rate of Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) as well as contributing to the high rate of suicides. This is a controversial topic for many residents.

Domestic abuse and other violent crimes are also at notoriously high levels in the state; this is in part linked to alcohol abuse.