Homeschool benefits: Southeast Island School District

AK-TRAILS, the Southeast Island School District's statewide homeschool correspondence program, gives each full-time K-12 student a $2,700 yearly allotment, or $1,350 for half time, to spend on curriculum, supplies, lessons, technology, internet, and educational travel in your child's learning plan. Any Alaska resident age 5 to 19 can enroll; the full amount requires enrolling by September 30, and it drops 20% for each week after that.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Alaska

   Students must live in Alaska. Families inside the district enroll in the Southeast pathway, and families elsewhere in Alaska enroll in the Mainland pathway.

2. Is 5 to 19 years old

   Your child must be at least 5 on or before September 1 and under 20. A Pre-K child can get $1,100 only when a sibling in grades K-12 is also enrolled.

3. Takes enough AK-TRAILS courses

   Full time means at least four core courses with AK-TRAILS. Half time means at least three AK-TRAILS classes, two of them core, and no more than three at another school.

4. Has a signed learning plan

   Purchases and reimbursements start once enrollment is complete and your child's Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) is signed. Every purchase must support it.

What it is worth

The AK-TRAILS 2026-27 handbook, revised May 2026, sets the allotment by enrollment level and cuts it 20% per week for enrollment after September 30.

Full time, enrolled by Sept. 30

$2,700

Half time, three classes

$1,350

Two classes

Up to $800

Full time, enrolled 1st week of October

$2,160

Full time, enrolled 2nd week of October

$1,620

Full time, enrolled 4th week of October

$540

The same handbook also says allotment funding is available only through the October 1 state count period, so ask your Trail Guide what a late-October enrollment will actually receive.

From enrolling to spending it

1. By Sept. 30

   Enroll for full funding

   Complete enrollment by September 30 to get the full allotment. Enrollment stays open all year, but the amount drops 20% each week after that.

2. After enrolling

   Sign the ILP

   Your Trail Guide, a certified teacher, helps you plan courses and curriculum. Spending can start once the ILP is signed.

3. July 1 to June 30

   Spend the allotment

   Pay and submit receipts, have AK-TRAILS pay a vendor directly, or ask staff to place an order. Check with your Trail Guide before any purchase over $500.

4. Each quarter

   Report progress

   Send a progress report with a recommended grade and one work sample per course, usually at least 5 days before the quarter ends.

5. Each year

   Roll over the balance

   Money left at year end rolls into the next year if your child is enrolled again by September 30.

What it pays for

Covered

• Curriculum, books, and online programs
• Desks, shelves, printers, and learning space items
• Laptops, desktops, and iPads
• Tutoring, lessons, and PE fees
• Internet and college courses
• Approved educational travel

Not covered

• Faith-based curriculum
• Instruction by family members or their businesses
• Food, appliances, and household decor
• Gaming consoles and entertainment games
• Vehicle parts, repairs, and fuel
• Prepaid services not yet given

Most approvals take about a week and the district pays weekly, but if your child withdraws before November 1 you must repay what the allotment already reimbursed.

Good to know

• October enrollees get a reduced allotment

  Full-time students who enroll in October get between $540 and $2,160: the handbook cuts the K-12 allotment to $2,160 in the first week of October, $1,620 in the second, $1,080 in the third, and $540 in the fourth. It also says funding ends with the October 1 count period, so confirm the figure with AK-TRAILS before you count on it.

• The allotment can buy a laptop

  A student enrolled at least half time by October 1 can buy a laptop, desktop, iPad, or printer and be reimbursed. The device must be paid entirely from the allotment, and you maintain it yourself.

Who to contact

The AK-TRAILS office in Thorne Bay handles enrollment and connects you with your Trail Guide for allotment questions.

aktrails@sisd.org 907-828-8254 AK-TRAILS handbook

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Alaska

You do not have to file a homeschool notice.

Alaska sets these rules:

• Subjects: Alaska does not require specific subjects or a particular curriculum.
• Testing: Alaska does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: Alaska does not require homeschool records.
• Teachers: Alaska does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.

Read the Alaska homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Alaska

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