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The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA's statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

UAS is committed to providing accessible websites: www.uas.alaska.edu/policies/accessibility.html

PITAAS

Earn your teaching degree at the University of Alaska Southeast with the PITAAS Program.

Preparing Indigenous Teachers & Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS) Program Overview

The Challenge: Alaska needs more Alaska Native teachers

In Alaska schools, Alaska Natives make up 25% of the student body and less than 5% of the teaching force.
In 2000, the University of Alaska Southeast created the PITAAS Program with the help of a federal grant to address this shortage of Alaska Native teachers.
The PITAAS Program has grown to include many services designed to meet its goals: more Alaska Native teachers and administrators in Alaskan schools, preschool through high school.

The PITAAS Program can help you earn your teaching degree at the University of Alaska Southeast!

Students who are accepted to the program receive a scholarship that generally covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board at UAS for the entire program period (contingent upon continued grant funding). Students must be enrolled in an education degree program at UAS, have a minimum 3.0 GPA upon entry and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in order to continue receiving this scholarship.

Note for Scholarship for Graduate Students & Teachers Seeking a Type B Principal Endorsement

The PITAAS GPA requirement is higher than UAS Financial Aid and may differ from the requirements set forth by your degree program. The conditions stated here are separate and in addition to any requirements imposed by those offices.

In order to receive a PITAAS scholarship, students must have college junior status and be admitted to one of the following degree programs at UAS:

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

BA Elementary Education
BA Special Education
BA or BS in an academic area leading toward a teacher certification

Post Graduate Teacher Certification Programs

Master's of Art in Teaching (MAT)

Elementary MAT (Distance)
Secondary MAT
Special Education MAT

Graduate Certificates, Endorsements and Master of Education (M.Ed) Programs

Reading Specialist
Special Education
Educational Leadership
Superintendent Endorsement

PITAAS Application

PITAAS 2021–2022 Application

PITAAS accepts students on a rolling basis based on program admission. Admitted students can apply for funding through the end of the 2021–2022 academic year (Summer 2022).

Forms for Current PITAAS Scholarship Recipients

PITAAS Mid-Term Progress Report

Required submission for current scholarship recipients during each term

PITAAS Student Spotlights

Native teacher Joshua Jackson on the PITAAS program at UAS

PITAAS Cultural Scholarship Opportunity

Students residing in Alaska who have freshman or sophomore standing (have taken less than 60 total credits) are eligible for funding which covers all tuition/fees for eligible courses.

Eligible students:

Physically residing in Alaska
Alaska Native
Enrolled in a qualifying UAS course
2.0+ GPA at most recently attended school, university, or trade school
Taken less than 60 credits at the University of Alaska (UAA/UAF/UAS)

View Spring 2021 course registration date requirements on the UAS Summer Course Schedule.

Summer 2021 Cultural Scholarship Application

Apply for Summer 2021 funding here!

Personnel

Ronalda Cadiente Brown, M.A.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Alaska Native Programs and Director of PITAAS

Profile and contact info

David Russell-Jensen