The Alaska Senate is set to vote on a new education funding bill this coming Monday, as Governor Mike Dunleavy continues to advocate for changes to the proposed legislation. This decision comes on the heels of the state Senate committee’s approval of a revised version of House Bill 57, which includes measures requiring school districts to regulate student cellphone use.
The latest iteration of the bill, following discussions at the Senate Finance Committee, proposes a $700 increase in the base student allocation. This allocation is essential to the state’s public school funding formula, which many believe has been underfunded for years. Additionally, there is a proposed 10% increase in student transportation funding, which has become a pressing issue for school districts grappling with rising operational costs.
For years, school leaders and community members have voiced concerns about inadequate funding for education. They have highlighted that school boards have been compelled to make significant cuts to staff and programs due to the ongoing conflicts between lawmakers and the governor over a sustainable education funding solution.
The latest funding proposal comes after Governor Dunleavy vetoed a previous bill that included a $1,000 boost to the base student allocation. Following this veto, an attempt to override the governor’s decision also fell short. Dunleavy has maintained a firm stance, stating he would reject any school funding bills that do not align with his preferred policy priorities, a threat he has executed in the past.
Senator Bert Stedman, a Republican from Sitka and member of the bipartisan Senate majority, explained that the new bill represents a middle ground in negotiations. He noted, “We talked about some of the policies that were in play, and there’s quite a few of them, which ones seemed to be most universally acceptable, and threw them together.”
Key policy provisions in the new bill aim to streamline the creation and renewal processes for charter schools. Senator Löki Tobin, a Democrat from Anchorage, expressed her belief that the bill achieves a balance between implementing proven public policies and providing critical resources needed to stabilize the public school system and maintain manageable class sizes.
Major differences remain, however, between the Senate’s approach and the version proposed by Governor Dunleavy after his veto of the previous bill. Notably, the Senate version does not restrict the reasons that school districts may use to terminate charter school contracts. Furthermore, it lacks a new appeal process for charter schools facing contract termination. These measures have faced opposition from the Senate leadership.
The revised bill also omits specific funding increases for correspondence homeschool programs, and it excludes the $450-per-student incentive payments aimed at improving reading outcomes among elementary-age students.
In response to the proposed bill, Governor Dunleavy has urged lawmakers to incorporate these critical elements, stating on social media, “Let me be clear. If legislators make a few key edits, including restoring the reading grants, adding open enrollment, ensuring full funding for correspondence students, and including the four charter school reforms, I will sign this bill.”
The Senate’s amendment process for the bill is expected to take place on the floor Friday, as legislators prepare for the crucial vote. However, should Dunleavy choose to veto this bill, the predominantly Democratic coalitions in the House and Senate would require assistance from minority Republicans to successfully override his decision.
Rep. Will Stapp, a Republican from Fairbanks, who has previously criticized the funding threshold of prior bills, expressed that the new proposal appears more manageable financially. He remarked, “It doesn’t appear to me to be the kind of the clear things that the executive (Dunleavy) is asking for, but it’s certainly closer. Hopefully, we’ll get there. It doesn’t feel like we’re that far apart here in the building.”
Stapp indicated his desire to see the governor’s open enrollment and correspondence school provisions featured in the final bill. Meanwhile, Rep. Jeremy Bynum, a Republican from Ketchikan and a supporter of an earlier compromise funding package, opted not to comment extensively on the new bill, concluding, “We’ll just have to see what the final bill ends up looking like.”
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