Alaska’s Bold Move: Bill to Boost Education Funding by Over 40% in Three Years Debuts Monday!

On Monday morning, the House Education Committee will discuss a bill aimed at boosting public school funding in Alaska. If passed, funding per student would rise by more than 20% next year and 40% over three years. This is an essential step for lawmakers who want to prioritize education this session.

House Bill 69, introduced by Rep. Rebecca Himschoot from Sitka, proposes a permanent increase to the Base Student Allocation (BSA). This change counters the temporary funding boosts of the past two years, addressing the negative impact of inflation on school budgets that have seen little growth over the last 15 years.

Himschoot hopes to see the bill approved by March 15. This timeline would allow school districts to include the increased funding in their annual budgets, which start on July 1.

However, Governor Mike Dunleavy has not proposed any increase in his budget for next year. He mentioned a willingness to consider funding boosts if legislators also support certain education policies he favors. Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers express concerns about focusing solely on budget increases without a clear education policy plan.

Sen. Robert Myers, a Republican from Fairbanks, commented that discussions about funding and education policies should happen together to avoid past failures. Himschoot firmly believes the bill should focus on funding alone, arguing that adding other issues could compromise the primary goal of adequately supporting schools.

Rep. Andi Story, a Democrat from Juneau, supports HB69 as a good starting point. She emphasizes the importance of stable funding to attract and keep teachers, which could also help reduce class sizes and maintain specialized programs that benefit students.

The Alaska Constitution mandates that every child has the right to a free public education. Yet, the current BSA is only $5,960, a slight increase from $5,930 in 2017 and $5,680 in 2011. These amounts have not kept pace with inflation. Over the past two years, lawmakers have approved one-time increases, but these solutions are inadequate for long-term support.

If HB69 passes, the BSA would increase to $7,249 for the next fiscal year, $7,940 the year after, and an estimated $8,510 the year after that. Himschoot explained that these figures are based on a recent average inflation rate and additional funding to combat inflation’s effects on education.

The proposed increase would benefit various types of schools, including neighborhood, correspondence, and charter schools. For the Juneau School District alone, this could lead to nearly $11 million more in funding, which would help stabilize their budget after significant cutbacks in recent years.

During a recent site council meeting, Cheyenne Cuellar, a teacher at Thunder Mountain Middle School, urged community members to voice their support for funding increases. She shared her frustrations with ongoing budget cuts that hinder educators’ ability to teach effectively.

Superintendent Frank Hauser highlighted the district’s struggle to fill teaching positions. With many roles open for over a year, recruitment remains a critical challenge. The school district faces a budget deficit of nearly $10 million, which adds urgency to the need for increased funding.

At the same site council meeting, parents expressed concern over the impact of staffing shortages on student services. Rep. Story reiterated that timely approval of HB69 could provide much-needed support for the Juneau School District before budget proposals are due.

With potential funding increases on the table, local educators and lawmakers hope for a renewed focus on stabilizing and improving the education system in Alaska.

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