Key school funding bill advances from Senate education committee

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - HB 69, a widely watched education funding bill, has moved out of the Senate Education committee, with a $1,000 increase in per student funding.

If the bill succeeds, it will affect school districts across the state of Alaska and could alleviate funding crises in both Anchorage and Fairbanks schools.

Gov. Dunleavy took to social media Thursday afternoon in response to the advancement of HB 69.

“While there was initially positive movement on HB 69, the Senate Education Committee’s version falls short of the education reforms Alaskan families deserve and puts inequitable constraints on correspondence school students,” Dunleavy wrote on X.

“Funding alone does not improve outcomes. We need sound policies that boost student achievement and expand learning opportunities. There is still time to pass meaningful reforms that will produce better outcomes for all students rather than restricting choice. This current CS does not pass muster,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Anchorage School district announced that it would have to displace 185 teachers.

In addition to the $1,000 increase outlined in the current version of the bill, new language also dictates class size targets and statewide standards for charter schools and correspondence programs

The bill previously passed the house on March 12 and moved into the Senate on March 14.

Original versions of the bill had a larger funding increase, but the number has come down since then.

$1,000 is the benchmark set by Anchorage schools for much of their cuts to be reversed, however, it doesn’t reach the benchmark set by the Fairbanks school district.

The move comes just hours after the Anchorage Assembly approved a measure to allow extra spending by the Anchorage School District in the event of a state funding increase.

Sen. Loki Tobin, who chairs the Senate Education committee, told Alaska’s News Source that it was “embarrassing” and “unfortunate” that Alaska schools are having to make the cuts they are proposing. Tobin said the bill has bipartisan support, and legislators are hoping to pass it from the Senate floor by May 21.

Tobin also said she sent the current draft of the bill to Gov. Dunleavy’s staff so that they may look over it, but could not say for certain if it will receive final approval.

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