Dunleavy meets with superintendents across Alaska, says he will veto education bill unless proposed policies are approved

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Gov. Mike Dunleavy met with more than 50 superintendents of school districts from around the state Thursday, telling them he will veto an education bill and reduce school funding unless policies his administration proposed are approved, according to his office.

Dunleavy took to social media mid-day Thursday, indicating he could reject House Bill 57 as it is currently written.

State lawmakers already passed that education funding bill and sent it to the governor for consideration; it was transmitted to him on May 1 and is due back just before the end of this regular legislative session.

Many school districts have since amended their budgets based on HB 57, which has not yet officially become law but includes a $700 increase in per-student funding, potentially bringing what is known as the Base Student Allocation to a total of $6,660.

Unlike prior posts, Thursday’s post from the governor does not threaten a veto outright.

Alaska’s News Source reached out to Dunleavy’s office for clarification about a veto threat being made during the meeting or within the post, to which his office responded that Dunleavy “confirmed in the meeting he will veto HB 57 if some more education reforms are not passed this session.”

“Those would include open enrollment and creating due process for charter schools when a school district is considering closing the school,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Alaska’s News Source. “These are not just the governor’s preferences. They are policies that have broad support among parents and students statewide.”

The governor has “always supported an increase in the BSA combined with reforms that can give students and parents more choice and begin to improve Alaska’s low test scores,” the spokesperson said.

The Alaska Superintendents Association shared a prepared statement Thursday night, saying the group stands “united in strong support of HB 57,” and emphasizing that the bill is the result of a thoughtful, bipartisan effort, that also includes “meaningful input” from educators from across Alaska.

“Its passage reflects a broad, collective understanding of the urgent and real needs facing Alaska’s public schools,” the ASA wrote in part, adding that Dunleavy shared particular concern over the absence of additional open enrollment policies, specifically for between school districts; charter school expansion measures; and a set of career and technical education and reading grants being contingent upon the passage of Senate Bill 113.

“A veto of HB 57 threatens to derail months of bipartisan progress,” the association wrote, “and puts essential education funding at risk — funding that our schools and students cannot afford to lose.

“We are grateful to the Alaska Legislature for its strong, bipartisan support of HB 57, and we urge lawmakers to reaffirm their commitment to Alaska’s students, educators, families and communities by standing by this legislation.”

Dunleavy can veto HB 57, sign it into law, or allow it to become law without his signature. If he vetoes the bill, two-thirds of the Legislature would have to vote to override that veto to overturn it.

Alaska’s News Source has also reached out to multiple school districts for comment.

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