Governor Dunleavy Introduces Education Reform Legislation

On January 31, 2025 Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced legislation (HB 76, SB 82) to improve educational outcomes for all Alaska students. This comprehensive plan focuses on funding, student achievement, and expanding opportunities for families and educators statewide and aligns with several actions in the President’s recent executive order, “Expanding Educational Opportunity Through School Choice.”

“Our children’s future depends on a strong and adaptable education system,” said Governor Dunleavy in a press release. “This legislation is designed to ensure every student in Alaska has access to high-quality education, whether they are in a city or the most remote village. From increasing funding for correspondence and career-technical education to incentivizing reading achievement and attracting top-tier educators, this plan is about empowering students, parents, and educators alike."

The Governor’s proposed reforms include:

-Tribal Compacting (HB 59, which establishes a pilot program for demonstration state-tribal education compact (STEC) schools, allowing participating tribes and tribal organizations to operate public schools under negotiated compacts with the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).

-Teacher Retention Incentives in lump sum payments ranging from $5,000 - $15,000 each year for three years to improve teacher retention and recruitment.

-Cell Phone-Free Schools, which would require school districts to adopt policies that prohibit mobile device use during instructional time with certain exceptions.

-Reading Proficiency Incentive Grants, which would expand incentive grants to districts for students who achieve reading proficiency or demonstrate significant improvement from the current K-3 grades to grades K-6.

-Increased Funding for Correspondence Programs and Career-Technical Education (CTE) to raise funding levels to support modernized learning resources and programs aligned with workforce demands.

-Open Enrollment and Streamlining Charter School Authorizations, which is in line with the President’s recent Executive Order, this would provide more options to families by allowing students to attend any public school in Alaska and expand the process for creating new public charter schools.

-Student Achievement Grants that would incentivize students who meet key academic milestones.

-Bond Debt Reimbursement Moratorium Extension, maintaining fiscal responsibility while addressing school infrastructure needs.

“These proposals directly address long-standing challenges in Alaska’s education system,” said DEED Commissioner Deena Bishop. “This is about real solutions. Increased funding coupled with strong policy will drive student success and empower educators.”

Governor Dunleavy pointed to the latest NAEP scores, which show Alaska ranking at the bottom despite having twice the funding per-student of higher-performing states. “Mississippi has proven that real education reform delivers results, even with half the per-student funding that Alaska has. Their focus on literacy, accountability, and teacher development has led to dramatic improvements. Alaska has the resources, but we need the right policies. That is why I support legislation that pairs smart policy changes with targeted funding increases to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed,” he said.