State Senate approves House-passed education bill, but concerns loom over possible veto by governor

The Alaska State Senate voted 18-1 Monday, Feb. 26, to approve a comprehensive education funding bill that was approved 38-2 in the state House late last week. The only “no” vote in the 20-member Senate came from one of the three Mat-Su state senators, Republican Sen. Mike Shower.

Two other senators from the region, Sens. Shelley Hughes and David Wilson, both Republican, voted yes. Sen. James Kaufman, R-Anch., had been given an excused absence and did not vote. Shower did not respond to an inquiry from the Frontiersman asking for an explanation for his vote.

Senate Bill 140 would increase the Base Student Allocation, or BSA, that supports school funding along with providing more money for correspondence study and streamlining procedures for the formation of charter schools.

Meanwhile, another Mat-Su legislator, Rep. Jesse Sumner, R-Wasilla, is being credited with helping forge agreements last week in the House which ended a tense, four-day standoff over the bill between the House Republican Majority and the Minority, composed of Democrats and independent legislators.

The majority and minority are almost evenly split in the House, and it appeared that an extended stalemate would occur until a compromise was finally struck late Thursday.

It is possible that Gov. Mike Dunleavy may veto the bill, or part of it, which may spur an effort in the Legislature to override the veto. Dunleavy has said he opposes. The governor announced that he will hold a press conference mid-day Tuesday to discuss his position on the bill.

SB 140 implements the largest increase to school funding in state history with a $680 increase to the Base Student Allocation. It will also significantly improve internet connectivity in rural Alaska, which is critical to schools in small communities, and provide $10 million in additional funding for the Alaska Reads Act, a landmark law enacted by the Legislature last year aimed at helping childred in the third and fourth grades learn to read. The bill increases aid for correspondence students by $14.5 million a year.

The total increase in funding will be about $200 million a year, most of which is in the increase in the BSA, the formula that guides state funding for school districts.

Senate leaders applauded the vote. Sen. Löki Tobin (D-Anchorage), chair of the Senate Education Committee, said: “Over the past two sessions, we’ve heard from school administrators, principals, teachers, parents, and students about the dire circumstances they have faced. Without a substantial increase in funding, Alaska will continue to lose teachers, cut programs, and increase class sizes to untenable pupil to teacher ratios.”

Senate President Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak), said: “The passage of SB 140 is a monumental step forward for Alaska's education system. This comprehensive bill, with its substantial increase in school funding, reflects our commitment to providing the best possible education for our students. Even though it is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction to increase education outcomes."

The original version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Lyman Hoffman (D-Bethel), increased Broadband Access Grants for eligible schools from 25 Mbps per second to 100 Mbps. In 2023, 151 schools from 27 rural school districts qualified for the grants. For school districts to take advantage of the increased bandwidth grants, the Legislature must have acted before the end of February, which means the deadline is imminent.

“While the process seemed messy, I am grateful that rural schools will be able to access these grants this year. Coming together showcased the legislature’s commitment to rural schools,” said Hoffman, who is co-Chair of Senate Finance.

“As Alaskans know, especially those who are off the road system, access to technology and digital information is the lifeline that connects our communities and provides the necessary tools for school districts to educate our youngest Alaskans.”