Supreme court grants stay in Ketchikan education lawsuit

ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Supreme Court has issued a stay March 11 in a lawsuit with the potential to rewrite education funding for the majority of Alaska’s public schools.

The lawsuit between the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and the Ketchikan School District concerns a crucial school funding mechanism known as the “required local contribution,” according to court documents.

The longstanding method of school funding allots a set amount to be paid by boroughs and other municipal governments, in addition to state and federal funding. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Ketchikan borough, the Legislature would be forced to craft a new method of funding its public school system.

Superior Court Judge William Carey had originally ruled that the funding mechanism violated an Alaska Constitution provision concerning collecting fees earmarked for a certain purpose. When state Department of Law officials sought a stay from Carey, he refused it, ruling that while a stay would protect state schools from harm, it would not protect boroughs forced to pay the money.

The stay means local officials can produce budgets this year using the same formula as previous years, officials have said.