The Alaska Senate is preparing to vote on a revised education funding bill that could boost public school budgets statewide. The Alaska K-12 funding bill approved Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee proposes a $1,000 increase in the base student allocation formula.
This proposal which affects the core of the state’s education budget aims to add $253 million annually to Alaska’s public school system. The Senate’s version strips out education policy changes that Governor Mike Dunleavy had demanded during closed-door negotiations.
The committee opted instead to focus solely on raising the base student allocation. Governor Dunleavy criticized the bill’s current form calling it a joke in a statement posted to social media. He warned that without policy reforms he would immediately veto the measure if it reached his desk.
Lawmakers attempted compromise discussions with his administration earlier this session, but those negotiations ultimately failed. The House version of the bill has already passed. If the Senate approves its version, the House must either accept it or send the bill to the conference committee.
While the bill enjoys support from bipartisan majorities in both chambers, it lacks the votes needed to override a veto. An override would require 40 of 60 legislators voting in a joint session. Senator Shelley Hughes, a Republican from Palmer said she doubts the bill can succeed in its current form. Other lawmakers including Senator Mike Shower suggested that a minor increase around $680 per student might be more acceptable if paired with policy changes.
Senator James Kaufman expressed concern that the stripped down version could meet the same fate as last year’s failed Senate Bill 140. He urged colleagues to build proposals strong enough to win support across the board including from the governor. For now the bill heads toward a Senate vote that could determine the future of public education spending in the state.
This news article was originally published by Alaska Beacon.
