Sean Maguire

The bills are intended to provide certainty for the more than 20,000 students enrolled in home-school and correspondence programs.

A budget draft approved by the Senate Finance Committee includes cash payments of around $1,600 — including the Permanent Fund dividend and an energy relief payment — per eligible Alaskan.

The House passed a non-binding resolution Wednesday calling for a 14-month stay on a court decision that blocked public funds from being used for private school tuition.

The funding boost for solar comes as legislators try to address a looming shortfall of Cook Inlet gas.

House GOP members have proposed a constitutional amendment to allow public money at private schools. Senate members want a targeted legislative fix.

The governor floated an “education dividend” to replace correspondence program allotments.

The state owes $17.5 million to four school districts after not adequately funding them during the COVID-19 pandemic, the feds said.

Over 20,000 correspondence students in Alaska could see significant changes to their education under the ruling late Friday.

The operating and capital budgets were exchanged in the second-floor hallway of the state Capitol to a large crowd of legislators and staff.

The proposed amendment needed 27 votes to advance to the Senate. It fell five votes short.

Taking into account other bills that are expected to pass along with the capital budget, the House’s spending plan was expected to be at least $276 million in deficit.

The Dunleavy administration introduced the bill after extended protests in the Lower 48 and Europe have blocked roadways.

Another amendment would give school districts $9 million to fund reading programs for K-3 students.

The bill has cleared its first hurdle with less than 6 weeks left in the legislative session.

Utilities are facing a “massive time crunch” to make contract decisions as a shortfall of Cook Inlet gas looms.