As Alaskans, we expect our elected officials to rise above ideology and partisanship to promote the best interests of the state. This year, we have been consistently disappointed by the legislative majority as it has time and again chosen to focus on strict adherence to a budget concept that leaves our schools underfunded and lacking any security going forward.
Two-thirds of recently polled Alaskans (Hays Research, April 2015) want the Legislature to restore the funds cut from our schools in the majority's budget, and to see an end to the legislative games that are played each year with education funding.
Recently, the Legislature has hit a new low. The majority is pursuing a level of budget manipulation that can only be described as cynically hollow. They emptied the entire Public Education Fund (the forward funding of education) to pay for general operations, disregarded the statutory Base Student Allocation funding level, and reneged on the funding promised in last year's compromise education bill. Now they are rumored to be fiddling with the Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve just to avoid the need to reach an agreement with the House minority on a vote to use money from the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR).
Legislators seem oblivious that these one-upmanship games within the Capitol have real-world consequences. Although the Anchorage School District has not yet fulfilled our request for the latest numbers, we have heard from an unfortunate number of teachers and counselors who are leaving the district -- and likely other districts around the state -- in high numbers. In addition to positions being cut, many of our best teachers are leaving their chosen profession voluntarily due to frustration with the annual uncertainty surrounding their jobs and the constant shuffling from school to school as necessary funds are not provided. This attrition can be devastating for our students, who need stable relationships with trusted adults to succeed in school. With the funding cuts in the majority's budget, this problem will only grow worse.
We must demand that our leaders promote Alaska's values, not undermine them. Our economy has always relied on a strong public education system. A strong education system requires adequate, predictable and stable funding, as Great Alaska Schools has emphasized repeatedly. Let's work together, stop the manipulations, and provide the public education funding today's kids need.
Correction: Due to an editing error, the original byline placed on this commentary was incorrect. Deena Mitchell signed on in support of this commentary, but did not write it.
Becca Bernard and Pat Galvin are founding members of Great Alaska Schools, a grass-roots group formed in 2014 to advocate for public school funding. Great Alaska Schools members Alyse Galvin, Deena Mitchell, Val Buckendorf, Aaron Poe, Celia Rozen, Andee Cordano, Suzanne Little, Caroline Storm, Terrie Gottstein, Megan Richotte and Diane Wiggin also signed this commentary.
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