OPINION: We’re counting on legislators to do right by Alaska’s students

Dear Alaska Legislature,

We write with urgency and for your thoughtful consideration concerning the House Rules Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 140. As leaders of the Anchorage School District, or ASD, the largest and most diverse school district in Alaska, we have undertaken a review of the latest proposal from the committee. We appreciate the committee bringing forward the issue of education funding so early in the session. Any efforts made to finalize the education budget early in the legislative session are tremendously appreciated and will help the district avoid sending layoff notices to educators and staff by the statutory deadlines in May.

While the original intent of the bill focused on increasing internet speed in schools, a concept ASD fully supports, our comments will focus largely on the following: the BSA increase, charter school provisions, transportation funding, teacher bonuses and changing the funding formula for correspondence schools.

ASD faces a $98 million structural deficit for fiscal year 2025. A combination of inflationary pressures without a corresponding permanent increase in funding has resulted in this daunting situation. To close this deficit, ASD is faced with draining its emergency reserves and implementing significant cuts to programs, services and staff — choices that will all affect student outcomes and undercut our current efforts to transform the district through initiatives such as the Academies of Anchorage and implementation of the Alaska Reads Act.

ASD appreciates the House Majority recognizing the need for a permanent BSA increase. However, the $300 permanent BSA increase contained in this version of the bill will actually provide the district less funding than it received in fiscal 2024 after Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget veto of one-time education funding. Since 2016, inflation in Anchorage has risen nearly 27%, while the BSA has risen just 0.5%. This imbalance is eroding public education across our state. ASD is advocating for a permanent BSA increase of $1,413, for a total of $7,373, and to inflation-proof the BSA going forward.

Considering the increase to pupil transportation, ASD supports this. However, the $50 increase in transportation funding only covers approximately 25% of our $8.5 million transportation deficit. ASD took significant steps to address a bus driver shortage at the beginning of last school year by increasing wages and offering year-round work to employees. Addressing this problem came at a cost, and as such, ASD supports a transportation funding increase of at least $209 per pupil to $690 per pupil for FY25.

One of the most concerning and problematic portions of the bill deals with charter schools. To be clear, ASD supports and welcomes charter schools. Our district has a thriving community of charter, alternative, and optional schools offering a wide array of educational choices to the community. ASD has a clearly defined vetting process for charter schools that ensures they are successful from the start. We adamantly oppose the new section giving the State Board of Education the ability to authorize charter schools within a district. This state overreach would undermine local control of school districts, a principle backed by state statute.

Looking at the proposed change to correspondence funding, it’s important to reiterate ASD’s core mission, which is to educate all students for success in life. Singling out funding for a small portion of students diminishes our ability to provide adequate education for all students. While an important choice, correspondence schools serve a specific population within our district. Correspondence schools don’t have the additional costs of maintaining buildings or providing transportation like traditional neighborhood schools. Under this proposed bill, correspondence schools would receive almost as much funding per pupil as ASD receives for our largest comprehensive high schools. Therefore, ASD supports a permanent BSA increase that supports all students.

Lastly, we have reflected on the incorporation of the teacher retention bonus proposal. While ASD greatly supports our teachers, and just approved the largest one-year wage and benefits increase for educators in more than a decade, we have concerns with the underlying intent of this idea. ASD strongly supports recruiting and retaining educators. However, with a price tag of nearly $60 million a year, this proposal leaves out all other staff — including paraprofessionals — who are vital to the success of students. ASD believes these funds should be applied to a larger, permanent BSA increase that would enable districts to make targeted investments tailored to their specific needs.

We recognize the state’s fiscal situation and know how difficult it is to balance competing interests when resources are strained. Without the Legislature’s support, we cannot deliver the world-class education we all want for our students. Alaska’s most valuable resource is our students. They are our future leaders, business owners and public servants, and they deserve a commitment from us to safeguard their education to ensure Alaska thrives for decades to come.

Jharrett Bryantt, Ed.D., is the superintendent of the Anchorage School District. Margo Bellamy is president of the Anchorage School Board.

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