The Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) has been seeing an uphill battle during this legislative session.
Since SB 140, which was designated to increase the Base Student Allocation, failed by 1 vote on March 18th, there has been some questioning as to whether things would move in a positive direction regarding schools.
However, in response to the failure of the previous bill, the Alaska Legislature brought HB 193 to the floor.
HB 193 is designed to provide internet funding for schools, which would especially help rural communities. As of Wednesday, March 27th, this legislature has officially been signed into law.
“Through the enactment of HB 193, rural and remote schools across Alaska will now benefit from much faster internet download speeds of 100Mbps. This critical enhancement will empower students to remain competitive with their counterparts statewide and enable educators to employ innovative teaching methods utilizing technology,” says the ACSA. “We commend legislators for acknowledging the digital disparity and diligently working towards a solution to narrow the gap, thereby fostering a more equitable learning environment for students in Alaska’s most rural and remote communities. By capitalizing on a 9:1 match of federal funding for E-Rate, this effort stands as a testament to the positive outcomes achievable when state and federal resources are effectively leveraged.”
Considering that the internet portion of the bill has passed, the Alaska Council of School Administrators is still hoping there will be a possibility that the legislature will continue to advance further support for students, educators, families, and communities throughout this session.
“Specifically, we call upon legislators to prioritize increasing the Base Student Allocation (BSA), thereby collectively fostering enhanced opportunities for all Alaskans,” said ACSA.
The ASCA does extend its gratitude to members of the Alaska Legislature, as well as Governor Mike Dunleavy, for enacting the legislation. They also would like to give a special thanks to Senator Hoffman and Representative Edgmon for their leadership.
ACSA would like to emphasize it remains committed to working alongside legislators and the executive branch to ensure the continued advancement of education across the state.