An education funding bill that’s dominated the Alaska legislative session was gutted Thursday morning, leaving just a single provision: a $1,000 increase to the state’s Base Student Allocation (BSA). The Senate Finance Committee fast-tracked the change and moved the stripped-down version of House Bill 69 to the floor for a vote expected Friday.
The original version of the bill included wide-ranging education reforms, such as class size caps, cell phone restrictions, expanded open enrollment, and protections for charter schools. But those were removed in committee, prompting criticism from some lawmakers who argued meaningful policy should accompany any funding increase.
Senate President Gary Stevens acknowledged that many members want to support a $1,000 BSA bump but warned the governor has signaled a veto is likely. Overriding it would require 40 votes between the House and Senate—a margin lawmakers may not have.
Governor Mike Dunleavy has been blunt in his opposition, calling the revised bill a “joke” in a social media post. He said it spends hundreds of millions of dollars without accountability and fails to support charter or homeschool programs. Dunleavy has instead pushed for targeted education investments and policies he says will raise academic outcomes. Without those, he said, he’ll veto the bill the moment it reaches his desk.
Senate leaders say their goal was to test support for a specific funding level and separate that discussion from policy debates, which have proven divisive. The $1,000 BSA increase would cost the state about $250 million—a figure some legislators say is unaffordable given the state’s projected $700 million deficit.
The bill’s path forward is uncertain. The House may vote to concur as soon as Saturday, but unless lawmakers can strike a deal or build enough support to override a veto, this year’s push for comprehensive education reform may stall once again, and the hope of most Alaska school districts to see budget deficits tamed by additional funding will remain unfulfilled.