The Senate Education Committee met Monday to discuss a measure that will impact how public schooling is financed in Alaska.
Senate Bill 171 aims to offer schools more financial security over the next few years. If passed, per-student funding will increase by $125 the first year, to $5,805; $130 the second year, to $5,935; and $135 the third year, to $6,070, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports here.
Some are skeptical about the longevity of the plan. Sen. Joe Thomas, a Fairbanks Democrat who co-chairs the committee, sought to address some anxiety about the allocation.
"We have seen with the money put in last time we had a three-year increase it did contribute to increasing test scores and decreasing dropout rate," Thomas said in a Senate press conference on Tuesday.
There is no doubt that education funding in Alaska is on decline. School districts across the state are looking at millions of dollars in cuts.
Gov. Sean Parnell sees lack of funding as a problem but doesn't think an increase in formula programs (like per-student allocation) is the right solution. House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Kenai, says the House supports an increase in education funding, but isn't quite sure what that would look like. It could be through formula programs or it could be through "learning opportunity grants (LOGs)," another proposed way of funding.
The bill is estimated to cost about $31 million the first year, $32 million the second year, and $33 million the third year, according to the Associated Press.
If passed, the measure would take effect in the next fiscal year.