2025-01-22                     House Journal                      Page 0049
HB 59                                                                                                                         
HOUSE BILL NO. 59 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                    
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to demonstration state-tribal education compacts;                                                         
     relating to demonstration state-tribal education compact schools;                                                          
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on                                                          
Tribal Affairs and the Education Committee.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1. Zero, Dept. of Administration                                                                                                
2. Zero, Dept. of Education & Early Development                                                                                 
3. Zero, Dept. of Education & Early Development                                                                                 
4. Fiscal, Dept. of Education & Early Development/Fund                                                                          
 Capitalization                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21 follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker-Elect Edgmon:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18 of the Alaska                                                                    
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill establishing a pilot program for                                                         
demonstration state-tribal education compact (STEC) schools. Senate                                                             
Bill 34 (2022) directed the Department of Education and Early                                                                   
Development (DEED) to negotiate a demonstration state-tribal                                                                    

2025-01-22                     House Journal                      Page 0050
education compact with federally recognized tribes and tribal                                                                   
organizations and to submit a report to the legislature relating to the                                                         
demonstration state-tribal education compact and state-tribal education                                                         
compact schools. On January 31, 2024, DEED submitted its State                                                                  
Tribal Education Compact Schools Demonstration Legislative Report,                                                              
based on its negotiations with five federally recognized tribes or tribal                                                       
organizations that applied to participate: Central Council of the Tlingit                                                       
& Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic                                                            
Slope, the Ketchikan Indian Community, the Knik Tribe, and the King                                                             
Island Native Community in partnership with the Village of Solomon.                                                             
                                                                                                                                
This bill takes the next step in launching STEC schools in Alaska by                                                            
setting up a five-year pilot program for the five participating tribes and                                                      
tribal organizations to enter into education compacts with DEED for                                                             
the establishment of tribally operated Alaska public schools. The bill                                                          
designates mandatory subjects that must be addressed in each compact                                                            
but allows DEED and the participating tribes and tribal organizations                                                           
to negotiate the details of each mandatory provision based on their                                                             
individual needs and circumstances.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Demonstration STEC schools may be funded by the legislature as if                                                               
they were schools in a regional education attendance area.                                                                      
Participating tribes and tribal organizations must report on student data                                                       
and enrollment at their demonstration STEC schools to DEED on an                                                                
annual basis and DEED will provide that information to the legislature                                                          
in its annual progress reports. At the completion of the pilot program,                                                         
DEED will provide a written report to the legislature summarizing the                                                           
student data over the entire project period.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor"