Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
01/27/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB69 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 69 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 69-EDUCATION FUNDING: INCREASE BSA
8:01:47 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 69, "An Act relating to education funding; and
providing for an effective date."
8:03:19 AM
CLAIRE FORDYCE, Staff, Representative Rebecca Himschoot, Alaska
State Legislature, read the sectional analysis [included in
committee file] which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Section 1: Amends AS 14.17.470, by adding new
subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) applying inflation
proofing:
(b) On July 1, 2025, Increase the base student
allocation of June 30, 2025, by the average inflation
adjustment of CY21-CY23, and then add $1000.
(c) On July 1, 2026, Increase the base student
allocation of June 30, 2026, by the average inflation
adjustment of CY22-CY24, and then add $404.
(d) On July 1, 2027, Increase the base student
allocation of June 30, 2027 by the average inflation
adjustment of CY23-CY25, and then add $404.
(e) On July 1, 2028, and on July 1 of each year,
Increase the base student allocation in effect June 30
of the previous fiscal year the average percent of
increase of the first three of the preceding four
calendar years using the Alaska CPI. Section 2: Sets
an effective date of July 1, 2025.
8:06:36 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSHOOT, as prime sponsor, gave a PowerPoint
presentation on HB 69 [hard copy included in the committee
file]. She began the presentation on slides 3 and 4, titled
"Evolving Demands on Education," which compared the differences
between a historic and a current classroom setting. She
continued to slides 5 and 6, which displayed a table that
outlined the historic statutory base student allocation (BSA)
funding increases since Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 10). She moved
through slides 7-9, which highlighted the comparatively higher
operating costs of both rural and urban public school districts
in Alaska. She skipped to slide 11, which emphasized Alaska's
public school funding that has been exacerbated by a
historically flat-funded BSA. She moved through slides 12-13,
which displayed graphs that further illustrated funding
shortages for public schools in Alaska. She continued through
slides 14-15, which highlighted the effect that inflation has on
Alaska's public school system and explained how one-time funding
increases don't always directly benefit a classroom. She
concluded the presentation on slide 16, which emphasized the
Alaska State Constitution's obligation to create and maintain a
public school system.
8:16:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD asked the bill sponsor if she would
invite testifiers from the Mat-Su School District and shared her
understanding that certain school districts have improved their
student outcomes despite a flat-funded BSA.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT clarified that the Matanuska-Susitna ("Mat-
Su") School District superintendent was invited to testify but
wasn't available. She said that there was a study commissioned
by the Alaska State Legislature in 2015 that compared the
difference between funding and student outcomes and said that
the current formulaic multipliers aren't sufficient in
addressing specific district needs.
8:19:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD asked if the method of inflationary-
adjusted funding proposed under HB 69 would be tied to the
consumer price index (CPI).
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT confirmed that is correct.
8:21:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE outlined various funding sources that
Alaska's public schools have received beside the BSA and asked
how they could find ways to utilize further funding sources
outside of the BSA.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT said that she would follow up with specific
numbers and explained that in FY 12-15, 19-20, and 23-25 there
were funds received outside of the BSA. She highlighted the gap
in funding during FY 16-18, FY 21, and FY 22 as years where the
flat-funded BSA was more impactful on a school's total fiscal
profile. She emphasized that federal funding received during
the COVID-19 pandemic allowed districts to "put aside" the need
for a larger BSA.
8:24:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID shared his understanding that the cost
of public education has historically outpaced inflation.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT replied that she was unable to say whether or
not the cost of public education has outpaced inflation.
REPRESENTATIBE EISCHEID retorted that he was sure that the cost
of public education has outpaced inflation and asked Co-Chair
Himschoot if she could share anecdotal evidence of a flat-funded
BSA's impact to children.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT echoed Representative Eischeid's remarks and
added that the cost on student learning is immeasurable.
8:29:39 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the committee would hear invited
testimony on HB 69.
8:30:45 AM
JENNA WRIGHT, President & CEO, Anchorage Economic Development
Corporation, gave invited testimony on HB 69. She said that the
most critical issue that Anchorage and Alaska as a whole is
facing is a workforce shortage. She said that Alaska must
invest in its students in order to set them up for a future in
Alaska, not somewhere else in the world. She emphasized that
Alaska's poorer funded schools are having an impact on its
ability to grow economically.
8:35:16 AM
ANDY DEGRAW, Chief Financial Officer, Fairbanks NorthStar
Borough School District, on behalf of Representative Rebecca
Himschoot, gave a PowerPoint presentation in support of HB 69
[hard copy included in the committee file]. He began his
presentation on slide 2, which displayed a "pencil chart" that
highlighted the difference in impact between BSA funding and
one-time funding increases. He continued to slide 3, which
emphasized the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District's
(FNSBD's) budget deficits that have occurred as a result of a
flat-funded BSA. He moved to slide 4, which highlighted the
inflationary pressures that have grown on the Alaska's public
education funding since 2017. He concluded his presentation on
slide 5, which displayed a graph that emphasized the growing
cost of public school's transportation systems, like school
busses and resource student services.
8:41:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked Mr. DeGraw what steps the FNSBD is
taking to keep students in its public schools and asked if it
would be preferential for the Alaska State Legislature to return
to subsidizing public school transportation.
MR. DEGRAW acknowledged that a couple thousand students have
dropped their enrollment in the FNSBD and shared his belief that
the biggest reason for a lower enrollment is the overall issue
of outmigration in Alaska. He said that the FNSBD has
established career & technical education (CTE) classes and
expanded coursework to attract more students. He added that it
would be preferential for the Alaska State Legislature to return
to its public school transportation reimbursement policy.
8:47:43 AM
NILS ANDREASSON, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League,
gave invited testimony in support of HB 69. He began his
testimony by explaining that the cost of public education has
grown exponentially since 2013. He gave a series of examples of
different expenditures that have grown in cost in the previous
decade and explained that Alaska's workers often make 8 percent
less than a counterpart of theirs that might work in the private
sector. He said that the cycle of ultimatums that are created
by a flat-funded BSA are not sustainable for communities and
cause long-term harm to Alaska as a state. He said that
underfunded schools "undermine the very fabric of our
communities" and emphasized that the state needs to make a
greater capital investment in its public school system.
8:55:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked what other state public service
should be cut to allow the cost of HB 69.
MR. ANDREASSON deferred his answer to the Alaska Municipal
League's fiscal policy recommendations.
8:57:25 AM
BENJAMIN MALLOT, President, Alaska Federation of Natives, gave
invited testimony in support of HB 69. He began his testimony
by pointing out the theme of the 2024 Alaska Federation of
Natives (AFN) convention that was largely focused on the need
for the state to focus its finances toward its public education
system. He highlighted a series of resolutions in support of
public education and an increased BSA that the AFN has passed in
the previous years. He said that the result of a flat-funded
BSA is a more inequitable public education environment that
causes harm to its communities and negatively affects student
opportunities and outcomes.
9:02:57 AM
MADELINE AGUILLARD, Superintendent, Kuspuk School District, on
behalf of Co-Chair Himschoot, gave a PowerPoint presentation in
support of HB 69 [hard copy included in the committee file].
She began her presentation on slide 8, which highlighted the
extreme cost of public education in the Kuspuk School District.
She continued to slide 9, which emphasized the various personnel
cuts that have occurred since 2023. She said that academic
programs have been extremely reduced and explained that the
Kuspuk School District has no arts programs, no health
curricula, and limited sports and cultural programs due to the
surging cost of public education and a flat-funded BSA. She
concluded the presentation on slide 10, which highlighted where
specific budget cuts have been made and explained the impact of
each individual item of the Kuspuk School District's recent
budget cuts. She said that her school district is faced with
"impossible choices" when they are met with a deficit or need
for a budget cut.
9:08:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID asked what would happen to the Kuspuk
School District if the Alaska State Legislature were to continue
with a flat-funded BSA.
MS. AGUILLARD replied that she foresaw the eventual closures of
public schools, which might eventually lead to total community
outmigration events in many different communities in her school
district.
9:10:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD asked if any policy reforms with regard
to energy and resources could help to lower costs of public
education.
MS. AGUILLARD said that a change in utilities and energy policy
could help lower the cost of education in the region.
9:11:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if the Kuspuk School District
could be benefitted by putting its project needs on the capital
improvement list.
MS. AGUILLARD replied that her district "absolutely" does apply
to the capital improvement list and acknowledged that the Kuspuk
School District would be benefitted by it.
9:15:17 AM
KATHERINE TATSUDA, Member, Ketchikan School Board, gave invited
testimony in support of HB 69. She began her testimony by
explaining her relation to education and her family history in
Ketchikan. She said that 35 percent of the student population
in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough (KGB) have experienced food
insecurity in the last thirty days and emphasized that 10
percent of students in the KGB are considered homeless. She
explained a series of budget cuts that are being made as a
result of a flat-funded BSA and said that the KGB School
District is now facing decisions that are beyond simple
personnel cuts and "deeply impactful" to the community. She
said that schools in the KGB are becoming divisive and
emphasized that families are seriously considering leaving
Ketchikan to find somewhere with better public education
opportunities for their children.
9:22:21 AM
STEVE ROWE, Parent, gave invited testimony in support of HB 69.
He began his testimony by explaining his professional background
and emphasizing that a lot of people are choosing to go
elsewhere than Alaska due to its insufficient public education
system. He opined that it might be "virtually impossible" to
sufficiently staff certain sectors of work in the coming years
due to Alaska's continued outmigration crisis and added that
funding public education is the first place to start in its
mitigation. He emphasized that education is a sector that must
be funded and never sacrificed in the name of other policy
decisions. He shared an anecdote of his daughter's experience
in finding that all of the programs she wanted to participate in
were cut and emphasized that while he has the means to help her
participate in programs like that, other families don't. He
shared that he purchased 67 computers for students in the
Anchorage School District (ASD) but stressed that financial
relief of Alaska's public schools cannot come from charity.
9:29:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked what kind of workforce development
opportunities Mr. Rowe believed that the ASD was doing well and
asked what instruction could be improved upon.
MR. ROWE opined that the ASD is doing a good job of bringing
career providers and union workers into schools.
9:33:00 AM
ADRIENNE MICHEL, Parent, gave invited testimony in support of HB
69. She read from a prepared testimony [included in the
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Good morning, and thank you for allowing me the
opportunity to speak to you all today. My name is
Adrienne Michel and I am a 3rd generation Alaskan, a
mother of three and currently the PTA fundraising
chair for Bear Valley Elementary in Anchorage Alaska.
I am speaking to you today representing our PTA board
and addressing the current lack of education funding
that is affecting our school and schools across the
state.
As many of you know, districts across the state have
been struggling with how to make the education needs
of our students work within the tight budget
constraints we are currently presented with. Since
2011 the Base Student Allocation has increased around
5%, whereas inflation has increased by 39%, we are
asking schools to do the same or more with less.
Much, much less.
Over the last 14 years, the easy cuts have been taken.
There are no frills, there are no extras. Across the
state School Boards are grappling with how to make it
work year after year as Band-Aid one time funding
becomes the crutch they lean on. You can't hire
teachers & support staff with one time funding, you
can't plan maintenance improvements with one time
funding, you can only cover the current holes and
cross your fingers the funding comes through again
next year when we are having this exact same
conversation.
Each year districts across the state are looking at
their budgets and trying to figure out how to make it
work. The headlines will tell you how that is going:
"Fairbanks proposes 5 school closures" "Anchorage
proposes 7 school closures" "MatSu faces $22m deficit"
both Juneau and Kodiak have had to make the decision
to combine schools in their areas. In some cases, yes,
buildings are not full and a closure is justified. But
in many cases this is a last ditch effort to make the
money work.
Families have already felt the weight of these
decisions. Class sizes have increased leading to less
and less educational focus for students on both the
high and low end of academics. The opportunity to have
additional support staff have gone away, IEP's and
504's become harder to implement, enrichment
opportunities and afterschool programs have dwindled,
and building maintenance is put off regularly unless
it can be passed through a bond measure. And now, each
year regardless of test scores, staff retention, and
student outcomes they face the threat of school
closure. Instead of focusing on the educational
results that these schools offer they are being looked
at in terms of maintenance costs, ease of moving
students to different schools, and probable cost
savings. Parents, teachers, and students spend their
time and energy trying to find a way out of what feels
like an inevitable doom.
When I volunteered for this PTA position two years ago
I felt like it was an opportunity to help support my
children's school. I stepped into the position of PTA
fundraising chair having no clue how much our PTA does
to help fill the gaps left by insufficient funding. I
began this position thinking we would be putting on
community building activities, bringing in a few
treats for teachers, and adding some fun things to the
school here and there.
The reality of the situation is that our PTA funds
almost any additional need the school has. A snow
tractor to make sure people can safely get from the
parking lot to the building, functioning blinds so
when our students practice ALICE drills their teachers
can actually close them, updated technologies so
classrooms are equipped with current tools, ice melt
(we just picked up 10 more bags this weekend), pallet
jacks, books for the library, enrichment
opportunities, desks and chairs for the classrooms,
printers, ink, projector bulbs, a refrigerator with an
ice maker for the nurses office, the list goes on and
on. I want to stress that our school as a community
has the means and ability to step and do these things,
but the consistent ask (especially as all of our lives
have also been impacted by inflation) is not
sustainable long term. There are many schools in our
district and across the state that simply can not do
this, and therefore, they go without.
Although this has become somewhat of a part time job,
I am immensely grateful that we live in an area where
parents are willing and able to step up and help fund
the things our school needs. However, we as a PTA can
only cover the small gaps. The big gaps, the gaps that
have been left by years of not adjusting the BSA we
can not fund. We can not fund additional teachers, we
can not fund support staff, we can not fund a school
psychologist or counselor, we can't fund major
building repairs. There are limits to what we as a
group can do and the burn out of constantly putting
out fires caused by lack of funding or budget
shortfall is real. The amount of energy that has been
funneled into rallying against school closures &
advocating for a BSA increase when the need seems so
very clear, only takes away from what we as a group
can do to support our students and teachers.
There has been a lot of talk recently about investment
in our state. Investment in oil, gas, infrastructure.
Just as we want companies and people to invest in
Alaska, we must invest in our children. We have an
opportunity to educate the next generation of Alaskans
into well paying jobs, creating sustainable careers
and growth right here. We not only need engineers,
pilots, geologists, and doctors. We need electricians,
pipefitters, surveyors, carpenters, and all positions
in between. With the ability to read, do math, and
think critically.
HB0069 looks to close the gaps left by years of flat
funding and would give our schools and children the
opportunity to move forward in a way that doesn't
leave us grasping for more each year when budgeting
conversations happen. Last year the legislature came
heartbreakingly close to funding real change for our
schools and our children. Please make this a priority
for all of you this year.
Thank you
9:39:19 AM
AMIEE VILLARREAL, Parent, gave invited testimony in support of
HB 69. She read from a prepared testimony [included in the
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Hello, my name is Aimee Villarreal and I am a
geologist in the Alaska oil & gas industry. I was
relocated here 7 years ago and fell in love with this
beautiful state. Some oil workers rotate through the
state on a 3-5 year timeline but many, like myself,
choose to stay permanently and raise our families
here. I had to change oil companies to secure keeping
my family here permanently to avoid a rotation out of
state. But recently I have been questioning that
decision because Alaska is making it harder and harder
to choose to stay and raise my family here. The lack
of adequate school funding is unacceptable. Getting a
rotation to Alaska used to be highly coveted but that
is no longer the case and instead these companies
struggle to find employees willing to relocate to
Alaska. The once highly sought-after Alaskan rotation
is no more because employees that have lived here
passionately share their woes about the Alaskan school
system, the lack of childcare, and the threat of
school closures that they endured when living here.
This has resulted in challenges in recruiting and
retention of quality oil workers in Alaska and is what
I would like to talk to you about today:
Good Schools are Essential for Alaska's Oil and Gas
Industry
As families in the oil and gas industry, and as
parents, we see first-hand how important schools are
for our resource development and jobs. Alaska's oil
production is projected to increase 162,000 barrels
per day over the next decadethe question is, will the
state provide stable school funding so families like
ours can stay in Alaska?
Many of my coworkers are born-and-raised Alaskans, and
others, like myself, relocated to Anchorage from other
states based on work in resource industries. We all
love this beautiful state and want it to be the kind
of prosperous place that our children will want to
stay and raise their families too.
We cannot understate how important local schools are
for our families' decisions to stay in Alaska long
term.
And the oil industry is NOT unique. There are
numerous industries beyond oil & gas such as health
care, military, and air travel that provide highly
skilled jobs, which require strong education and
training, and rely heavily on working families willing
to relocate from the Lower 48 to Anchorage. If you
look at growth projections for these industries, you
will see the true growth potential of our city and our
state.
For example, data from Alaska's Department of Revenue
projects a 25% increase in Alaskan North Slope oil
production (479,0000 up to 641,100 barrels per day by
2034). This is due to several recent oil discoveries
and new oilfield developments on the North Slope,
including Pikka which is the oilfield I work with,
which will bring an influx of revenue and population
growth to Anchorage. Capitalizing on these resource
opportunities requires a strong school systemboth so
we can retain the families of highly-skilled workers
who already live here and attract workers who can
choose where they want to live.
One very important factor determining whether or not
families will choose to move to and stay in Alaska for
these jobs is the presence of a high quality public
school system. Good schools mean families like ours
can remain in Alaska and mean our employers can
recruit and retain workers for the many other highly
skilled, highly-paid jobs our industry is creating.
If we fail to invest in schools, we will continue to
see a tragic out-migration of families who can choose
where they live. When highly skilled workers leave,
either our employers can't develop the resources from
which all Alaskans benefit, or those jobs go to Lower
48 residents who fly up for shift work.
Our Alaska Constitution directs the legislature to
develop our resources for the maximum public benefit.
That means we need to support resource development and
think about maximizing job opportunities for Alaskans.
Good schools mean economic growth today and
opportunity for our children tomorrow. Good schools,
like good fiscal policy and a pro-growth regulatory
climate, are essential for our industry.
I want to thank all of you who campaigned on
supporting schools. I urge you to pass a bill
updating the Base Student Allocation (BSA) and
indexing it to inflation and to do so soon to ensure
school districts can make informed budgetary decisions
as they craft their budgets in late February. We love
Alaska and are committed to developing the oil
resources that fund core services like education.
Let's invest in good schools so our industry and all
of Alaska can continue to grow.
-Thank you for your time and the opportunity to be
here today.
9:45:21 AM
STACEY DIXSON, Parent, gave invited testimony in support of HB
69. She read from a prepared testimony [included in the
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Advocating for Increased BSA Funding to Support
Gifted Learners
Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the
Committee,
My name is Stacey Dixson, and I am the parent of two
boys in the highly gifted program at Roger's Park
Elementary School in Anchorage. I am here today in
support of HB 69 and urge members of this committee to
support a predictable increase to the BSA so that
districts across Alaska can adequately support the
learning needs of ALL children.
For years, Alaska has failed to fund education at a
pace that - at a minimum - matched the rising cost of
living and working in this state. And for years,
districts and schools have been asked to streamline
budgets, operate more efficiently, tighten their
belts, make hard decisions, have big feelings, and
become more accountable for funds that have been
allocated.
Year after year, we parents watch in horror as class
sizes increase, enrichment opportunities are removed,
bus routes get longer, maintenance is deferred,
specialized programs are cut, beloved teachers burn
out and walk away, and neighborhood schools are put on
the chopping block for closure.
And every year, more and more families like my own -
are forced to consider whether it still makes sense to
live in a state where public education is not a
priority.
------------------------
Like so many other families who have considered
relocating to Alaska, our first priority was finding a
viable school fit for our two elementary-aged boys,
both of whom are twice exceptional. On paper, ASD's
language immersion programs, open optional schools,
weekly IGNITE pull outs, and the Highly Gifted (HG)
program at Rogers Park seemed fantastic.
Unfortunately, the reality of what we have experienced
is far different.
Securing a spot in one of the language immersion
charter schools or open optional programs proved
impossible for our oldest son who was entering the
lottery at a higher grade, rather than in
kindergarten. And while we deliberately chose a home
that was zoned for the highest-performing neighborhood
school in the district, it took seven weeks for the
teachers and administrators at this new school to
accept our son's gifted placement from another state
so that he could attend IGNITE classes.
Seven weeks is a really long time for a kid like ours.
The reality of moving from a class of 14 students to a
class of 31 was that our son's new teacher didn't have
the bandwidth or support to tailor her instruction to
students who fell outside the normal range on the bell
curve. In those first 7 weeks at his new school, our
curious, intense, hungry learner became frustrated and
angry. He slipped into a depression and had to be
convinced to walk into school most mornings.
Watching his love for learning disintegrate so quickly
was heartbreaking. My husband and I felt powerless
and against our strong commitment to public education,
we started looking into private schools and even
homeschooling options despite both of us working
full-time jobs.
THIS is how public education systems lose kids and
families. Not because we think a private education is
better or because we are excited to quit our jobs and
become homeschool teachers. We move our kids out of
the public schools because they are not meeting their
needs, because they are falling through the cracks,
and because they are suffering.
---------------
Officially, gifted students make up almost 5% of
learners across the state of Alaska and about 8% of
learners in the Anchorage School District. However,
nationwide research shows that many gifted children
are never identified, especially minority learners and
those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Gifted students, many of whom are twice exceptional
have uniquely wired brains and unique learning needs
that can be challenging for teachers who are already
stretched with too many students, too much testing,
and inflexible standards and requirements. Asking
them to differentiate their lesson plans for a few
students is simply not feasible in most public school
classrooms.
Over time, gifted kids whose learning needs are not
met can become disengaged, frustrated, and disruptive.
They often earn and then internalized - a reputation
as the "classroom troublemaker" and are too often
mislabeled as having a behavioral disorder. This
lack of appropriate engagement, enrichment, and
accommodation during these critical early years when
kids either learn to love learning or learn to hate
school can have devastating future consequences for
our brightest children especially boys. Gifted
education is not a nice to have. It is not elitism.
Gifted education is equity.
---------
I wish you could have seen the transformation in our
son once he was finally allowed to attend IGNITE. He
found a teacher that nourished his intellectual
curiosity and a space that became a refuge from his
boredom.
While it was only 1-2 times a week for a few hours,
IGNITE, under the direction of Doug Weimann, provided
a lifeline for Sam. He learned to play chess,
undertook structural engineering projects, grew
microgreens, debated climate change, and became adept
at using at using a 3D printer. He learned to ask
questions, research answers, and figure out solutions
to real challenges put before him. By Christmas, we
had our happy, inquisitive kid back.
But as you all know, IGNITE and other programs
designed for gifted learners are some of the first to
be cut when ASD attempts to fix its huge budget
deficit as if these programs are auxiliary, nice to
have enrichment activities for smart kids. But for
our son (and so many other students over the years),
IGNITE is the thing that rekindled his love for
learning and made his time in school feel a little bit
brighter.
ASD claims that it cannot afford programs like IGNITE
at every school or extra teachers needed to decrease
the student-teacher ratio in highly gifted classrooms,
but I am certain that saving this money today will
cost the state of Alaska much more in the end.
Given our state's real conundrum of outmigration,
Alaska cannot afford to waste this potential and the
wonderful human resources that are living right here.
We cannot afford to lose these kids who will one day
lead our state and fill jobs in critical industries
like healthcare, teaching, technology, and
engineering.
--------
Both of my sons moved to the Highly Gifted program at
Roger's Park for the 2024-2025 school year a school
that we were led to believe would be the right fit for
learners like them. But what we found was overcrowded
classrooms, combined grades, inflexible teaching,
higher level math classes without live teachers,
opaque, inconsistently applied policies, lack of / no
desire for parent engagement, a lack of leadership
(which was just filled by a wonderful educator), and
most noticeably, a recent history burnt out,
unsupported teachers that have left the classroom. The
RPHG program does not have the funding or benefits to
recruit, retain, and train teachers who are uniquely
qualified to support these learners, and our kids are
not thriving.
This is ASDs only school for highly gifted students,
and just like every other program in the district, it
is operating with inadequate resources to support the
needs of the kids it was designed to serve. Families
like mine are still wondering if it makes since to
stay in a state where this is the best we can expect.
--------
Ultimately, the best way to support gifted learners is
to provide adequate, predictable funding for Alaska's
schools by increasing the BSA and by putting the
resources in place to recruit and retain qualified,
experienced educators. All of our students need
talented teachers and smaller class sizes where they
can received appropriate, effective instruction. They
deserve educators who are well compensated, feel
valued, are professionally fulfilled, and who are
supported rather than burnt out. And right now, very
few of them have that.
If we continue down this path and fail to invest in
our schools and in our most important resources, we
will continue to lose families, talented workers, and
economic investment to states that genuinely value
education. Increasing the BSA is the first step in
ensuring all students in Alaska, including gifted
learners, have access to the resources, teachers, and
programs they need to succeed.
Madame Chair, our schools have no more "fat" to cut.
We the parents, teachers, school counselors,
principals, nurses, resource aids, and PTA members are
all exhausted by this predictable cycle of
unpredictable funding. Nearly 80% of Alaskans support
significantly increasing school funding.
Many of you are here because you are former educators
and school board members- because you are passionate
about children fulfilling their potential. We can
make this happen with appropriately funded schools and
educators.
I urge you to take bold action, to do the right thing
- even in the face of political pressure and vote to
increase BSA funding so that Alaska's schools can
provide the quality education every child deserves.
Thank you.
9:53:57 AM
CLAYTON HOLLAND, Superintendent, Kenai Peninsula Borough School
District, on behalf of Co-Chair Himschoot, gave a PowerPoint
presentation in support of HB 69 [hard copy included in the
committee file]. He began the presentation on slide 13, which
highlighted the unique geographic and fiscal hurdles that the
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) faces. He moved
through slides 14-15, which emphasized various budget cuts that
have been made due to inadequate funding from the Alaska State
Legislature and the impacts that the cuts have had on the KPBSD.
He highlighted that his 26-year-old son chose not to come back
to Alaska because the state is "beyond its days."
9:59:14 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY thanked the invited testifiers, delivered
committee announcements, and set the amendment deadline for HB
69 to Friday, January 31, 2025.
[HB 69 was held over].
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 69 version G 1.24.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 69 Sponsor Statement version G 1.24.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Research Leg Fin 2.23 Citizens Guide K-12 Funding AK.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Research ISER_K-12_Spending_3.22.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Research Leg Res PublicEd Funding 4.8.24.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Research Leg Fin Memo 9.30.24 Impact of Inflation on K-12 Funding.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Resolution AASG 10.11.24.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Resolution Anch Muni 1.7.25 School Bd 12.17.24_M079A.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB 69 Testimony Lower Yukon SD Resolution 9.24.24.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 69 Research Presentation Slides Final 1.27.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB 69 Sectional Analysis 1.24.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB69_Testimony_FNSBSD_Andy DeGraw_1.26.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB69_Testimony_KuspukSD_Dr.MadelineAguillard_1.26.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |
| HB69_Testimony_KenaiPBSD_ClaytonHolland_1.26.25.pdf |
HEDC 1/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 1/29/2025 5:00:00 PM |
HB 69 |