Lawmakers react to governor’s education priorities in State of the State address

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – Gov. Mike Dunleavy laid out his vision for shaping the future of education in Alaska during his State of the State address on Tuesday, mentioning charter schools, bonus incentives for teachers and the supporting higher education programs in STEM, nursing, Arctic research and other emerging fields.

While Dunleavy didn’t mention Senate Bill 140, the comprehensive education package being supported by the House Majority, his apparent education priorities align with many of the components of the bill. During the speech, Dunleavy talked about the success of Alaska’s charter school system.

The education package that is yet to be heard on the House floor includes a section that would streamline the process for the creation of more charter schools.

“This past November, research from Harvard confirmed that Alaska’s charter school system is the best in the country,” Dunleavy said. “That’s right. You heard correctly. Alaska’s charter school system is leading the nation. This fact should be a cause for celebration. Every educator, every administrator, and every school board member in Alaska should be embracing the opportunity to learn from what’s proving successful.”

The proposed bill also establishes incentives for the retention and recruitment of teachers, another topic that Dunleavy advocated for on Tuesday night.

The proposed bill would increase the base student allocation by $300, an amount the House Majority and House Minority are divided on. The Senate Majority has also advocated for a higher amount.

Dunleavy said Tuesday night that “for far too long the drumbeat for more money in the BSA has drowned out nearly every other conversation.”

In an interview, House Minority leader Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, said he didn’t know how to interpret that comment, but “after 10 years of flat funding, it’s no surprise that education is having an outside voice in the conversation down here in Juneau.”

“What I know is that schools need funding now,” Schrage said. “Whether you’re in a charter school, a correspondence school or your neighborhood public school, a BSA increase will provide much-needed support to teachers and faculty and to our students in the school system. And we need to increase the BSA by a substantial amount.”

On the other hand, Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, said she sides with the governor that the focus should be on outcomes instead of just funding.

“I fully agree with what the governor was speaking about — we need to stop talking about money and [instead] outcomes,” Allard said. “I’m looking forward to SB 140 passing, you know, the governor is not going let it go past his desk if it has nothing in it. So we need to make sure that we all support each other and we make sure we move forward with our education system.”

A spokesman in the governor’s office said Dunleavy is not opposed to increasing the BSA but stands by his comment that he wants to see a comprehensive education package.

The governor’s spokesperson also said Dunleavy will not comment on a BSA dollar amount until he sees the final bill on his desk.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.