The debate over school funding in Alaska’s Capitol is intensifying — and it’s not just about the money. With the 2026 governor’s race looming on the horizon, education policy has become a political flashpoint, as lawmakers spar over the suddenly-relevant House Bill 57, which is now funding “turducken” bill (three-bird roast) and what it signals to voters.
At the heart of the debate is the Base Student Allocation, a metric used to determine how much the state spends per student. Some Democratic lawmakers are pushing for a significant increase in the BSA, a move aimed as much at gaining political ground as it is at funding classrooms.
But on Thursday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy took a strategic approach on social media, diffusing partisan tensions with a message of cooperation — and clear expectations.
“Let me be clear,” Dunleavy wrote. “If legislators make a few key edits, including restoring the reading grants, adding open enrollment, ensuring full funding for correspondence students, and including the four charter school reforms, I will sign this bill. I look forward to working with lawmakers to make HB 57 a bill that strengthens outcomes, expands opportunity, and responsibly increases education funding.”
HB 57 is currently stalled in the Senate Finance Committee, where it still lacks some of the provisions Dunleavy is demanding — most notably, language granting additional authorizing authority for new charter schools and full funding for Alaska’s growing number of correspondence students.
In the Senate a coalition of Democrats and left-of-center Republicans must decide whether to meet the governor halfway or challenge him head-on. If they proceed with the current version of the bill, they risk another high-profile veto, just as happened with House Bill 69 earlier last week. That could lead to a showdown that could dominate headlines heading into campaign season.
With education emerging as a defining issue for both sides, Alaskans are likely to see more than just a budget battle play out in Juneau. Alaskans are seeing the early skirmishes of a governor’s race where classrooms, charter schools, and funding formulas are on the ballot, and this governor is trying to get the matter settled before it becomes the battering ram for the Democrats in 2026.
Of course Democrats would turducken this. They and the Republicans who caucus with them have one motto this year, “Dunleavy cannot have a win. Not one single win.” All while Alaska loses.
You are correct Rollo Tomasi.
Rollo, I had to look up “turducken”. Hahaha! How bizarre!
In the end, the children loose. Common sense will see this result.
Obviously they are the pawns of an intelligent game of sport being played on a checker board of legislatures.
There will be no accountability, for the lack of academic improvement with every dollar allocated reflecting ANEA
Gains no student gain.
Cheers
Yup.
The MAJORITY of students that “graduate” Alaska high schools ARE NOT reading or doing math at grade level.
Shame.
If you’re in education look in the mirror.
If you’re a parent are you sending your children to learn and are you holding the teachers and administration accountable for their failures – look in the mirror?
Is it too late to get a governor’s line-item veto on the ballot?
The rhetorical question SD raises, about whether legislators will meet the governor halfway, will not play out. Because Dunleavy is not proposing a compromise. He is acting like a bully AGAIN by making it clear that he will not veto the bill only if 100% of his conditions are met.
I would disagree. This bill has a higher BSA amount than his original bill. So he is agreeing to a higher BSA, just add in the other things he is asking for
He shouldn’t compromise squat with the idiots in Juneau pushing this ridiculous spending increase. They have not had a single serious funding discussion and how their pie in the sky will be paid for. Liberals will bankrupt the state in the near future because they lack common sense.
The bullies here are the education lobbyists and the legislators they bought and paid for!
Amen!!!!
So much of funding is a waste, or for social changes.
If the schools cut out the adding that is wanted for Health care for the child’s “health” ….I am not talking about having a nurse in a school. I am talking about Mental health???? How does that work???? Are parent granting this??? Or is it a parental right and duty to provide mental and health care ….per their duty and faith and family values!!!!
Have parent just persons to produce raw material ( children, shelter, one meal a day and funding and taxes) to hand off to the government to raise and direct the child?
Since we have a change terms for genders how much long will it be before mom and dad will be retermed to Breeder. We could cancel Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and just have HAPPY BREEDER DAY.
On the playground, bullies are put in a time-out. Looks like Alaska legislators are looking for a time-out.
Huh?
The NEA has been demanding a $1,808 increase with no accountability and no reforms for horrible outcomes. Not compromising would be an increase of $0. The governor has made it clear what he would like to see and the NEA and the legislators it supports have refused to even entertain his proposals. HB69 was put forth with a $1,000 increase was by no means a compromise bill, it was nothing but a money grab.
God forbid Dunleavy wants to invite some standards and give parents some school choice.
The horror…
Let me get this straight, Dunleavy will sign this bloated bill only if … it contains EVEN MORE SPENDING? WTH?
No one in this state is standing up for the people.
It appears you are correct.
They’re all hoping you don’t notice that part, Dan.
You’re supposed to come away with the impression that you’re winning something valuable after a long, hard-fought battle over how best to fleece you and that this robbery wasn’t predictable.
Dunleavy will sign this bloated bill only if …
“If legislators make a few key edits, including restoring the reading grants, adding open enrollment, ensuring full funding for correspondence students, and including the four charter school reforms, I will sign this bill. I look forward to working with lawmakers to make HB 57 a bill that strengthens outcomes, expands opportunity, and responsibly increases education funding.”
Increased funding is a part of what the governor has been proposing for years, these legislators and their backers are opposed to any accountability or reforms for their failed system.
Yea, give the schools more money so teachers can strike & send the extra cash to their bank accounts.
That’ll help the kids (not)
Stand Tall Mike.
I guess nobody actually reads the bill. I haven’t, but I know it only applies to class 1 cities in Alaska. The state fully funds the non class 1 cities education, like in small towns a the villages. The state is required constitutionally to fully fund primary education in the state.
AK Constritution Art. 2 Form of Bills: “Every bill shall be confined to one subject unless it is an appropriation bill or one codifying, revising, or rearranging existing laws.” Guess they better change the fiscal note for HB57 (zero cost as of 2/10/2025).
Before a bill or resolution, except an appropriation bill, is reported from the committee of FIRST referral, there shall be attached to the bill a fiscal note containing an estimate of the amount of the appropriation increase or decrease that would result from enactment of the bill for the CURRENT fiscal year and FIVE succeeding fiscal years or, if the bill has no fiscal impact, a statement to that effect shall be attached. See more at: ‘https://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title24/Chapter08/Section035.htm AS 24.08.035. Fiscal Notes On Bills.
And people wonder why I call them “Alaska Lawbreakers.”
STOP, throwing our tax dollars at the broken educational infrastructure!!! Someone needs to follow the money.
The legislature is too dumb to do anything correctly.
Pure BS funding without results based changes should be a POINT BLANK non-starter. The education system in this State is pure garbage and every school administrator should be removed and dropped in the Gulf of Alaska . I will tell that to any school official straight to their face because they are utter garbage and a drain on society.
The education system is not broken. Our communities are what is broken. My 4 boys got and one is currently getting a fantastic education in Alaska public schools. Parents need to take responsibolity for their kids. As far as you saying you would drop people in the Gulf, thats crazy. What if we told parents they would fined if their kids missed school? Or required kids to do homework, or parents are found unfit? I bet you think kids have the right to have cell phones in schools and parents with no training should educate thier kids and use state funds to take horse riding lessons. As far as the people of Alaska paying for education, nobody does there are no state taxes here. Maybe if we did we would have a voice in where “our” money is spent.
If you pay property taxes, you pay for education. Look at your municipal property tax bill next time you get one. The bulk of that payment goes to ASD. Not police, not fire. A failing school system. It is failing and that is OUR money. And we have a right to demand accountability. Interesting that you seem more interested in demanding accountability from parents than from the very people who are tasked with educating children as their occupation.
Happy your boys are getting such a great education. Good for you. Maybe they can teach you how to spell “responsibility”. The ASD’s own report cards on schools show they are failing. This isn’t some right wing propaganda, those report cards for each school are available through the district’s website. So while your anecdotal evidence is nice, they admit they are failing. I was a product of ASD. I refused to submit my kids to that system. I got my law degree then decided to educate my children at home. My oldest is finishing up her PhD and my youngest was reading Cambridge University white papers for fun at age 7. She was doing college level algebra by the age of 8. I’d put my kids up against the best this district has to offer any day of the week. I did it on my dime.
I do find it interesting that you accuse parents of being the problem with the school district’s failures while maintaining that parents with no training have no business educating children. Which is it? If parents really are the problem here, as you suggest, how would throwing more money at the system help anyone or anything?
kids can’t do real algebra at 8. Their brain is not developed for abstract thought, it actually is impossible unless your child is super human. That is the problem with statements people make. Just because you responded that does not make it true. Also you got your law degree, your schooling could not have been that bad. You would not tell us that if it was not important to you and it is an accomplishment. I also have a post masters, I went to public school.
I know this might be a difficult concept for you, John, but don’t judge others by your own limitations. I knew a 2 year old who read books and newspapers, and could intelligently discuss what he read. One of the best things about MRAK is the amazing differences we read in the comments.
He should have also demanded “NO TEACHER RAISES”!
DON’T DO IT!
Time to stand tall for all Alaskans. Democrats’ idea of compromise is do it their way.
I can’t spend money out of my bank accounts if I don’t have money in them.
Common sense should be asking “Why should the State of Alaska be any different?”
This is a hot mess on BOTH sides of the aisle!!
Alaskans are telling everyone in government and the governor-NO!
Stop shoving this down our throats!
We want a realistic budget and accountability. NO ADD ONS!
I was afraid Dunleavy would fold quicker than a cheap lawn chair & it appears that is what is going to happen. Once again, the average Joe Six Pack Alaskan will see a thousand bucks skimmed off his PFD and deposited into the grubby mitts of Alaska school teachers! Insanity!
He has literally vetoed numerous bills over numerous years, how is that folding quicker than a cheap lawn chair?
There would be no fighting going on if Alaska wasnt at the bottom of list for national testing scores but at the top of the list for cost per student.
With administrative cost being much higher than the teacher salaries there will always be a stigma attached to the relationship between administration and the classroom soldiers responsible for maintaining control and promoting healthy test scores.
I have spoken to many good teachers who have quit teaching who were fed up with ASD.
There is no question why enrollment has been dropping and parents are giving up on public education and opting to pay the expensive private options ads well as homeschooling programs.
No raises for teachers or the Admin personnel!
They are thieves! The union is a bank of professional thieves!
👍🤜🤛
More lies from Dunleavy