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.
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
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.
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.