The Kenai City Council has voted against a resolution that would have supported an increase in the funding formula for school districts around the state.
The resolution was offered by Councilman Henry Knackstedt, in response to an estimated $13 million budget deficit for the coming year.
The Legislature is unlikely to pass an increase to the formula, called the Base Student Allocation, because the state itself is facing a budget shortfall. Instead, the House is proposing a one time allocation that would be outside the BSA, as it has done in the past — adding more money for schools without committing itself in the future to a formula that might not be affordable.
The Soldotna City Council and the Kenai Peninsula Borough have passed resolutions in support of the higher amount of formula spending. But after a spirited debate, in which opponents pointed out that every year there are dire predictions of funding shortfalls, and that the BSA increase comes with no accountability, the majority of the council voted to postpone the item indefinitely.
Watch the debate at this link:
The Kenai City Council is comprised of a mayor, Brian Gabriel, and six council members who are elected at large by the residents of the City of Kenai. The vice mayor, currently James Baisden, is selected to serve a one-year term by council members shortly after the election.
Photo credit: Tammy Vollom-Matturro
I can’t help but ‘hink: ” That’s the right approach.” Hey, everybody let’s move to Kenai!!!
As much as I respect you, please, no.
We are getting way too many people down this way fleeing from Anchorage and vicinity. Please fix your broken home.
Yes! Thank you for also pointing our elephant in the room, we need our conservative leaders staying here too.
Thank you Kenai for providing Alaska with a TEMPLATE.. Feeding more money into School Districts without higher Testing Results for decades, is the definition of Financial Insanity. Enriching Administrators Does Not Enrich the Students. The Unions in this State need to be brought to heel. Teachers Union especially. Their holding our children hostage to their FAILED POINT OF VIEW needs to end. No good test results, no money.
A good vote. Thank you those who voted no on the main motion. Sometimes that expression “just say no” is the best response.
“Enriching Administrators Does Not Enrich the Students.” True. No correlation exists between the $ spent on education and the testing results.
More leaders need
to stop requesting government for money. Good for kenai’s council being a good example. It doesn’t take much to educate a child, you don’t need much money. Kenai’s council decision strengthens my hope after a disappointing anchorage election.
Question :Why was Tyson Cox even at the Kenai City Council meeting but to lobby for the School Unions, & Teachers and the School District Administration! Akaka’s schools are gradationing the biggest bunch of undereducation students yet we fund more for admin. employees 5 to 4 teacher being less going to the class room education . we lose all the way around ! Tyson’s displeasure is with a conflict of interest! Shame on him. His wife is a school teacher on the Kenai and recently got a pay raise regardless!
It was postponed indefinitely, 4 Council Members voted it down, and after reconsideration, 5 Council Members voted to postpone indefinitely, that means it can’t be brought back again in front of the Kenai City Council.
Kenai School District
1214 Employees / 8,301 Students / 42 Schools
1 Employee per 6.84 Students
28.9 Employees per School
197.64 Students per School
Anchorage School District
3250 Employees / 41,856 Students / 97 Schools
1 Employee per 12.88 Students
33.51 Employees per School
431.51 Students per School
Conclusion: ASD is being short changed more than KSD.
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