Gov. Mike Dunleavy delivered a blunt message to Alaska Association of School Boards President Lon Garrison, in a sharply worded letter accusing him of distorting the reasons behind Dunleavy’s veto of $200 from the $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation.
The letter, addressed directly to Garrison, pushes back on what the governor described as “false and offensive” accusations that his veto reflected a lack of support for Alaska’s students, parents, or educators.
“I served as a school board member and president… I care deeply about educational opportunity, but I also understand the fiscal realities our State faces,” Dunleavy wrote. “Your criticism conveniently ignores the basic fact that Alaska cannot spend what it does not have.”
Dunleavy emphasized that his decision was driven by broader fiscal responsibilities, including declining oil revenue and increasing pressure across state services, not a disregard for education. He pointed to the Legislature’s move to fund the BSA increase by slashing Permanent Fund Dividends and draining millions from the Higher Education Fund, and questioned whether AASB supported that trade-off.
“Governing is about balance and responsibility, not empty advocacy,” he wrote. “I must protect the fiscal solvency of the State—you do not have that obligation.”
The letter escalated from a defense of the veto to a broader attack on the AASB’s positions and leadership. Dunleavy accused the organization of resisting education reform while continually demanding more funding.
“You have made it clear: more funding and local control matter most,” he wrote. “Your organization offers only the tired refrain of ‘more funding,’ with no accountability, no innovation, and no results.”
The governor criticized the association’s opposition to policies such as the Alaska Reads Act, charter school expansion, and homeschool options. He also called out Alaska’s dismal national ranking in academic achievement.
“Alaska ranks near the bottom, 51st in the nation, in academic achievement according to NAEP scores. Does that bother you? Do you care? Where is your outrage about that?” Dunleavy asked.
Dunleavy reminded AASB that his administration has overseen substantial new investments into education, including $1.5 billion above the statutory formula since 2019, from both federal and state sources. He questioned whether the AASB had ever even acknowledged that funding increase.
“You should be honest with the people of Alaska: your priority is not better schools or higher student achievement. It is to maintain the status quo at all costs, regardless of the cost to our children’s future,” Dunleavy wrote.
The governor ended the letter with a pledge to continue advocating for system-wide reforms and to hold groups like the AASB accountable for misrepresenting his administration’s actions.
“I will also do a much better job at informing the public of how you and your organization misrepresent your purpose and my actions,” he concluded.
Read the entire letter here:
