Lawmakers are headed to Juneau for the special legislative session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, which begins Saturday. On the agenda are several education policy proposals and an executive order to create a state Department of Agriculture. Lawmakers from the House and Senate’s bipartisan majority caucuses plan to vote on whether to override Dunleavy’s veto of over $50 million in education funding, and immediately adjourn the session.
Educators and education advocates are hopeful that legislators will vote in favor of overriding the funding veto. They need 45 lawmakers to vote yes to restore the full $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation — the state’s formula for funding schools — that passed the Legislature. Dunleavy used his line-item veto to remove $200 from the $700 BSA increase.
Clayton Holland is Superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and President of the Alaska Superintendent’s Association. He said staff returning to schools this week remain frustrated with the uncertainty over state funding.
“I also understand the frustration that people are having, I think we’re all frustrated as well,” Holland said. “Staff come back here shortly in the buildings, and we're still waiting for answers.”
Holland hopes to see lawmakers pass a veto override this weekend, and then wants the Legislature to inflation-proof the formula in the future.
“No, $700 is not the panacea for this. I call it a stopgap, still. And is it a major step in the right direction? Absolutely,” Holland said. “But to keep up with inflation, the BSA would be increased by $1,800.”
Caroline Storm is the Executive Director for the Coalition for Education Equity, a nonprofit supporting Alaska schools. The group is planning to hold a news conference with superintendents and student leaders on the capitol steps Friday asking lawmakers to override the Governor’s veto.
The coalition sued the state more than two decades ago and reached a settlement over inadequate funding for rural schools. At least one Republican lawmaker has argued that the state constitution does not require school funding increases, but Storm said that’s not accurate.
“The Alaska Constitution said the Legislature must establish and maintain a system of public schools. To maintain any system or institution requires additional funding, building maintenance, electricity, heating fuel, insurance to maintain buildings, staff salaries and benefits cost more every single year,” Storm said.
In a message announcing his reasoning for line-item vetoes, Dunleavy said the reduction in per-student formula funding was needed due to declining oil prices.
“Basically, we don’t have enough money to pay for all of our obligations,” Dunleavy said. “So as a result of that, you're going to see some reductions in this year’s budget. It’s not an easy thing to do, it's certainly not a fun thing to do, but it’s necessary.”
Dunleavy called the special session earlier this month, but asked Republican lawmakers not to attend during the first five days when the Legislature is required to take up veto override votes. But in a video posted to social media on Monday, Dunleavy invited “all legislators to be there.”
