Education funding

State Rep. Rebecca Himschoot (right), I-Sitka, answers a question from Rep. Jubilee Underwood (right), R-Wasilla, about a bill increasing per-pupil public school funding during a House Education Committee meeting on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Legislators and governor form working group seeking quick education funding and policy package

Small bipartisan group plans to spend up to two weeks on plan as related bills are put on hold.

 

The Stikine River Flats area in the Tongass National Forest viewed by helicopter. The nearby community of Wrangell has received federal funding, through the Secure Rural Schools Act program, designed to assist communities impacted by the declining timber industry. (Alicia Stearns/U.S. Forest Service)

Rural schools in Southeast Alaska face funding shortfall after U.S. House fails to pass bipartisan bill

Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is aimed at schools near federal lands.

 

An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Juneau is one of four districts federal education officials said was underfunded by the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

Four Alaska school districts, including Juneau, move on without federally promised money

$17.5M pandemic funding dispute wth state ends; Juneau wasn’t counting on its $90K share.

 

Rep. Alyse Galvin, an Anchorage independent, takes a photo with Meadow Stanley, a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on April before they took part in a march protesting education funding from the school to the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Drops in Alaska’s student test scores and education funding follow similar paths past 20 years, study claims

Fourth graders now are a year behind their 2007 peers in reading and math, author of report asserts.

Rep. Alyse Galvin, an Anchorage independent, takes a photo with Meadow Stanley, a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on April before they took part in a march protesting education funding from the school to the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Kahyl Dybdahl, left, and Bronze Chevis eat an egg sandwich breakfast before school at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau School District gets $500K extra from BSA increase, may use about $100K to extend free student breakfasts

Juneau gets $5.7M rather than $5.2M from one-time funding boost; free meals set to end this month.

Kahyl Dybdahl, left, and Bronze Chevis eat an egg sandwich breakfast before school at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Students heading to Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé board a bus at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

State revives effort limiting funds municipalities can give school districts for non-instructional costs

Juneau School District could lose millions for buses, food service, student activities, superintendent says.

Students heading to Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé board a bus at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Students eat lunch Thursday, March 31, 2022, in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé cafeteria. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

School district faces $738K deficit in food service and activity funds, but now has money to cover

Board members asked to fix shortfall so it’s not included in audit, but some uneasy without more review.

Students eat lunch Thursday, March 31, 2022, in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé cafeteria. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, speaks at a news conference on March 15, 2024, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska pursues appeal of $17.5 million penalty over federal education funding equity dispute

Feds say Gov. Dunleavy veto, DEED inaction are to blame for the penalties.

Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, speaks at a news conference on March 15, 2024, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
People carry signs at a Juneau rally in favor of an increase to the amount the government pays schools per student on Jan. 29, 2024. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska school districts got a one-time funding boost. It came too late for many teachers.

Districts say instructors are leaving because of uncertainty in what is usually a stable profession

People carry signs at a Juneau rally in favor of an increase to the amount the government pays schools per student on Jan. 29, 2024. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
Juneau School District leaders discuss items to add back to this year’s budget during an online meeting Saturday. (Screenshot from Juneau Board of Education meeting)

School board spends $3.6M in staff add-backs, nixes $1M CBJ loan after getting $5.2M extra from state

Members also consider new food service contract and first increase in school meal prices since 2020.

Juneau School District leaders discuss items to add back to this year’s budget during an online meeting Saturday. (Screenshot from Juneau Board of Education meeting)
A sculpture of a bear reading a book is seen in front of Auke Bay Elementary School on July 12, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

School district leaders rank ‘add-back’ priorities for $5.2M in extra funds OK’d in state budget

List to be considered by school board Saturday includes HomeBRIDGE, special eduction, tech staff.

A sculpture of a bear reading a book is seen in front of Auke Bay Elementary School on July 12, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
Elbert Lin, a Virginia attorney contracted by the state of Alaska to argue its appeal in the State of Alaska, Department of Education and Early Development v. Alexander case, addresses Alaska Supreme Court justices on Thursday in Anchorage. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Supreme Court reverses homeschool allotment ruling

Alaska’s Supreme Court justices on Friday reversed a Superior Court ruling that struck down key components of the state’s correspondence school program. Nearly 23,000 homeschool… Continue reading

Elbert Lin, a Virginia attorney contracted by the state of Alaska to argue its appeal in the State of Alaska, Department of Education and Early Development v. Alexander case, addresses Alaska Supreme Court justices on Thursday in Anchorage. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson, left, asks a question during oral arguments in a case concerning correspondence education allotments on Thursday in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaskaa Beacon)

Alaska Supreme Court weighs whether correspondence education lawsuit wrongly targeted state

Plaintiffs aim to block public dollars benefiting private schools, defense focuses on parents’ rights

Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson, left, asks a question during oral arguments in a case concerning correspondence education allotments on Thursday in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaskaa Beacon)
Deputy Attorney General Cori Mills explains the administration’s understanding of a ruling that struck down key components of the state’s correspondence school program, in the Alaska State Capitol on May 1. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

What you need to know about Alaska’s contested homeschool allotments

Alaska’s Supreme Court hears state’s appeal of ruling that allotments are unconstitutional Thursday.

Deputy Attorney General Cori Mills explains the administration’s understanding of a ruling that struck down key components of the state’s correspondence school program, in the Alaska State Capitol on May 1. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska faces consequences as federal education funding equity dispute continues

State officials offered feds a $300,000 compromise instead of $17 million adjustment.

An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)
Students and staff play a kickball game on the field between the Marie Drake Building and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on Friday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

School district leaders debate biggest needs for extra $5.2M approved by Legislature, in hope governor won’t veto it

Staff for special education and gifted students, homeschooling, paying off city loan high on list.

Students and staff play a kickball game on the field between the Marie Drake Building and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on Friday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Boney Courthouse building in Anchorage holds the Alaska Supreme Court chambers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Supreme Court schedules June 25 hearing for homeschool lawsuit appeal

Arguments to occur five days before the end of a hold on the lower court’s ruling.

The Boney Courthouse building in Anchorage holds the Alaska Supreme Court chambers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Thunder Mountain High School boys’ basketball coach John Blasco and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé coach Robert Casperson talk following the final local game between the two schools on Feb. 24, due to a consolidation plan taking effect during the coming school year. Blasco said Monday he is stepping down with the intent of letting Casperson coach the consolidated team. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau School District coaches and advisors being released due to consolidation, will have to reapply for jobs

Preference will be given to “successful incumbents” and certified staff, according to district letter.

Thunder Mountain High School boys’ basketball coach John Blasco and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé coach Robert Casperson talk following the final local game between the two schools on Feb. 24, due to a consolidation plan taking effect during the coming school year. Blasco said Monday he is stepping down with the intent of letting Casperson coach the consolidated team. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Lisa Pearce (center), newly hired as the chief financial officer for the Juneau School District, discusses the district’s financial crisis in her role as an analyst during a work session Feb. 17 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Seated next to Pearce are Superintendent Frank Hauser (left) and school board member Britteny Cioni-Haywood. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Lisa Pearce, analyst who unveiled Juneau School District’s crisis, hired as new chief financial officer

Consultant for numerous districts in recent years begins new job when consolidation starts July 1.

Lisa Pearce (center), newly hired as the chief financial officer for the Juneau School District, discusses the district’s financial crisis in her role as an analyst during a work session Feb. 17 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Seated next to Pearce are Superintendent Frank Hauser (left) and school board member Britteny Cioni-Haywood. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
The Alaska Supreme Court is seen on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

State seeks quick Alaska Supreme Court ruling in appeal to resolve correspondence education issues

Court asked to decide by June 30 whether to extend hold barring public spending on private schools.

The Alaska Supreme Court is seen on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)