[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6296374,"mediaKeyId","2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7","parentId",2516416,"title","Sponsor outlines overhaul to school funding formula; bill would shift to single statewide appropriation","audioSeconds",1254,"startMs",2360000,"endMs",3614000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7&start=2360&end=3614","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7/thumbnail_2360000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6296374/Alaska/Sponsor-outlines-overhaul-to-school-funding-formula-bill-would-shift-to-single-statewide-appropriation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296374-fd11859d682bf9bddf5735f9cc872453/orig.mp4?Expires=1775094232&Signature=WYJG2hEDdJo6pkIng3FQePFJ8iR4VBTBhFX-AxzWVvcFzrxY1yVWS4cwPAKshnLN60MyxTWsyeOgPer0KcWJzBX3zukrvmjwMRgJAbV3K9qTio2wx9r8W8rEtYy4-3voVe-eEiM4mtMhmUizq9F~1rJ79TLIJmj60zlcxWt5qWZtAWS16OE-tHeWj1OKkcYgkBDZivm40~g2prcrJ~IGRAn5X9ypGUrdA2WzG5sO4C0wFfQfPG5Ue7S-f5GhqO2msyAtXHpktxOz4RKrY85yWPp8wXdkPhZNdovop4PHooARs1-XI6d7q3Rg38xv-b~1VDh2qy0aFA17mA0dJZrwnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-03-05T15:30:00Z","article","Senate Bill 46, presented to the Senate Education Committee on March 5 by sponsor Senator Matt Klayman of West Anchorage, would replace the statutory base student allocation process with a single, direct statewide appropriation for public education and change how district aid is calculated.

Klayman said the change is intended to simplify a two-step process he described as confusing to school districts and the public. “Instead of using a 2 step BSA approach, this bill proposes a single direct appropriation for public education,” he told the committee, and said the bill would keep existing programmatic adjustments (special education weights, career and technical education, cost-of-living factors) while shifting the starting point for budgeting to the total state appropriation.

Under the bill’s proposed calculations, the legislature’s total state aid appropriation would be combined with required local contributions and federal impact aid to determine a statewide basic need figure; districts would then receive shares of that total based on each district’s percentage of adjusted average daily membership. Sections in the draft also remove references to the “public education fund,” require the governor to publish two annual reports showing prior- and current-year education expenditures adjusted for inflation, and set an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Committee members asked technical and policy questions. Senator Kiel and others pressed whether the bill simply changes the starting point for political budgeting or whether it meaningfully constrains future appropriations; Klayman said the proposal is intended to create a more transparent baseline so the public and districts can see the effect of increases or cuts. Senator Kiel and other members also probed how required local contributions and federal impact aid are treated in the new calculation; Klayman and his staff said the language subtracts each district’s required local contribution and federal impact aid after calculating district basic need.

Public testimony on the bill included a two-minute comment from Rebecca Emerson, a parent from Palmer, who urged the committee to ensure special education funding follows students and to increase transparency and resources for students with disabilities.

The committee did not finalize SB 46 during the March 5 meeting. Chair Tobin paused the bill’s fiscal-note review and moved to public testimony and the day’s scheduled presentation so the sponsor could return for further questions at a later meeting.

Ending: Committee members asked the sponsor to return with clarifications about drafting intent and identified a need for follow-up on fiscal implications before the bill advances further.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/05/2025 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 46 would replace the base student allocation with a single statewide appropriation for public education and change how district state aid is calculated, sponsor Matt Klayman told the Senate Education Committee.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6296377,"Senate committee hears bill to enroll Alaska in federal summer EBT program; members question fiscal note",1956,397000,2353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7&start=397&end=2353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6296377/Alaska/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-enroll-Alaska-in-federal-summer-EBT-program-members-question-fiscal-note","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296377-194b0e128fb09055205335ef578ee16c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775094232&Signature=A827dnnJ2~cxzG5yfvkl~YOLRRa9QeOL9~st496in1TahzV2x9m3WzWiN4WL4WIfWSIqG9FcJi7eLHY7Bn5pU5gfvOL4Xjqx5PqVdLayr8UtYtX56PLIv~boEyVryjXqFP2TS1PlQCgiirsaz3b2b9FQT4HmEl7ftq2oBgbb2QgHcxpJmxS7Szz7BALQ4PzKrpt8xGhAul2BUq2QP1vjyEqYqN~-bK3TRlH2Hvrz-X-qAFDjmdc8oOTSR2JIKLVbDlIUUNDza778RDP1I~Pvqoc8sqndoJX2~l12xG6GAatxYsFaXs8QBgptfmf6pt~neShknro01c75xfeakKtBqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 13 would direct the state to qualify for and administer the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program so eligible children receive monthly grocery benefits during the summer, supporters told the Senate Education Committee on March 5.

Sponsor Forrest Dunbar, state senator from Anchorage, introduced the bill, saying it is “a short rather simple bill, but will have a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children and families in Alaska.” He told the committee that “in Alaska alone, there are an estimated 58,000 children who would be eligible to receive summer electronic benefit transfer benefits,” and that the benefits would supply about $40 per child each month during the summer.

The bill would direct the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) to take steps necessary to receive federally appropriated Summer EBT funds when those funds are available. Proponents said the program reduces summer food insecurity, improves diet quality, and injects federal dollars into local grocery stores and farmers markets.

Gavin Northey, child nutrition program manager at the Department of Education and Early Development, presented the department’s fiscal note and flagged higher estimates than the sponsor cited. Northey said the fiscal note “estimates that between 111,000 children will qualify for the summer EBT benefit,” producing roughly $10,402,000 in benefits issued from federal funds based on benefit levels tied to community classification. He also outlined administration needs the department estimated for implementation, including four new FTEs, contracts for EBT card maintenance and eligibility platform work, outreach and postage, and one-time implementation costs. Northey said the department expects approximately half of administrative costs to be federally reimbursable and the remainder to require a general-fund match; his slide materials and narrative tied the program to the Child Nutrition Program Fund (component 1955).

Committee members pressed Northey and the sponsor about apparent inconsistencies in the fiscal note. Senator Cronk asked whether the state would be required to continue paying staff if federal funding were cut; Senator Kiel and others said they could not reconcile line-by-line figures in the fiscal note and requested a clearer, itemized breakout. Senator Tobin (chair) and the sponsor said they would work with the department to refine the fiscal numbers and consider amendments.

Invited and public witnesses uniformly supported the bill. Risa Lord, advocacy and policy director for the Alaska Food Policy Council, called Summer EBT a proven way to reduce summertime food insecurity and urged the state “not to continue forfeiting this opportunity.” Kelsey Boone of the Food Research & Action Center cited national participation and estimated local economic multipliers, saying the program “is a proven method to decrease childhood food insecurity and increase nutrition when school is out.” Jen Griffiths of the Alaska Children’s Trust described links between nutrition and school readiness. Representatives of food banks — Lutheran Social Services and Helping Hands Food Bank — told the committee they see increased demand in summer and supported the bill as a way to reduce reliance on emergency food programs.

The committee did not vote on SB 13. Chair Tobin said she intends to hold the bill for a future meeting and invited the sponsor and staff to work with members on the fiscal note and possible amendments.

Ending: The committee asked the department for a clearer fiscal breakdown, including how existing EBT, tribal partners, and interagency coordination might affect administrative needs and costs. The sponsor indicated he will follow up with committee members and the finance committee before the bill proceeds to further consideration.

","Senate Bill 13 would direct the state to qualify for and administer the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program so eligible children in Alaska receive monthly grocery benefits during the summer months.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6296366,"Senate Education Committee reports SB 93 (early education) out of committee with recommendations",46,5172000,5218000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7&start=5172&end=5218","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7/thumbnail_5172000.jpg","/articles/6296366/Alaska/Senate-Education-Committee-reports-SB-93-early-education-out-of-committee-with-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296366-583ef07f77857ed555cfdabac4b0aecf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775094232&Signature=D0nGWjfRvEnAeNvIUjrenoOQSX3zb4AeKWY03~6u1AhKZmvmO55JABOzxmdNE47clVyULN7rb4ioSIFcF~5Mqlwfg0Qc4C-5~znP-41i1T3rdh4LMghc1tYWVW6HEThfKxoBxtnP7SnUcM1p5xiCxfFO3vLUb8qASdZHIw7cmGTrJvwVVQI1PkRiA7MRfEtWonv~1ieSixPz8eBKXHIm2lyBl3CtOKw9IXJGDGjnF0aC-rMX9U-GnZ5-4a8Wtcfm6lvvlYhnZu2yEZr5zWBu3FRnrhw7kh9suJuVOX5rslLqhRCAQeeRgtQMvbvoUH1Q6LDjQYni5tubSvbCv-j1Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 93, concerning early education programs and sponsored by Senator Tobin, was reported from the Senate Education Committee on March 5 with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.

Senator Kiel moved the committee report for SB 93 (work order 34-LS0430/I). Chair Tobin announced, “Hearing no objections, I move senate bill 93 work order 34-LS0430/I is reported from the senate education committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.” Committee members were asked to stay after the hearing to sign the committee report.

The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript; the report was moved forward by voice and without recorded objections during the public proceeding.

Ending: The committee’s action moves SB 93 to the next stage of the legislative process with the committee report and fiscal notes attached; members were instructed to remain to sign the report following the hearing.","Senate Bill 93, an early education bill sponsored by Senator Tobin, was reported from the Senate Education Committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes after a motion by Senator Kiel and no objections.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6296370,"Frontline educators tell Senate committee special education staffing shortages are a crisis",1570,3640000,5210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7&start=3640&end=5210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516416-6ebdc58032cfc33e71a17ec1085bc0e7/thumbnail_3640000.jpg","/articles/6296370/Alaska/Frontline-educators-tell-Senate-committee-special-education-staffing-shortages-are-a-crisis","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296370-bc3af2b349a6f9aa673f6413f1fa17b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775094232&Signature=mXgGBeZ~HCS6d1DoTXRAHPj5jT3AkDffm7y0u47RE~lcoSTiyXAH1Kw3MhprwBTsQjkIsr7rdIUtlY43Rv3WZh4j2ECKg55wYTM3MM61H4Ovmq4PBlzb~MAdHiCjRLGO-3hVyoyrQS3qTmmGIfSjo2oogZQ4MQsxCiUgD7bSHC~YpvQ2F1-l1hX2iYeE0HPlx~VF3Dc9guug4UtG3-DNWdPSrHHV77NObp7NMamx1kyUiCegKdMcCMk6Cigwr57DPUHx~Mb4CfITYz6o1TN9C4IJCDOOoZnmS0bQ81hEcEHr1T5Iyfkuec8e1Bmf3AMj56vrpkCtm~TWw4erH6O0Kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Frontline educators from multiple districts told the Senate Education Committee on March 5 that special education staffing shortages and rising caseloads have created a statewide crisis that limits students’ access to services.

Tom Claymeyer, president of NEA Alaska and a high-school teacher, opened a multi-witness presentation on special education and said vacancies in special education and related services “are so hard” to fill and that federal IDEA funding is far below the level advocates say is needed. He summarized national and state trends and noted Alaska’s remote geography and higher prevalence of certain disabilities, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, as compounding factors.

Kim Ward Massey, a speech-language pathologist who said she has worked in 12 Alaska districts over 20 years and now leads speech services in the Anchorage School District, told the committee that the district employs 76 SLPs but relies on teletherapy contractors when in-person staff cannot be hired. She said almost one-third of SLPs in her district are teletherapists contracted from the Lower 48 and that the district incurs additional paraprofessional and technology costs to support them. “Without competitive salaries or desirable retirement plan, our district struggles to attract and retain these hard to fill positions, forcing schools to rely on costly contract services,” she said.

Joshua Gerard, a paraprofessional supporting intensive-needs students at Seward Middle School, described being the only full-time permanent special education educator at his school while long-term substitutes and a half-time contracted teacher covered the other positions. Gerard said he regularly worked past contract hours and taught multiple classes while coordinating virtual services and that the district’s housing and cost-of-living pressures make it difficult to recruit and retain staff.

Jada Kahl, an occupational therapist in Juneau, described a broad workload that includes direct therapy, assessments, individualized education plan writing, consultative work across multiple sites and crisis response. She said her caseload exceeds 40 students and that understaffing causes students to miss services and increases stress on providers and families.

NEA Alaska and testimony from these practitioners called for a permanent increase to the base student allocation or another mechanism to provide predictable, ongoing funding; caps on special-education caseloads or adoption of a workload calculator; higher, competitive salaries and retirement benefits to retain staff; and targeted investments to reduce the need for contracted remote providers.

Ending: Committee members thanked presenters and acknowledged the need for further consideration. The presentation concluded without committee action, and members signaled it would inform future budget and policy deliberations.","Special education teachers, paraprofessionals and related-service providers told the Senate Education Committee that Alaska faces acute shortages, rising caseloads, reliance on costly contractors and growing unmet student needs. Witnesses said permanent increases to school funding and caps on caseloads are needed to recruit and retain staff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sponsor outlines overhaul to school funding formula; bill would shift to single statewide appropriation

Senate committee hears bill to enroll Alaska in federal summer EBT program; members question fiscal note

Senate Education Committee reports SB 93 (early education) out of committee with recommendations

Frontline educators tell Senate committee special education staffing shortages are a crisis