[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6081472,"mediaKeyId","2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60","parentId",2942372,"title","Bill would let municipalities change school board term lengths to align with state and federal elections","audioSeconds",985,"startMs",4633000,"endMs",5618000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60&start=4633&end=5618","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60/thumbnail_4633000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081472/Alaska/Bill-would-let-municipalities-change-school-board-term-lengths-to-align-with-state-and-federal-elections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081472-0291103a5cabb4a071ed8cc213f4703a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775471781&Signature=n2MaV9-il3Bka9tZWVR5enfyZDS7qI68ql0XOC64gLlr8grktdQL0CSiG9~aY1-QWeEZDXRslTt7-uPqcMg3NyP7wj1Bz~zA~s0NllQdbukOR-J~d2T0ECCdRBvmSv8dtwMdeupNrcGKi6LClyyKm3oVjo8wFQI6UyL8skxW1WARXTQde0exZpdL4pnL8AqYa2vnJtawm0kRwcd39kRVG-sSRWwvQ5hVV8yNQMZsTghGPZyuY-p0b5F3-RwgD5AGroNUKupSlYffWo0xcUU15NJwJyRLhfHi2cSiTGheRKKbmJ6oyZkBbzzrhUm5zDSd3Wz5YCT9fUgnndmiW1yYTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","article","Juneau — The Senate Education Committee on April 9 heard testimony in favor of Senate Bill 143, a bill that would allow municipalities, by local ordinance, to alter the length of municipal school board terms so they can align school‑board elections with state and federal election dates.

Sponsor Senator Rob Yount of Wasilla told the committee that some local offices in his borough already shifted from three‑ to four‑year terms to reduce costs and improve turnout, and he said communities would benefit if school board seats could be similarly adjusted. “Our goal would be able to do that with school board seats as well,” Yount said.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change is optional and would increase turnout by placing local school board races on the same ballots as higher‑profile state and federal contests. Deputy borough manager George Hayes and Mat‑Su School District officials said aligning elections raised turnout significantly in recent local cycles and reduced administrative costs for the borough.

Support and questions
George Hayes, deputy manager for the Matanuska‑Susitna Borough, testified on behalf of the borough and said SB 143 “strengthens local control, promotes flexibility, and allows municipalities like ours to tailor governance to our community.” Hayes and others argued the change simply provides municipalities with an option rather than imposing a statewide mandate.

Ryan McKee, staff to Senator Yount, walked the committee through the statutory changes described in the draft: additions and subsections to AS 14.12.050 and AS 29.23.00 that would permit municipalities to alter school board terms by ordinance and set an immediate effective date for the change if adopted locally.

Committee members asked about turnout. Senator Yount and municipal witnesses said aligning elections in the Matanuska‑Susitna Borough produced much higher participation; Yount cited turnout near 48% in his most recent local election cycle after aligning municipal elections with even‑year state and federal contests. Senators also discussed whether local voter approval would be required for ordinance changes; Yount said the bill merely gives municipalities the option to change terms, and it would not itself force any locality to act.

Local education perspective
Catherine Gardner, deputy superintendent for the Matanuska‑Susitna Borough School District, said the district supports the change as a legislative priority. Gardner added that the additional year can help new board members gain experience and training, improving effectiveness in governing schools.

Actions and next steps
The committee took testimony but did not take a roll‑call vote on SB 143. Chair Tobin set the bill aside for a future meeting and asked sponsors to work with committee staff on any amendments.

Context and closing
Supporters described SB 143 as a local‑control measure that is voluntary for municipalities and intended to increase voter participation and administrative efficiency. Opponents did not offer formal testimony at the hearing; committee members raised procedural questions about direct voter approval that sponsors said could be handled locally if jurisdictions chose to require it.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/09/2025 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Committee heard testimony on April 9 for Senate Bill 143, which would allow municipalities to set school board term lengths by local ordinance so that local school elections can be aligned with even‑year state and federal ballots.","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},6081477,"Senate panel adopts substitute and hears broad testimony on education for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing students",4170,443000,4613000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60&start=443&end=4613","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60/thumbnail_443000.jpg","/articles/6081477/Alaska/Senate-panel-adopts-substitute-and-hears-broad-testimony-on-education-for-deaf-and-hardofhearing-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081477-cd731819fc40c9eb588c7cd02f945232/orig.mp4?Expires=1775471781&Signature=FynQPcI0SXco2SRswz0MOtKg3clAmoRQ24SynzGgFdu7rJkheYAmfZ49~D1qeLTRfBADtuP9w7MT3lfffiECVXEXcGAM9jf0NqRKjcPMrOvHQb4tz9WlGZ-8hKF0WPHRw-xrqoSuh9fIR~8cZFJkzwBezu9MVw3ngkgDiHFdqpFVekdPF-Hlf6~NhU0G-xt8Dq8Y95LNczS3wt3fh-ymsP9SdIQ-VZJlWtTfobfnEDjZvA1h79JhpFOZ3L7JX4dzsF9H-0FEapvXxtNp0DdjalDF9Zdzjhp9~kKYB36NmuxsRZwG0btZvoEM1nIe5rF2zqaQLXN0hy0UC0nNz7f-SA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — The Senate Education Committee on April 9 adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 8 and heard more than an hour of invited and public testimony on legislation intended to expand and protect educational services for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing students across Alaska.

Senator Alvy Gray Jackson, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure “affirms one of our most fundamental values that every Alaska child deserves access to a high quality education regardless of ability, background, or ZIP code.” The bill would require schools to provide families with unbiased, comprehensive information about communication options and technologies and direct the Department of Education to establish a centralized program to support students statewide.

Why it matters: Witnesses said the bill would protect access to services at a time when local budgets threaten staff at the Alaska School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Jackson told the committee that the Anchorage School District’s proposed budget could eliminate two full‑time staff who are fluent in American Sign Language, including a long‑time counselor and an intervention coach. Committee members adopted a committee substitute and held the bill for a future meeting to allow time for additional amendments.

Committee discussion and testimony
Senator Alvy Gray Jackson, sponsor and member of the Senate, opened the hearing by describing the bill’s intent to “ensure our schools empower parents with unbiased, comprehensive information about communication options and technologies.” Jackson said the legislation also “guarantees that services are delivered by professionals fluent in the method chosen by the family.”

Diedred Goins, legislative aide to Senator Jackson, summarized the substitute and said it clarifies that decisions about residential placements and related funding are made in consultation with parents.

Clara Baldwin, testifying as chair of the Deaf Education Committee of the Alaska Deaf Council, said deafness is a low‑incidence disability and families frequently lack exposure to options. “If they don’t know how can you not know what you’re not told?” Baldwin said, urging the committee to ensure families receive a full menu of options and culturally competent services.

Parents and advocates described a range of experiences. Jillian Schroeder, a parent of a deaf child, recounted an early diagnosis and a mix of services that included listening and spoken language supports and an American Sign Language classroom. Schroeder said many parents do not receive comprehensive counseling about language and service options and urged the committee to preserve parental choice: “Parents need consistent, comprehensive, and unbiased information on what their child’s language options and the educational services available to them.”

Multiple witnesses described the residential host‑family support that allows students from rural areas to attend the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Duane Mays and Michael Merritt explained that Hope Community Services screens and licenses host families and that the program emphasizes ASL fluency and periodic contact between students and their families back home.

Fiscal and statutory points
Deborah Riddle, division operations manager at the Department of Education and Early Development, told the committee the bill carries a zero fiscal note for the department’s listed component because funding for the Alaska School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is already appropriated and administered under the state’s existing agreements with Anchorage.

Actions and next steps
President Stevens moved to adopt the committee substitute (work order 34‑LS‑0075\\N), and the committee adopted the substitute by unanimous consent with no recorded roll‑call vote. Chair Tobin later announced the bill would be held aside for a future meeting and invited potential amendments to be worked with the bill sponsor’s office.

Context and closing
Supporters framed the bill as protecting language acquisition and access to services for children across Alaska, while several witnesses emphasized the importance of parental decision‑making and culturally competent services. The committee did not take a final vote on the bill itself; it adopted the substitute as the working document and deferred further action to a later meeting.","The Senate Education Committee on April 9 adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 8 and heard more than an hour of testimony on legislation to require schools to provide families with unbiased information about communication options and to establish a centralized statewide support program for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing students.",{"_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},6081467,"Senate education committee adopts substitute for Summer EBT bill, reports it with fiscal notes",5585,5585000,-1,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60&start=5585&end=0","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942372-969f970a158ac9de1cd75553bda0bf60/thumbnail_5585000.jpg","/articles/6081467/Alaska/Senate-education-committee-adopts-substitute-for-Summer-EBT-bill-reports-it-with-fiscal-notes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081467-c0fe627f23bd67a9b22e5f410bcc05ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1775471781&Signature=ZPXKOO9SEkyv0ym8PSUYvDtZROw08O15ADuCUWpnwieRFsGOqr4SrebnkPgmGjgiMaJUrezYDbAZF0G4-8KwUyeBGxoCfwFLyQRuj1bbliHyeburUYgHpu3SxLnDTnHBuVJxQ9A~N7f4RqhpwxHQFtq7d8En3o~0~oVOizFJBFp9QXJWeVHmM-2cbSWohmBoI-RKoubPkWO5BBTsPxb8JANcfvE77cNC5hRlIuid5lGJ2sJd5Gdj1cOBTUGgifya67mFGaN6VRJXdSagoyv5pHPerxbB8sRVMddraHJGBRERiJzfGwciukg6R2wXe7VvZWd9~NX~6K05kVrTMUznUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — The Senate Education Committee on April 9 adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 113 and voted to report the bill from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. The bill would create a summer electronic benefit transfer (Summer EBT) program to provide benefits to children during the summer months.

Sponsor and committee staff said the substitute (work order 34‑LS‑0141\\I) moves administration of the program from the Department of Family and Community Services (as drafted in an earlier version) to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) under AS 44.27. Rachel Levy, staff to Senator Dunbar, said DEED was the only department that agreed to administer the program during interagency discussions.

Why it matters: Supporters said Summer EBT would provide targeted nutrition benefits to children during months when school meals are not available. Committee questioning focused on which agency should run the program and on administrative costs associated with issuing EBT benefits.

Administration and fiscal questions
Gavin Northey, child nutrition programs manager at DEED, told the committee the program requires extensive student eligibility data and therefore a state education agency’s involvement is common. Northey said DEED would attempt to use existing Department of Health contracts for issuing EBT cards to limit costs but that the program’s administrative percentage is higher than a typical SNAP administrative rate because the Summer EBT program has a smaller benefit pool over which to spread fixed costs.

Northey said the summer benefit pool is roughly $10,000,000 in the department’s estimate and that a large share of administrative costs is for the contractor that issues EBT cards. Committee members, including Senator Keel, expressed concern that the bill’s administrative percentage appeared higher than the typical administrative overhead for SNAP and asked whether DEED could coordinate more functions with existing public‑assistance vendors.

Actions and committee disposition
President Stevens moved to adopt the committee substitute (work order 34‑LS‑0141\\I) as the working document; the committee adopted the substitute by unanimous consent. President Stevens then moved to report Senate Bill 113 from the Senate Education Committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes; the committee reported the bill out with no recorded roll‑call vote.

Context and closing
Senator Forrest Dunbar, sponsor, said he hopes the funds reach children who need them and thanked the committee for considering the bill. Committee members emphasized continued interagency coordination on eligibility platforms and contracting to limit administrative cost overruns as the bill moves forward to the next stage of the legislative process.","The Senate Education Committee adopted a committee substitute on April 9 for Senate Bill 113 to establish a Summer EBT program for children and voted to report the bill from committee with individual recommendations and fiscal notes; the substitute assigns administration to the Department of Education and Early Development.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would let municipalities change school board term lengths to align with state and federal elections

Senate panel adopts substitute and hears broad testimony on education for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing students

Senate education committee adopts substitute for Summer EBT bill, reports it with fiscal notes