[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"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","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75],{"_32":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":73},"mediaId",6075929,"mediaKeyId","2978676-e26170e683a6f93f13f8a5687b9d474f","parentId",2978676,"title","House Education Committee continues review of governor's education bill, holds House Bill 76 for further consideration","audioSeconds",6592,"startMs",596000,"endMs",7188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978676-e26170e683a6f93f13f8a5687b9d474f&start=596&end=7188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978676-e26170e683a6f93f13f8a5687b9d474f/thumbnail_596000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6075929/Alaska/House-Education-Committee-continues-review-of-governors-education-bill-holds-House-Bill-76-for-further-consideration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075929-d26ee91a579dbbfb5f2f61678fbd7117/orig.mp4?Expires=1769994920&Signature=ezhABCNroRymT4WxOFfhhLAiNv03b4yRFzk4-HsIV1zyCIQ3DTmk3V-P3hnh~IAJqM4w11cdkAvZm7zEfUP0TZLDsBb2dwQBY-iYE~2ajFxNTY2tRTLFRofDEleASBgIWqXZiqvGaCuNRIGlc9iXv7ir5eoSYeLpglaMlTpX5JC1Z9foqvmbBaFCAbVgM06vsxyiLSDP9mo5I2GSirUuCjFBPqnSm0JzwpjXJnmHtbBetHrTABj5qdKKpkSTom0nWns2V5vuxLNlX8rUh0uqBCEQ6VDY7RiTd2Zi71smWKjz7lHy59Wg9y1SkI6ijVhP9XxchAFKCePVGVdexyJkog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-04-11T00:00:00Z","article","The House Education Committee met April 11 in the Bettye Davis Conference Room to continue work on House Bill 76, the governor's education package. Committee co-chair Representative Andy Story held the bill over for further consideration at the close of the hearing.

The bill packages multiple changes to K-12 funding and programs. Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Dina Bishop and Deputy Commissioner Karen Morrison introduced the measure and answered lawmakers' questions. Heather Heineken, director of finance and support services, presented the bill's fiscal notes to the panel.

Why it matters: HB76 would change how the state funds several school programs and could shift budget exposures between the state and local districts. Lawmakers pressed department officials on how the changes would affect school planning, rural districts and long-term state obligations.

Major provisions and department summaries

- School bond debt reimbursement moratorium: HB76 would extend the moratorium on state school bond debt reimbursement until July 1, 2030, language the department described as tied to the state's capacity to pay. Commissioner Bishop said, \"The reimbursement part is really based off of the state's ability to pay.\" The department's presentation noted past lump-sum payments tied to COVID-relief funds and described the program's historical 60/40 and 70/30 cost-sharing mechanics.

- Pupil transportation: Department testimony said the governor's proposal increases per-student transportation funding by about 20 percent; the presentation listed an annual transportation increase of roughly $14.5 million. Director Heineken's fiscal note recorded a transportation cost estimate of $14,517,000 and an example in-lieu reimbursement scenario estimated at $3,366,000 annually beginning FY2026, based on a $15 daily rate and 180 days.

- Residential (boarding) schools and career and technical education (CTE): The bill would increase annual funding for state-operated residential schools by $4 million to support regional residential centers and CTE programming. Committee members highlighted the role of residential schools as both CTE providers and, in some cases, safe havens for students.

- Correspondence (remote/homeschool) funding and CTE factor: The governor's draft would move correspondence students from a 0.9 factor to 1.0 in the adjusted average daily membership (ADM) calculation and raise the CTE factor (presented as moving from 1.015 to 1.04). Department slides said those formula changes would amount to about a $75.2 million annual investment; Heather Heineken's fiscal note referenced $75,213,000 recorded through the public education fund.

- Teacher recruitment and retention lump-sum pilot: The bill would create lump-sum payments intended as a three-year pilot to recruit and retain teachers in hard-to-staff areas. The department described a $55 million lump-sum package with tiered payments (examples given: $5,000 for large districts, $10,000 typical, up to $15,000 for very remote locations). The department said the lump sums would be included in retirement calculations.

Fiscal notes and budget mechanics

Heineken told the committee there are multiple fiscal notes attached to HB76; several items transfer general fund authority into the public education fund. She described the correspondence/CTE changes as recorded in the public education fund ($75,213,000) and the transportation increase as $14,517,000. The department's presentation also aggregated several student-achievement and program administration costs (positions, legal/regulatory costs, and one-time equipment or chargebacks) as part of the fiscal packages attached to the bill.

Concerns and discussion points raised by lawmakers

- Planning uncertainty and moratorium length: Several representatives said extending the reimbursement moratorium for five years raises planning questions for districts that hope to rely on a future state share when approving local bonds. Commissioner Bishop told members the extension appears tied to state fiscal capacity and said the department and the Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee (BRGR) are exploring options, including a committed state funding allocation that would stabilize district expectations.

- Rural equity and application capacity: Lawmakers and department staff emphasized that rural districts and REAAs (regional educational attendance areas) face higher facilities deficits and have less capacity to prepare CIP/major maintenance applications. Committee members urged targeted supports for rural facilities planning.

- Correspondence funding and accountability: Members debated moving correspondence students from 0.9 to 1.0 in the formula. The department said the change is intended to better reimburse districts that operate correspondence programs for the services they provide (administration, testing coordination, part-time in-person services), while acknowledging that testing participation and proctoring remain barriers. Commissioner Bishop noted the department is working with vendors and districts to expand proctored remote assessment options and to incent participation through grants.

- Teacher lump-sum design: Representatives asked whether one-time pilot payments might produce short-term retention but leave longer-term salary and recruitment incentives unresolved. Several members suggested linking incentives to proven retention strategies (for example, national board certification targeting) and to prioritize an eventual base student allocation increase if lawmakers choose to increase recurring salary capacity.

Committee action and next steps

At the end of the hearing, co-chair Representative Andy Story announced House Bill 76 would be held over for additional hearings. The committee scheduled additional education presentations and bill work for the following week including testimony from the Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee and a separate bill on Mount Edgecumbe and teacher housing.

Ending note: The department told the committee it will provide follow-up enrollment and trend data (for residential schools and correspondence programs) and clarified multiple fiscal-note line items upon request. No formal votes on HB76 were taken at this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HOUSE EDUCATION\t04/11/2025 08:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Education Committee met April 11 in the Bettye Davis Conference Room to continue work on House Bill 76, the governor's education package. Committee co-chair Representative Andy Story held the bill over for further consideration.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6075924,"Department reports high chronic absenteeism in Alaska schools; officials outline local strategies and next steps",1150,5738000,6888000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978676-e26170e683a6f93f13f8a5687b9d474f&start=5738&end=6888","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978676-e26170e683a6f93f13f8a5687b9d474f/thumbnail_5738000.jpg","/articles/6075924/Alaska/Department-reports-high-chronic-absenteeism-in-Alaska-schools-officials-outline-local-strategies-and-next-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075924-b15acb7a071e47d15f0cb60c5bce094e/orig.mp4?Expires=1769994920&Signature=Ov1E3oKW~tsVVsa10Rl8M5T2B0ziWp2Zsct3ohpH6IAuvyRa7exELKSGDHNXcopbjID-htcmFVFRGUEkYdYMZDBmeXv5ZYhei95LYMyWj3Ge789XhDbNMLRhfKrgdGMgDwxxQVJa6h4H5wA3emgId6QGDyhjbQ6BvT~Lk6fO-w-c7UoS4-3IZDM69csNES-2iDu8RVFGiKZmAxMWxrwkeZmd4tNWwJ3Spe43eOkRAtsR2LKf5JUPlX1X1F3NUBjjM3Yo9ziW~xx5HqPXUA-A1XrN9dliylPdmQK0k6EHmZVyM2j3cm16AxJgvJNLTxoYzGWF7x8lA5mO4NvZ-uPrHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Education and Early Development updated the House Education Committee April 11 on student attendance and chronic absenteeism, saying the problem is widespread and varies by community. Commissioner Dina Bishop told members the department and districts must use data and community-specific strategies to reduce chronic absence.

Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism (missing more than 10 percent of the school year) is tied to weaker reading outcomes and lower long-term achievement; the department said reversing the trend will require both statewide messaging and localized interventions.

Key findings and data cited

- Prevalence: The department reported 45 percent of students were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year. More recent data presented for 2023-24 showed a modest improvement to 43.4 percent.

- Grade levels and patterns: National comparative slides cited higher chronic absenteeism in early grades (kindergarten through about grade 2) and in middle grades in other datasets; district-level patterns varied. The department said the early-grades problem may reflect pandemic-era shifts in family health and attendance expectations.

- Drivers cited by districts: Department staff recounted local feedback that causes include family work schedules, transportation and bus-stop access, seasonal subsistence and employment patterns in some communities, and logistical barriers to testing and services for correspondence/homeschool students.

Department response and district practices

- Localized planning: The department proposed integrating attendance-focused goals into existing district improvement plans rather than adding separate paperwork. Officials recommended a short, single-sheet planning tool that districts could reuse across federal and state improvement requirements.

- Evidence-based approaches: Commissioner Bishop and staff described multi-tiered systems of support (universal messaging and schoolwide strategies at the base, targeted family engagement and individualized supports at higher tiers). Presentations included school examples: monthly data tracking, family-facing materials (refrigerator attendance trackers), and student incentives (wristbands and local celebrations) used by districts with lower chronic absenteeism.

- Assessment and accountability for correspondence students: The department said testing participation among some correspondence programs has been low; staff are working with vendors to expand proctored remote assessment options and to create incentives for participation (for example, reading-incentive grants and technical support for proctoring).

Lawmakers' concerns and suggestions

Committee members asked whether targeted interventions such as universal school meals in specific grades or seasons might improve attendance; department staff recommended analyzing Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools and other local programs to determine impacts. Members also stressed cultural and subsistence differences across Alaskan communities and cautioned against one-size-fits-all approaches.

Next steps and requests

The department said it will expand web resources on attendance, provide district trend data on residential and correspondence enrollment, and work with districts and associations (AASB and superintendents) to pilot scalable tools and messaging. Committee members thanked staff for the presentation and scheduled additional testimony on related budget items and BRGR work the following week.

Ending note: Department officials characterized the work as both a data exercise and a public-messaging challenge: \"Attendance matters; when students are in school they learn,\" the presentation emphasized, and department staff said they will continue to build supports and tools for local districts.","The Department of Education reported that 45% of Alaska students were chronically absent in 2022-23 and 43.4% in 2023-24, described drivers and examples of local interventions, and asked districts for localized plans and data-informed strategies to reduce absences.","actionData","errors"]

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House Education Committee continues review of governor's education bill, holds House Bill 76 for further consideration

Department reports high chronic absenteeism in Alaska schools; officials outline local strategies and next steps