[{"_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",6263777,"mediaKeyId","3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333","parentId",3100748,"title","Bill would add Mount Edgecumbe to REAA grant eligibility, allow teacher-housing maintenance funding and remove $70M cap","audioSeconds",1544,"startMs",1063000,"endMs",2607000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333&start=1063&end=2607","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333/thumbnail_1063000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6263777/Alaska/Bill-would-add-Mount-Edgecumbe-to-REAA-grant-eligibility-allow-teacher-housing-maintenance-funding-and-remove-70M-cap","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263777-7cd60cd44e152f4847f5ccfd6274da89/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148456&Signature=B1VbxIFU5AbutcLxVLT0pzqS~k2PJMFvx2jBh2vnkhaYzQMJsg0CjE5qZcXsmhz0-OhKXdNK6BAy2A5ouwzZqP5eCcJt6iJdvQBlSh-8EOJ8JLgwJxJ7JaoGQgmV6OoWU6oDqqGpHoOsZjrCFYnZZppZ4hUtFvyvPL1IAmqw~1vHSXhdWuiaauo5S9vPYFUkUn7qWer52EBD0N5Zzrx0jzBk~OOBV138OOwh8rfsISRZN8jKuK2Lz2P24cJnQdeM5TnuVXKKQzCgqBMsRDZAADtNOb95PRjfF9StUcjK4xMhxEZF2DU0Y6CHB2RXyMw2MUFBCsHnN6A-1LXfAznatA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-04-23T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Robin Burke presented House Bill 174 to the House Education Committee, proposing three principal changes to the regional education attendance area (REAA) major maintenance and construction fund: add Mount Edgecumbe High School to the list of eligible projects, make major maintenance for teacher housing eligible for REAA grants, and remove the statutory $70,000,000 cap that currently causes excess fund balances to lapse into the general fund.

The bill sponsor told the committee Mount Edgecumbe is a state-operated public boarding school serving more than 400 students from over 100 communities and is currently managed as a state facility rather than as a school eligible for REAA major maintenance grants. \"House Bill 174 amends REAA fund language to include both major maintenance and construction at [Mount Edgecumbe] and major maintenance for teacher housing in regional education attendance areas or small municipal areas as allowable uses for this fund,\" Rep. Burke said.

Department of Education finance staff outlined implementation and fiscal impacts. Heather Heineken, Director of Finance and Support Services at the Department of Education and Early Development, told the committee the department currently lacks residential construction and inspection expertise and the fiscal note would create two positions in the facilities section (a school finance specialist and a building management specialist), provide associated travel for inspections, one-time equipment costs and modest legal services to revise regulations. The FY2026 total cost in the fiscal note was presented as $313,300 and recurring annual costs thereafter of $297,300.

Committee members pressed for details the department does not track centrally: how many districts own or operate teacher housing, how Mount Edgecumbe's facilities have been managed historically, and whether adding teacher housing to the eligible list justifies creating permanent positions rather than contracting for assessments. Department staff said they could survey districts and consult insurance records to compile information and that some teacher housing projects historically were built in partnership with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation or the Denali Commission.

Mount Edgecumbe presentation: the committee received an invited presentation from Mount Edgecumbe leadership (director Huntington) describing the school staffed structure, dorm capacity (about 412 beds), current enrollment trends (about 429 students in the year described; students from 117 communities), program priorities (career and technical education, industry certifications, residential supports), and facilities and maintenance staffing shortfalls. The director characterized the site as a state-run facility currently on the state's deferred maintenance list and said day-to-day maintenance capacity is thin (\"we have not been fully staffed in our maintenance department since I've been here\"). Committee members asked the school to provide additional facilities and per-student expenditure details in writing.

Action and next steps: The committee held House Bill 174 over for further work and set an amendment deadline of Friday, April 25 at 4:00 p.m. The department agreed to provide follow-up information on the number and ownership of teacher housing units and on the historical treatment of Mount Edgecumbe facilities in the state's maintenance process.

Nut graf: House Bill 174 would shift eligibility and funding mechanics for a fund that supports rural school construction and maintenance, adding a long-running state boarding school and allowing teacher-housing maintenance grants while eliminating a statutory fund cap. The changes carry modest but recurring administrative costs and raise questions about state capacity to evaluate and oversee residential construction projects.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/23/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Robin Burke introduced House Bill 174 to add Mount Edgecumbe High School and teacher housing to the REAA major maintenance and construction eligibility lists and to remove a $70 million cap on the REAA fund.","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},6263780,"House Education Committee advances financial literacy bill to full House",166,726000,892000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333&start=726&end=892","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333/thumbnail_726000.jpg","/articles/6263780/Alaska/House-Education-Committee-advances-financial-literacy-bill-to-full-House","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263780-537ba15b38bed7e05cdad4d1ae3ffcab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148456&Signature=drZCyZ9RcdLOfO1VDiB4vvys-liLfCaFNpuo5Sb1moMi2b~zoHApfUPf9bVJZzFxF6fuZ8cFFFfJTamExVClN7KmBGjqarb15S-vz4d5xK2KzBu5BdoBuaGd9ojuBQftkTHAwVAuMQaCFz-oLhGzc1shzK84Wxunt8n7w4j1NLgsXN-zcNbHCqKJUqzTGKy7oI9cy~gc0AGIzanVZaznI8uC6C4UZcV16rvtx6A78EVJS9AjTVCwxXSB~nQ9ZCQE8HC7luq7NlUWgFJ72iWGxx1Zn1NmRkwmV9LKcegobu9ZXxaYbeFBfWUdbgIt2pt8EaYAoMasgESK3gujN7HLBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alaska House Education Committee voted to move House Bill 90, a bill to expand financial literacy programming in public schools, out of committee on a voice motion with no objections recorded.

Representative Eisheid, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the measure \"starts a conversation about a need\" and characterized the draft as an early version she expects to refine. Committee members discussed whether the bill should require districts to make the course mandatory for graduation or leave it optional; one member said making it mandatory could create hardship for some districts but indicated support for advancing the bill to the next stage.

Committee procedure: a committee member moved to report House Bill 90 version 34-LS0460 (version A) from the House Education Committee \"with attached fiscal notes and individual recommendations.\" The chair called for objections and recorded none, and the bill was signed out of committee for further consideration.

Nut graf: The committee's action advances a bill aimed at broadening student access to financial literacy instruction while leaving open policy choices — including whether the course should be mandatory for graduation — for later amendment and debate.

The bill sponsor emphasized this is a first draft: \"I think this bill starts a conversation about a need. I think it's a good step forward,\" Rep. Eisheid said. Committee members urged continued work on the language, particularly on the graduation requirement and implementation burden for smaller districts.

Ending: The committee took a short recess to sign the committee report on House Bill 90. The bill record shows it was moved from the House Education Committee with attached fiscal notes and recommendations; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
","The Alaska House Education Committee voted to move House Bill 90, which would establish financial literacy programming in schools, out of committee with attached fiscal notes and recommendations after sponsor Rep. Eisheid described the bill as an initial step and invited continued refinement.",{"_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},6263774,"Committee hears bill to expand state-funded preschool; experts testify on quality and outcomes",1765,5067000,6832000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333&start=5067&end=6832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3100748-93e53d4201201432ba1cf3da32fdd333/thumbnail_5067000.jpg","/articles/6263774/Alaska/Committee-hears-bill-to-expand-state-funded-preschool-experts-testify-on-quality-and-outcomes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263774-fc18038c7d8259c76f8686449e7ac12b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148456&Signature=YsE7owIo0M0kmMm5~GAeHVcr72m973c-fsGaZoIFt8BFu~2jRWB58CukcV~LY241f7NjrXsRiiBWe3JoNYFpUPdErLLgMTVh7IquXigkdjdrUJSe1cmGhYVW0T4O8xXwEmU7OJsqfzT0lhRuaNabcTiv3MLBEfLxLXIIn8745F29ca1cEF67dK1oszp~pO76dFKIT6Igm4ECgz8FfcEBKYKTagTtVyy936SwDTfohg0Vyk29eYE6Cz2nirJmWbsgeJT4WN6SQrcIDgl1UUvNPS~3nkd2sqtO7UAHOrgSBuu31yfuCXNkZnC2x~~Dxdtnr83ya5YL3i8AoQ8ZdzpFcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Andy Story introduced House Bill 183 to expand access to voluntary, high-quality district-run prekindergarten programs by removing statutory limits on the number of state-funded pre-K slots and by changing how average daily membership (ADM) counts pre-K students (from 0.5 FTE to 1.0 FTE).

\"Research shows quality pre-K programs improve children's language, literacy, social and emotional skills, math and executive functioning at kindergarten entry,\" Rep. Story said, citing Department of Education and Early Development data that about 31 percent of Alaska children are considered ready for kindergarten on a statewide developmental profile.

Fiscal implications: DEED finance director Heather Heineken presented two fiscal notes. The public education fund component reflects an estimated FY2026 need to sustain funding for existing programs and to support expansion; figures discussed included a FY2026 estimate of $7,693,600 to sustain current programs (based on changing FTE accounting) and a baseline that incorporates a prior $3,000,000 allocation. The department told the committee its projection for an immediate need was approximately $2,050,800 for the next fiscal year with an estimated annual increase of $300,000 thereafter based on current utilization; the foundation program fiscal note was listed as $0 because the mechanism is a general fund transfer to the public education fund.

Expert testimony: The committee heard invited testimony from early-childhood researchers affiliated with the University of Michigan (Dr. Christina Weiland and Jordy Byrne). The experts summarized multi-decade research showing that preschool enrollment boosts kindergarten readiness (language, literacy, math, executive function and social-emotional skills), with larger effects for children from low-income families, children of color, dual-language learners and children with disabilities. The witnesses emphasized that program quality — including teacher preparation, curricula, instructional support and equitable resourcing across public and community-based providers — determines whether gains persist into later grades and adulthood. They urged attention to program design, workforce qualification, and data-driven research–practice partnerships to ensure quality.

Public testimony: No members of the public offered testimony during the recorded hearing. The committee agreed to continue the bill at the next scheduled committee meeting to receive additional information and to engage further with DEED about implementation details.

Nut graf: House Bill 183 would expand the state's capacity to fund approved district prekindergarten programs and change accounting to count pre-K students as full-time members, which would increase program funding needs; the committee heard both fiscal estimates and national research emphasizing the importance of program quality if the state expands access.

Ending: The committee closed public testimony on the bill and scheduled follow-up; Representative Story and DEED staff will provide additional fiscal and implementation details to the committee in subsequent meetings.","House Bill 183, sponsored by Rep. Andy Story, would remove caps on state-funded district prekindergarten and count pre-K students as full-time equivalents in the foundation formula. The committee heard fiscal analysis and research testimony from University of Michigan experts; the bill was continued to the next meeting for follow-up.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would add Mount Edgecumbe to REAA grant eligibility, allow teacher-housing maintenance funding and remove $70M cap

House Education Committee advances financial literacy bill to full House

Committee hears bill to expand state-funded preschool; experts testify on quality and outcomes