The Alaska Legislature’s conference committee on the operating and mental‑health appropriations bills left item 15 in the Department of Education and Early Development budget open on May 16, 2025, after a senator objected that the proposed reduction would undercut efforts to certify and onboard foreign teachers.

The item was discussed during the committee’s third conference hearing on House Bill 53 and House Bill 55. Senator Kaufman, a member of the conference committee, said he objected to item 15 because “this funding, that's being decremented here, really helps them onboard the foreign teachers, get them certified, and kind of helps fill that deficit in teachers that we're experiencing.”

The chair of the conference committee, Representative Josephson, accepted a motion to leave item 15 open for further consideration. Vice Chair Senator Hoffman acknowledged the difficulty of cuts to education but noted the committee did not take a reduction on item 13, which relates to teacher certification, and said the committee could leave item 15 open for more dialogue. Representative Josephson then moved to leave item 15 open; the committee adopted all other Department of Education items as non‑conferenceable, leaving item 15 unresolved.

Why it matters: Committee members described item 15 as tied to teacher certification and workforce‑development activities that committee members said support filling classroom vacancies. Leaving the item open preserves the option to restore or adjust funding before final enactment.

Details and next steps: The transcript did not specify the dollar amount or exact line items associated with item 15. The committee’s action means negotiators will return to item 15 in a future meeting or in subsequent conference negotiations before the bills are finalized.