Dozens testify in Juneau for House Bill 69 to raise Alaska’s base student allocation

Juneau — Dozens of parents, students, teachers and school officials testified Jan. 29 before the Alaska House Education Committee in favor of House Bill 69, an act that proposes raising the state's base student allocation and adding annual inflation adjustments.

The public hearing, held at 5 p.m. in the Bettye Davis conference room of the Capitol, ran more than three hours and drew speakers from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Sitka, Denali and other communities. Representative Tim Story, cochair of the committee, opened the session and invited testimony on HB 69.

Why it matters: Testifiers said long-term flat funding has forced districts to close schools, cut programs and eliminate staff. Dr. Luke Meinert, superintendent of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, told the committee the district is “facing a $31,000,000 deficit” and has closed schools and cut hundreds of positions. “We are reaching a breaking point,” Meinert said.

Many speakers described local consequences. Frank Hauser, superintendent of the Juneau School District, said his district closed three schools and consolidated high schools and middle schools last year and still faces a deficit without a meaningful BSA increase. Carrie Irons, president of the Kodiak Island Borough Board of Education, described the board's recent "heartbreaking decision to close a school" and urged the committee to pass HB 69 so districts can “count on that and plan.”

Several classroom teachers and allied school staff testified about immediate classroom effects: larger class sizes, fewer electives such as music and CTE, reduced support for special education and recruitment challenges. Erica Burr, a Fairbanks teacher, said, "For the past 2 years, half of my classes have over 30 students in them," and that large classes make it harder to know and support students. Meredith Maple, a Fairbanks parent, said bluntly, "Our schools are not bridal. They're starving." (quote as spoken.)

Students and student-government leaders also spoke. Danica Hamm, president of the Alaska Association of Student Government, and several high-school students urged passage, saying program cuts are already limiting course choices and extracurricular opportunities.

Numbers and local impacts cited in testimony: - Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: described repeatedly as facing a roughly $31,000,000 single‑year deficit (Dr. Luke Meinert) and more than $50,000,000 in reductions over the past decade (other testimony); speakers said roughly 250 positions have been eliminated and multiple schools closed in recent years. - Juneau School District: testimony said the district closed three schools and consolidated others and remains in deficit without a BSA increase (Supt. Frank Hauser). - Lower Yukon School District: superintendent John Hargis said the district faces a $3,100,000 shortfall. - HB 69 proposal: testified proponents described the bill as phasing in a per‑student increase (one witness cited a $1,000 initial increase followed by incremental increases and annual CPI adjustments) and then indexing future increases to inflation.

Several witnesses addressed accountability and policy details. Melissa Burnett and others urged pairing funding increases with measures such as performance incentives, targeted CTE investments and literacy initiatives (some referenced the Alaska Reads Act). Testifiers representing school boards, teachers' unions, nurses and student groups described existing local oversight and urged the legislature to provide stable, predictable state funding rather than one‑time aid.

Opposing views at the hearing were limited but present. A handful of callers and witnesses urged greater fiscal restraint or structural reforms instead of a large immediate BSA increase; several warned about the state's fiscal constraints and urged identifying budget offsets. Those opposing the bill argued Alaska spends heavily per pupil and urged accountability and reforms to improve outcomes before raising the BSA.

Administrative and next steps from the committee: Representative Story set an amendment deadline for HB 69 of Friday, Jan. 31 at 3 p.m. The finance subcommittee for education will meet Friday morning and the House Education Committee will hear amendments on Monday, Feb. 3, the transcript record shows. Witnesses repeatedly noted that an early, multiyear funding commitment would help districts set budgets, retain staff and avoid the cycle of one‑time fixes that lead to spring layoffs and summer recruitment gaps.

What the testimony did not show: the committee did not vote or take formal action on HB 69 during the hearing. Witnesses referenced public statements and an email from Governor Mike Dunleavy opposing the bill, and some urged the legislature to plan for a possible veto, but the committee made no legal determinations at the hearing.

The hearing record (testimony and written testimony submitted to house.education@akleg.gov) will be part of the bill's file as the Legislature considers amendments and the budget implications in the coming days and weeks.