Alaskans urge Senate finance panel to restore ILP funding, boost school and childcare budgets
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Summary
Parents, educators and child advocacy groups urged the Senate Finance Committee to add $5.72 million to the Infant Learning Program and increase K–12 and childcare funding, arguing early intervention and stable base funding will avert long-term costs and school closures.
Alaskans from Anchorage, the Mat-Su and the Kenai Peninsula told the Alaska State Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 27 that the state must restore and expand funding for early-childhood services and public education.
Speakers including Amy Simpson and Trevor Storrs urged lawmakers to add $5,720,000 to the operating budget for the Alaska Infant Learning Program (ILP). "When we help children with developmental delays early, the state saves money later," Amy Simpson said, asking the committee to "reaffirm your commitment and add $5,720,000 back into the budget." Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of the Alaska Children's Trust, said the ILP expansion passed this year should be maintained and expanded, citing data that a substantial share of children who receive early services avoid special education and arguing the investment can yield long-term savings.
Multiple callers pressed for increased K–12 funding. Kelly Lisonbee, an Anchorage School Board member, said the Anchorage School District faces a $46.5 million gap to meet class-size targets from HB 57 and reported roughly 341 missing teacher positions. Carolyn Storm asked the committee to add $175,000,000 to public education in the operating budget, saying last year’s $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation covered only 39% of inflationary needs.
Teachers and parents described the consequences at the classroom level. Amanda Thompson, a public-school teacher, said cuts eliminated her full-time middle-school art role and urged accountability so that new funding reaches students. Several parents — Rachel Posey, Kristen Green and Erica Monahan — described districts facing deficits, program cuts and rising class sizes and urged sustainable, inflation-adjusted funding.
Childcare and early-educator retention also featured prominently. Stephanie Bergland, CEO of Thread, and Mildred Parker, a statewide early-education development manager, urged adding the "ROOTS" retention stipend to the base operating budget and proposed $15,000,000 in targeted support to stabilize child-care workforce capacity. Bergland urged annual funding rather than one-time allocations so programs can retain staff and remain open.
Tamar Ben Yosef of the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership asked the committee to restore $500,000 to crisis call centers (for a total of $1,000,000 in the governor's mental-health budget) and reiterated support for ILP funding at $5,720,000, noting gaps in inpatient children’s behavioral-health facilities.
Why it matters: Witnesses said early intervention, stable base school funding and childcare supports are investments in workforce development and public safety that reduce future costs. The committee did not take votes during the hearing; public testimony will inform budgeting decisions during ongoing Finance Committee deliberations.
What’s next: The Senate Finance Committee continues budget deliberations; committee members will consider amendments during upcoming hearings and work sessions ahead of the FY27 operating and capital budget votes.