Sen. Tobin previews Senate Bill 277: $106 million education package, BSA change for correspondence students
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Summary
Senate Bill 277 would align open‑enrollment rules, add funding for the Alaska Reads Act, adjust inflation for the BSA and pupil transport, and raise the BSA weight for correspondence students from 0.9 to 1.0; Senator Tobin estimates the package totals about $106 million and correspondence changes cost roughly $15–47 million depending on provisions.
Senator Sarah Tobin, chair of the Senate Education Committee, described Senate Bill 277 as a broad education‑reform package intended to align open‑enrollment practices across programs, update federal accreditation language, and provide targeted funding streams including the Alaska Reads Act and inflation adjustments to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) and pupil transport.
Tobin said the bill includes a proposal to increase the BSA weight for correspondence students from 0.9 to 1.0 so districts can form collaborative agreements that let correspondence students access in‑person services (career and technical education, athletics, special education) without added cost to families. She said the BSA increase for correspondence at current BSA rates would be about $15 million for the ADM change alone and that, with the bill’s other provisions and an ASC increase to the BSA, correspondence program funding would total about $47 million.
Asked whether another legislative study of school funding was needed, Tobin noted a 2015 foundation‑formula study and said technology changes, pandemic learning loss and increased broadband/testing demands justify an updated analysis; she asked the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee to commission the study.
On how the per‑student increase was calculated, Tobin said the $126 per‑student figure came from Anchorage area CPI (about 1.9%) for the prior year. She also said the total package is about $106 million and that she is working with the minority caucus and other body members to assemble 40–45 votes to move the bill forward.
Next steps: SB 277 will proceed through hearings in the Education Committee with additional stakeholder review; Tobin indicated continued negotiation with the minority caucus and other members to refine the package.
