Legislature Quickly Funds Public Education, Offers Increased Funding through Grants, Increases Access to the Internet for Rural Students, & Supports Federal Secure Rural School Funding

I supported funding education ahead of the rest of the budget for the next fiscal year, FY 2019. This is an unusual step, but the benefits of the bill, HB 287, are significant.  School districts can now set their budgets for the next school year and avoid sending employees and teachers pink slips based solely on the timing of when the legislature passes the budget.  HB 287 sets funding levels at $1.32 billion dollars for K-12.  Education funding makes up roughly 33.7 % of the entire state general fund agency operating budget.

HB 287 also approved $1.32 billion dollars for education in the following fiscal year, FY 2020.  Additionally, $30 million dollars in one-time grants to school districts in FY 2020 if the legislature agrees to pass a bill setting up a percent of market value structure (POMV).  I believe a POMV structure is needed to protect the permanent fund for future generations, but have my own bill on this topic.  [SJR 9]

I also supported a bill passed by the Senate, SB 102, that will bring millions of dollars to rural schools to improve internet access.  Many of the school districts in Southeast have such slow internet speeds, they cannot reliably and meaningfully access courses taught over the internet.  The state funds made available by SB 102 will match and leverage federal funds to increase internet access in rural Alaska.

Another positive effort by the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Congress to make Secure Rural School Funding permanent.  These funds are meant to blunt the impact of the Forest Service failing to provide enough timber supply and the cut in federal timber receipts for local communities and schools.  I will continue to help whenever possible to maintain or advance good paying timber jobs and our timber industry.  However, it is clear after decades of the Forest Service failing to supply enough timber that jobs and timber related economic development will not return to previous levels.  Southeast Alaskans, their schools, and families have suffered long enough for the effects to be considered permanent.  The federal government should make the Secure Rural Schools program permanent.