The Alaska House Education Committee voted by a 5-2 vote on Wednesday to increase the amount Alaska spends on K-12 schools per student, also known as the basic student allocation.
The decision came after five hours of testimony from the public nearly entirely in support of the idea on Tuesday night at the Capitol. School advocates say the increase is necessary to cover inflation-driven hikes in the costs of education for Alaska students.
The House’s largely Republican majority have voted in favor of the tax increase this is a sign that the proposal may receive enough support to be approved by the House.
The majority of the Alaska Senate, which is bipartisan, has already stated that it is in favor of an increase in the amount, and a Senate bill is moving forward in a separate manner.
The increase suggested from the House committee is $680 this year, and $120 in the next. Once it is completed the amount that the state provides schools per pupil would increase from $5,930 up to $6,730. this amount is then multiplied to include students who are in special education as well as students living in rural regions. After the additional variables are taken into consideration the total amount is significantly greater.
The proposed increase by this committee lower than the public school advocates have been urging and is less that even the Senate proposed increase, which contains $1000 this year and $348 for next year.
Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan has proposed an increase of $1,250 for each student. He said that although he’s disappointed that the committee reduce his proposed amount, he’s happy that the legislation will progress.
“The amount is disappointing in the sense of what I believe the need to be,” he said, however, he suggested those on the House Finance Committee — the next stop for the billcould consider increasing the amount.
Even in the event that the House is unable to increase the number however, the Senate proposal will increase pressure to increase the number.
“There likely to be an increase in the BSA in light of the reports we’re hearing out of the Senate,” he said.
People who are against the hike also claimed that the future actions would determine the final outcome.
“I think it’s going to be a lengthy game, we’ll wait and see what happens,” said Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River and one of the two members of the committee who opposed.
Allard as well as Rep. Tom McKay, the other “no” vote, both expressed worries about the price of the increased cost and said they would like to see improved performances from public schools before they are willing to spend an additional amount of money.
McKay suggested reducing the amount to $150 per student but the proposal was turned off at the meeting.
In favour of an increase The majority of those voting in favor were Rep. Mike Prax, North Pole, R. Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka Rep. CJ McCormick, D-Bethel along with Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau.
“I’m not a fan of it,” said Himschoot of the final figure voted on in the committee’s vote, “but I am happy to see it move.”
This article was originally published within the Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
