Education bill passes House Rules Committee after 7-hour, highly-debated public hearing

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – In what turned into a nearly seven hour debate, which included community educators, parents, and students from across Alaska making passionate pleas, the Alaska House Rules Committee unanimously passed a wide-sweeping education proposal to a full House floor vote, with much of the back-and-forth revolving around a proposal to overhaul how local school boards would make charter school decisions.

After Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Deena Bishop addressed the committee with prepared opening remarks defending many of the bill’s sudden updates, dozens of constituents primarily focused their testimony on the charter school proposal, and the bill’s two other controversial points of interest: increasing per student funding, known as the Base Student Allocation or BSA, and a proposed teacher bonus system.

Since being introduced last April, Senate Bill 140 has grown from a one-page school districts’ internet speed funding proposal to a comprehensive multi-page education package now covering wide ranging topics, including proposals Gov. Mike Dunlevy, R-Alaska, has listed as priorities.

“As I listened Wednesday when this bill was introduced, and as you will most likely hear in testimony today, some of Alaska’s public schools will come under fire as harming the system,” Bishop said. “I ask the 33rd Legislature to know and understand who the system of public education serves. It’s young people. Not itself. Alaska’s foundation in choice will have an opportunity to grow by expanding the process of review and authorization of charter schools.”

Echoing Dunleavy, who previously cited a Harvard study referencing Alaska charter schools as the county’s best, Bishop called the bill’s section allowing the state Board of Education authority to authorize charter schools an ‘investment.’

“This bill simply expands the processes for approval at the state board level.” Bishop said. “As an educator, however, I know school choice is a favorable construct in Alaska’s parents. I believe all school choice puts parents in the best position to engage in the child’s education, and build the stability in our state we desire.”

Many testifying at the meeting disagreed, saying a charter school system change is not needed.

“Alaska charter schools are not a problem, so they should be left in the hands of those they impact,” Sitka Resident Susan Brandt-Ferguson testified.

Some critics, including committee member and House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, continue saying the proposal would mean seizing local school board control.

“We don’t know how many charter applications are being denied by local school boards,” Rep. Schrage said to Bishop. “And so that, as I understand it, is part of the rationale to why we should remove all local control and put it in the hands of the governor. Why would we take such a heavy handed, bludgeoning approach to the management of charter schools in the state of Alaska? Why would we not simply mandate local school boards notify the state of Alaska Dept. of Education when a charter application is denied?”

“I don’t believe this removes local control,” Bishop responded. “I believe it adds another avenue. So it’s not a heavy hand to undo something we already have. It’s to expand something we already have and to grow it.”

Later in the meeting, committee member Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, equated the proposal to potentially state-authorized charter schools receiving local public money.

“Which is what this appears to do,” Rep. Fields said. “We would have a state agency forcing a local government to spend more local money. You know, Anchorage taxes to the cap. And makes contributions.”

“Local taxes support local children,” Bishop responded.

Schrage went onto express concern with only that day’s hearing, before moving the bill to the House floor, the House Finance Committee had not had a chance to properly vet potential program costs.

“I think this is a rather poor start to our legislative issues this year,” Rep. Schrage said.

“I will not comment,” Rules Chair Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, responded to Fields.

However, committee member Rep. Jesse Sumner, R-Wasilla, added his willingness to look at some charter school proposal concerns shortly before the bill was voted out of committee.

“While I did not support the amendment to remove all the charter language, I do think some important points were raised on the obligations, or lack thereof, or where it would stand on the local district’s requirements funding charters. And that might be something we want to take, you know, a little more of a look at as possibly an amendment for full consideration in the House.”

Base Student Allocation & Teacher Bonuses

As it passed out of committee, SB 140 also proposes a $300 increase to the base student allocation. In a statement House Majority Communications Director Trey Watson called this the largest increase in more than 10 years.

“Critics claimed the amount was woefully inadequate,” Watson wrote. “However, the amount is the largest single increase to the BSA in over a decade and more than all BSA increases, combined, in the same time period.”

However, many at the hearing continued arguing the proposed BSA increase is too low.

“The BSA has not seen an increase since 2017 and an accumulative 24% inflation over that time period means that districts are strapped,” Brandt-Ferguson testified. “In Sitka we have seen the loss of key position, programs, services and even more difficulties with teacher retention and recruitment. We need more than a $300 increase to the BSA.”

Another controversial section of the bill includes three-year bonuses for full-time teachers. The governor and his administration, along with some lawmakers argue this will help increase teacher retention and requirement incentives. Yet, some educators who spoke out Saturday felt like the bonus was not fair to other employees in education.

“It’s in some way an insult, as others have said, does not include other educators in our school that are just as vitally important,” LaDawn Druce said.

Nearing six hours and forty minutes after the hearing began, the bill unanimously passed. Vocal opponents of parts of the bill as written, including Fields, said they were eager for the floor debate to proceed.

“And I’m optimistic we can meet at a point where all of the caucuses are supportive of a BSA level. If we achieve that, we’ll have given school districts predictability once they’re in their budget cycle,” Fields said.

After the meeting, Johnson and several House Majority members released prepared statements.

“It was critical for the Alaska House Majority to propose a comprehensive package of measures to improve Alaska’s schools and support our students,” Rep. Johnson said. “One-time funding is a band-aid, at best. Our vote today represents a long-term investment in education.”

“Previous majorities have talked extensively about supporting education, but the current majority has finally delivered. I’m proud to be a part of this historic effort,” House Education Co-Chair Rep. Jaime Allard, R-Eagle River, added after the meeting.

The bill now moves to the House floor. If passed, it would then move to the Senate, before moving to a conference committee. There, lawmakers from both bodies would attempt to negotiate differences for a final version of the bill.

“The new version is our caucus’ affirmation of our constitutional obligations to provide quality education for all Alaska’s children,” committee member and House Speaker Cathy Tilton said in the statement. “We look forward to a spirited and productive discussion with our colleagues in the State Senate as the bill moves forward.”

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