
Alaskans testified overwhelmingly in favor of a bill that would boost per-student funding at a meeting of the House Education Committee on January 29. House Bill 69 was introduced in January by Sitka independent Representative Rebecca Himschoot and would raise state funding for schools by about 30 percent over three years.
About ten people gathered in Sitka’s Legislative Information Office (LIO) on January 29, all waiting for their turn to testify on House Bill 69. A few sat hunched over their phones, reviewing their notes.
Others, like Xóots Elementary School teacher Joe Montagna, quietly watched the testimony proceedings on a television in the corner of the room.
“Everyone’s nervous you know,” he said, gesturing at the room. “No one likes to public speak.”
Montagna has felt the impact of statewide cuts to school funding in recent years. Last year the Sitka School District cut more than a dozen teaching positions, including a music position at the lower elementary school where he teaches physical education. Now, Montagna is teaching P.E. and music.
“You know, because I could do it, I just offered,” he said. “I part-time teach music in our schedule, but they’re paying me to be a P.E. teacher, but I sprinkle so much music into their curriculum. We’ll have a spring concert with Mr. Joe as the conductor this year. So for me, [House Bill 69] means maybe music will come back in our budget one day. Who knows?”
On the other side of the room, Sitka High School senior Jasmine Wolfe waited to testify. She said she wants students to have access to electives like music – and welding and wood-working.
“These are the programs that kids come to school because of,” she said. “It’s not the math, it’s not the science — It’s having the opportunity to play their instrument in a band class. It’s the opportunity to build things and weld things in their classes. It’s what makes going to school fun and exciting”.
The ten Sitkans at the LIO were far from alone. More than 140 Alaskans around the state called in to testify, mostly in support of the bill. Many lamented staffing cuts and school closures in their communities.
Juneau-Douglas High School senior Tessa Polasek said she attended Thunder Mountain High School until the district consolidated schools last year due to funding cuts. She said the change has been challenging for students and teachers.
“One of my teachers has been on a step stool to talk to the kids in the back of the class because the classes are so large,” she said. “I really wish this on no other school in Alaska, but when we don’t have funding, that’s what’s going to happen.”
Others, like Anchorage parent Mara Kendall, expressed concerns about teachers leaving the state because of unreliable funding.
“I would like for my Alaska-born child to be able to continue to teach in the state in which she was born and not be forced to move outside of Alaska or to be worried each year whether or not she’d be signing a contract for the following year,” Kendall said.
While most testimony supported the bill, a handful of Alaskans shared their opposition – including Palmer parent Bruce Owens, who said he was worried the bill would translate to higher taxes.
“Where is that money going to come from?” he said. “We do not have the money. The governor has already put forth a budget that’s already 1.5 billion [dollars] in the hole, and now you guys are going to add to that. We want a quality education. But how much are you going to burden U.S. taxpayers?
Testimony lasted about three-and-a-half hours. The bill will move to the Finance Committee before it goes to the floor for a vote. You can submit written testimony to house.education@akleg.gov.