When the Sitka School District opens its doors to students this week, it will be under different circumstances than expected, with an unanticipated increase in state funding.
Earlier this month, the Alaska Legislature voted to override Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto of around $51 million in school funding. The override increased the “base student allocation” or BSA to $700 dollars, an increase of about $200 per student.
This last-minute increase means the district won’t have to spend down its reserves to the degree that staff had initially anticipated in order to keep several teachers. At last week’s board meeting, President Phil Burdick extended a thank you to everyone who called legislators and wrote letters of support.
“Advocacy does work. Unfortunately, our job isn’t done,” Burdick said. “We still have to keep an eye on the State Board of Education’s upcoming decision regarding local and in-kind contributions.”
This fall, the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development will be revisiting its funding formula, redefining a city’s “local contribution.” That could affect the amount of money a school district can receive from a city. Burdick said the change could cost the Sitka School District anywhere between $2 and $4 million.
“And at this time, we have no idea what those definitions are. We’ve got no guidance or hints from either Governor Dunleavy or Deena Bishop, the commissioner,” Burdick said.
The State Board of Education will consider the rule change at its meeting in early October.
