The Sitka Assembly will likely fund schools to the cap again this year, or the maximum allowed by state law. At a joint meeting with the Sitka School Board on Thursday (2-6-26), assembly members shared their intentions to not only meet the school district’s funding request, but also dedicate more pass-through federal funding than usual to the district.

For the past several years, the assembly has consistently funded local schools to the state’s local contribution limit, and beyond. Non-instructional funds aren’t subject to the same limitations, so the assembly can fund things like student activities and the Performing Arts Center on top of its base funding. The city also took over school building maintenance in FY25, and voters approved an additional 1% seasonal sales tax in 2023 to fund building improvements.

Assembly member Tim Pike noted that this year would be no different.

“I don’t hear anything from the Assembly saying we shouldn’t fund to the cap. I don’t hear anything, really, from the Assembly saying we shouldn’t fund the other things we see in this letter,” Pike said. “The question has to be, what do we want to do with Secure Rural Schools?”

Secure Rural Schools is a federal program that supports schools surrounded by federal lands which don’t contribute to the local tax base. The money can be used for schools and roads, and it’s also exempt from the state’s cap on local funding. Pike said that makes it more valuable than other money, and it goes a long way in the schools. 

“Roads are very important. It’s no question we could find something to do with that,” Pike said, and added, “In the Katlian Road project of $18 million, another $300,000 is not a very high percentage, but in a school district budget, $300,000 is the equivalent of three teachers.” 

For the past two fiscal years, however, Secure Rural Schools funding lapsed. Last December, Congress renewed the funding for this year, along with retroactive payments for the missed years. 

Typically the city splits that money with the district fifty-fifty. But at Thursday’s meeting, assembly members said they want to do more this year. Assembly member Kevin Mosher suggested dedicating 100% of the federal pass-through money to schools, and several assembly members agreed.

“You never know what the state’s going to really fund completely is, what they’re supposed to there’s so many variables. And so they’re still dealing with higher expenses across the board with with less money, when you consider inflation…I know we know we could use some of it for roads and things, but the roads that we need to repair are millions, millions upon millions upon millions of dollars. Which we do and should do work on, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think, you know, a couple 100 grand or or more is going to change that.”

It’s still unclear how much Secure Rural Schools funding the city will receive. In recent years it’s landed at about $600,000. The past two fiscal years, the city budgeted $300,000 for schools, half of the anticipated funds that never came through. 

Thursday’s meeting was a work session for the assembly and school board to get on the same page and give staff direction for the budget. Federal funding aside, the city is looking at dedicating just over $9 million to the district this year. While that’s not finalized until the budget is passed in the spring, Superintendent Deidre Jenson thanked the assembly for their continued commitment to funding local schools. 

“There’s a lot of communities that don’t have assemblies that have support like this, don’t have communities that support the schools like this, and so just really appreciative of of you know, the support that you do give, and you know what it offers to our kids,” Jenson said. “Really, that’s where it comes down to, it benefits the kids. So I do appreciate it, and I want you guys to know that.”

The assembly must approve a school funding contribution by the state’s deadline, May 1.