This morning Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 69, an education bill that increases spending by hundreds of millions of dollars without providing for more accountability or policy reforms. The bill would also increase Alaska’s deficit during a time of rapidly decreasing revenues.
“For years, I’ve been clear: I support increased education funding, but it must be tied to meaningful reforms that improve student outcomes and give families more choice,” said Governor Dunleavy. “This bill spends money at a level the state doesn’t have and offers no plan to improve how that money helps our students. I agree with leadership of the Senate Finance Committee who voted against this bill on the floor: we can increase funding for our schools, but HB69’s funding increase is not realistic at this time.”
Governor Dunleavy announced he will be introducing a new education bill that includes a $560 BSA increase, additional targeted funding and policy reforms. The total cost is comparable to a $700 BSA increase. Critical policy changes include:
- Charter School Reforms: Year-round application windows, faster appeal timelines, streamlined renewals, and protections against unjustified closures—all to make it easier to open and maintain high-quality charter schools.
- Reading Incentive Grants: $21.9 million in performance-based funding to reward reading proficiency and growth for students in grades K–6.
- Correspondence Program Fix: A $13.6 million adjustment to ensure equitable funding for public correspondence students, while preserving flexibility and parental control.
- School Choice Protections: Transparency and accountability in open enrollment, ensuring families have access to the public school that best meets their child’s needs.
There is more than a month remaining in the regular legislative session. Governor Dunleavy looks forward to working with legislators to pass an education bill that will improve outcomes for students and families.
