2008 Legislative Priorities

« Return to 2008 priorities home

Legislative Task Force Report

The district’s first and foremost legislative priority is the enactment of all of the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Education Funding Task Force.

Standing committees

Creation of standing committees on education in the State House and Senate as proposed in HCR 202 will provide welcome focus on and oversight of the important education issues in Alaska.

District cost factors

District cost differential factors are used to balance funding equitably by accounting for the varying cost of education across Alaska. The particulars of any cost study can be debated, yet no one disputes that it is more expensive to educate children in some areas of Alaska than in other areas. The district supports the task force recommendation to gradually implement the most recent cost-factor study while simultaneously creating a commission to review and update cost difference factors.

Intensive needs funding

Inadequate funding for students with intensive needs has shortchanged districts for many years. The average cost of educating an intensive needs student in Anchorage is nearly $75,000 per year. Current state funding provides just $26,900 of that cost and is based on multiplying the Base Student Allocation by five. The task force recommendation will help satisfy the federal mandate to provide for the great needs of these students without diminishing funds available for other students. The Anchorage School Board supports the task force recommendation of phased funding increases for students with intensive needs.

Base Student Allocation

The task force recognized that annual increases, set in statute, would help districts with long-range planning. The recommendation calls for increasing the BSA for fiscal years 2009 through 2011 by “at a minimum” $100 per year. The district’s analysis demonstrates that increases greater than $100 per year for FY09, FY10 and FY11 are necessary to maintain the current levels of service. The Anchorage School Board endorses the recommendation of the Alaska Association of School Boards that the base student allocation be set at $5,580 for FY 2009, $5,780 for FY 2010 and $5,980 for FY 2011.

Pupil Transportation

The task force recommended continuing the current method of funding for student transportation, with critical adjustments to the funding level to account for current audited transportation costs. Adopting this recommendation will offset increases in fuel prices and transportation contract costs.

« Return to 2008 priorities home