Alaska school districts that offer early childhood learning programs for children ages 3 to 5, such as programs to help children be ready for kindergarten, could see a state funding boost under new legislation currently being considered by the Alaska Senate. 

Senate Bill 93 would boost funding for school districts that are currently enrolled in early education programs under the Alaska Reads Act. The bill would increase per-student funding from half funding to the full amount for other students within the state’s public education funding formula. 

The Alaska Reads Act program supports early literacy for pre-K through grade 3 with the aim of improving reading. 

“The concept isn’t new,” said Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, the bill’s sponsor, citing a body of research supporting improved lifelong learning outcomes following pre-K programs. “For every dollar we invest in high quality early learning, we see a $32 return on investment in increased earning potential, higher graduation rates, higher engagement and post-secondary opportunities.”

She explained with the outmigration of families and children from Alaska, funding early learning programs would encourage young student enrollment. “Last year, the Legislative Finance Division indicated about 3,700 kids left our public education system in total,” she said. “So what our hope is, is not only to provide districts with full funding to maintain their pre-elementary programs, but also to help balance out that outmigration with incoming students.”

School districts can choose to offer prekindergarten in Alaska, and districts’ enrollment in early learning programs under the Alaska Reads Act is also voluntary. Currently the participating districts are Anchorage, Skagway and Valdez.

The Department of Education estimates the funding increase would cost roughly $7.6 million, already requested in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget proposal for next year, going towards funding the Alaska Reads Act, according to a fiscal note to the bill. 

State Education Commissioner Deena Bishop said that the governor’s budget includes roughly $4.7 million to sustain funding for existing early education programs and $3 million to expand the number of districts with these programs. The Alaska Reads Act planned for annual increases in funding and programs, Bishop said in a text statement through a spokesperson.

“We look forward to all Alaska school districts who desire to serve their communities with pre-schools, can do so,” she said. “The Alaska Reads Act was a transformational piece of legislation. The present bill builds on its success.”

Tobin said the increased funding could also help alleviate child care costs for families. “We know those pre-K kids are in their communities, their parents might be struggling to braid together support for child care, or for babysitting,” she said. “And by not only providing stability for districts to offer these programs, we also are helping them in stabilizing their school population, and also helping families that are looking for child care options that are high quality and available.”

The bill now is set to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee, where Tobin hopes lawmakers support the education investment. “We know it’s not going to have an impact on our budget. And we do know the fiscal notes of the Alaska Reads Act were adopted when the bill was passed in 2022, so it’s not going to have a discernible impact on our current budget projections.”

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