By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
With the current school year half gone, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed cutting the $20 million one-time boost in education funding approved by the Legislature last year.
That money is already being spent in this year’s school budget, said Superintendent Mary Wegner.
“It’s tragic,” she said. “That is this school year. We already have our contracts. Those teachers have been hired. I think it is unconscionable that we would be looking at cutting this school year. I think it speaks to why we keep fighting for increases to the Base Student Allocation.”
The $20 million was on top of the $1.3 billion lawmakers budgeted as part of the state’s per-student funding formula and student transportation costs. Each year Alaska school districts receive over a billion dollars for the BSA. Each of the 54 (including Mt. Edgecumbe) school districts in the state has the potential to receive a share of that amount per the number of students in their district, the BSA. The BSA was left unchanged.
“Mt. Edgecumbe High School is funded with the same formula, although we were funded directly through the Department of Education, the amount is determined by the same formula as school districts,” Mt. Edgecumbe director and superintendent Janelle Vanasse said. “We will be affected by any reduction.”
As an administrative move, the state parked the $20 million for schools in the Permanent Fund earnings reserve account, where it now sits. Dunleavy is proposing using the $20 million to increase PFD dividends to Alaska residents.
Documents released by Dunleavy’s budget office said the extra $20 million created a situation in which education was funded beyond what is legally required, and the money is needed to meet other state obligations.
“What Gov. Dunleavy is saying is that it is over and above what the BSA is, therefore I am going to take it,” Wegner said. “This is exactly why we need the increases in the basic BSA.”
Dunleavy’s budget has not yet been formally presented to the Legislature, and it will face scrutiny and revision before it’s finally approved. But if it is approved, the Sitka School District will have to cut $187,000 from this year’s budget, Wegner said.
“We just voted last month to use that money to balance our budget with our decreased enrollment, so we wouldn’t have to cut any programs mid-year,” Wegner said.
Wegner said Sitka school officials will actively advocate against the loss of the one-time funds, and the district has no contingency plan to date.
“It is unconscionable that we would be looking at taking from this year’s money,” she said ... ‘‘Just unconscionable. I have other words but...”
The district is already planning to cut three positions in the FY2020 budget bacause of lower student numbers, but anticipates providing the same level of service to the community, Wegner said.
“The principals of those schools know,” Wegner said. “But nothing is set yet and our enrollment is still fluctuating so we don’t want to say anything until we get further into the budget process.”
Wegner said the district’s initial projection is still holding, based on enrollment for next year.
“If we have to move $187,000 from this year’s budget that means significant cuts this year,” she said. “Plus that means it is $187,000 less that we have for next year.”
Last year’s Legislature made a commitment for $30 million in additional school funding next year, in addition to the $20 million this year. Like this year’s funding, it would be based on the daily enrollment of the receiving districts.
“Dunleavy also wants to take the $30 million for next year,” Wegner said. “Which we have already included in our revenue assumptions because that is past legislation... we know right now that we are looking at a $1.3 million deficit. That would increase to $1.5 million.”
In the worst case scenario, the district will always protect the classroom “as much as we possibly can,” she said. “That is always our last resort. But we have been cutting for five years everything else.”
Last year’s cuts resulted in leaving the Blatchley Middle School librarian position unfilled.
“I am not sure where we can go to cut to keep our teachers,” Wegner said. “But it could hit the teachers if we cannot close the gap.”
She said the schools are seeking advocates to speak on their behalf, and are hoping to further engage the Assembly in more work sessions as uncertainty lingers.
“Right now it is just Gov. Dunleavy’s proposal,” Wegner said. “As the Legislature starts to get going we will learn more about how they are thinking about responding.”
