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Legislative Education Funding Task Force
The Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that included a $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation which was permanent, meaningful and affordable – but should have been closer to $1700 if it were just fixed with inflation over the last 10 years. Another part of the legislation included a multi-year, statewide, bipartisan, bicameral legislative Task force on Education Funding. Senator Loki Gale Tobin (D-Anchorage) and Rep. Rebecca Himschoot (I-Sitka) as the Co-Chairs brought the committee to Fairbanks to learn about the needs of the Interior.
It is important to know that the last time the funding formula went through major changes was in 2007 at the request of a prior Joint Legislative Education Task Force. With many advances in broadband technology, teaching methods, an aging workforce and rising inflation, the formula has proven itself to need adjustments. The Task Force recommendations will inform the funding policy of a future legislature under a new Governor.
As a kid who grew up in Fairbanks and went to Joy, University Park, Tanana Middle School and then graduated from Lathrop in 1993 my education experience was excellent. I felt that I had the opportunities to grow and learn in a nurturing environment that suited me as well as my classmates. I just want to ensure that our children have those same education benefits, whether it is at a brick-and-mortar neighborhood school, a career academy, an online academies, charter schools, private parochial schools or homeschool.
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