It's unclear how much funding Alaska's public schools will receive from the state. That comes after lawmakers fell one vote short of overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of the funding and reform bill.
The Republican-led House majority says it is working on another deal. But the Senate's bipartisan majority insists there isn't much room for compromise.
So what's next? Alaska News Nightly host Wesley Early spoke with state government reporter Eric Stone.
Wesley Early: I know that Mr. Dunleavy has said he is ready to move forward on addressing energy issues. So are lawmakers throwing their hands up and moving on?
Eric Stone: Well, not yet. They're moving some energy proposals, but Republican House Speaker Kathy Tilton says it's possible to walk and chew gum at the same time. She said about two dozen education-related bills are pending.
One of the bills gaining attention is House Bill 392, sponsored by Rep. Tom McKay, chairman of the House Resources Committee. He is an Anchorage Republican who voted against nullification.
“Our decision was to provide an alternative, to provide a choice, so that when people came to vote on veto overrides, we had another education spending bill, another school board policy. “They will be relieved to know that there is a bill, more policies in the HB Bill are needed, and they can look to 392 to solve the problem of maintaining a high BSA,” McKay said. he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
ES: This is nearly identical to the bill Dunleavy vetoed, plus the governor's plan for teacher bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 a year.
Tilton also highlighted a bill on the House Education Committee that would allow the governor-appointed State Board of Education to directly authorize new charter schools.
State-chartered charter schools and teacher bonuses are two items that the governor asked lawmakers to pass when he vetoed them. And that would put them on a collision course with the Senate.
we: And where is the Senate on this?
ES: Well, it's safe to say that the senators who wanted to override the veto are dissatisfied. Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, said off-the-shelf funding, or one-time funding that has become common in recent years, is inefficient.
Essentially, he's saying that if you give them one-time money, schools will use that money for one-time expenses. Computers, TVs, etc. No need to hire more teachers or assistants to reduce class size. You don't have to pay a salary every year for TV.
Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, said the supermajority, made up of all but three senators, remains committed to finding some path forward. But he's more or less saying that if you break it, you fix it.
“A 20-member majority in the House was able to prevent the governor from overriding his veto. That’s only one-third of the Legislature. The onus is now on them to get us meaningful legislation. , which I believe is in the House,” Stevens said at a news conference Tuesday.
ES: But the Senate's chief negotiator, Sen. Bill Wilechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, says there isn't much room for compromise, especially on the charter school issue.
we: Why do they say there may be no room for compromise? What is the problem?
ES: In short, they are saying that they have already given a lot. Therefore, the passed bill would create a new, dedicated position within the Department of Education to assist parents and school districts in establishing new charter schools. and a new appeals process for closed charters.
And Wierechowski said he offered further concessions in negotiations over the veto — essentially cutting the time it takes to approve new charter schools. He called it compromise after compromise.
But the governor's proposal could force school districts to fund and operate charter schools they don't approve, he said. For Mr. Wierechowski and most of his senators, that is non-negotiable.
“The top choice was a state charter school,” Wirechowski said. “The fact that the state did that, perhaps against the wishes of the local community, was a red line, and for many it was a red line that could not be crossed.”
ES: As for the bonus proposal, he said the roughly $60 million annual program would be an expensive experiment that hasn't been tested in practice.
we: So even if both the Senate and the governor deem these red lines that shouldn't be crossed, it's not good news for those who want long-term funding for schools.
ES: Well, not all senators think those are red lines that shouldn't be crossed. Sen. Shelley Hughes, a Palmer Republican, is one of only three senators not in the majority caucus. She is skeptical of the argument that allowing states to authorize charter schools would create conflicts between states and local governments, but she still believes that giving universities and local governments the power to establish new schools is a compromise. It suggests that this may be a possible solution.
There is also room for compromise on teacher bonuses, Hughes said.
“I think there are different ways to structure teacher stipend payments,” she said in an interview. “The governor's three-year plan. I personally don't agree with that. I think it should be spread out over many more years.”
So instead of giving bonuses in years 1, 2, and 3, give them bonuses in years 2, 4, and 6, or years 3, 6, and 9. It may be. And maybe tie it to teachers signing new contracts for the next year so people don't take the money and run.
But in this situation, I'm not sure if any new compromises will be made anytime soon.
Eric Stone covers state government, tracking the Alaska Legislature, state policy and its impact on Alaskans as a whole. Please contact us at estone@alaskapublic.org.
