Gov. Mike Dunleavy discusses his new proposed omnibus education legislation at a news conference on Jan. 31, 2025. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
For the second year running, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed an education funding bill on Thursday, citing the state’s current finances and a lack of policy changes he supported.
House Bill 69 would have increased the base student allocation — the core of the state’s per-student funding — by $1,000 in the funding formula. The BSA has not been substantially increased for more than a decade, and public school advocates testified that inflation-driven cost increases have resulted in cuts to programs, school closures, and larger class sizes…