A proposal to change the way the Ketchikan Gateway Borough uses discretionary money to help fund education will be discussed during the assembly’s Monday meeting.
The proposal was drafted by assemblymember Glen Thompson, who suggests taking the equivalent of 2.5 mills of the borough’s annual property tax revenue and breaking it up into per-student grants. The grants would go toward the education program of a family’s choice, as long as those programs are accredited by the state.
Borough Manager Dan Bockhorst included a rundown of the proposal in his regular report to the assembly. In it he notes that the Alaska Constitution prohibits spending public funds for religious or private schools. Therefore, payments directly to those types of schools would not be allowed.
A potential work-around would involve tax rebates for parents who send their children to private schools.
In the case of students who choose to attend public school, the grants would be paid directly to the school on behalf of the students, whether it be the local public school or another public education program.
During Wednesday’s Ketchikan School Board meeting, most board members had reservations about the proposal. One concern was the additional cost involved with administering the new system.
School Board President Michelle O’Brien has submitted a request for a joint work session, so that the School Board and Borough Assembly could talk about the proposal in detail.
