The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has opened the public comment period for a proposed regulation change that redefines what counts as a local contribution for school districts.
The proposed change would count municipal funding for non-instructional services like transportation and school meals toward the maximum amount districts can receive from municipalities.
Local municipalities are limited in how much can be contributed to a school district’s instructional services.
According to the Alaska Council of School Administrators, at least 18 school districts currently receive local funding for non-instructional services.
The Juneau School District is budgeted to receive more than $2 million this coming school year for non-instructional services.
The education department brought the proposed change to the state Board of Education earlier this month as an emergency regulation. That means it would have immediately gone into effect if approved.
Public backlash from school administrators, parents and city officials around the state urged the board to instead put the regulation up for a 30-day comment period.
The public comment period will run until 5 p.m. on July 23. Comments can be physically mailed or emailed to the state board.
There will also be a comment period at the next board meeting scheduled this October where members of the public can testify by phone or Zoom.
