School districts across Alaska are facing budget impacts as more students choose to homeschool due to the pandemic. How should the Juneau School District prepare for this potential drop in revenue amid other state budget shortfalls?

  • School Board

    • Martin Stepetin Sr.

      Candidate for School Board

      I know what the school district is doing right now to try to mitigate this, right now. And that is, they’re sending resolutions into their lobbying arm to the state. They’re trying to ask them, ask the state to hold them harmless, but not by the current formula which is a like a step down way of lowering the amount over three years. What the school district, the Juneau School District is asking is to not cut our budget at all. Do not cut us down — just hold us completely harmless. And so, that’s what the school district is asking for right now. I think that’s right, I think that’s right. I think other school districts should be trying to do that also. Nobody could have prepared for this pandemic and nobody was could have been ready so I think, I hope the state takes it serious in our, in our lobbying efforts to hold us harmless.

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    • Brian Holst

      Candidate for School Board

      Several things that we need to do. One is, we need to advocate so that there is not a drop in revenue. And we are going to advocate for that through Alaska Association for School Boards and to the Legislature to hold harmless all of the school districts. We’re all in this together, as well. We are going to try to do — we need to adjust where we can as student count, student count is coming in about 10% lower than budgeted. So, we need to make those adjustments. We’re not going to hire staff, we’re not going to replace staff until we right size it. We are going to be needing additional support from the community. It’s a crisis, a pandemic and we need to look for external supports. COVID-19 CARES Act funding has been helpful. That is funds that we have received already through the Department of Education, and the City and Borough of Juneau has also been generous in supporting us in that way.

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