Kenai Central High School is photographed on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Central High School is photographed on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough school district unsure of upcoming budget

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is beginning to form its next budget for the fiscal year 2020, but with both the state and borough tightening their budgets, the school district has more questions than answers.

At Monday’s school board work sessions, Assistant Superintendent Dave Jones said the district does not currently have a solid idea for the general fund budget for 2020.

“I’m kind of laughing at the start of the FY20 budget because if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry,” Jones said. “Unfortunately for the folks in Alaska and the folks in the Kenai Peninsula school district, we’re looking at the FY20 budget and we’re really not sure what’s going to happen at this point in time because there are a lot of financial questions.”

Jones pointed out that Gov. Mike Dunleavy has plans to balance the state budget. With no additional revenue sources, the state will likely cut expenses to balance the deficit. The district may only receive the Base Student Allocation of a flat $5,930 from the State of Alaska Foundation Funding Formula.

“It will be interesting to see what happens,” Jones said.

The student enrollment projection for FY20 is 8,681 students.

Last year, the Legislature passed $30 million in one-time funding for districts in the state. The district would get $2.1 million of it, and Jones said the district is assuming that the $2.1 million will be included and available for the FY20 budget.

The district is also expecting flat funding from the borough.

“In our conversations with our mayor, the mayor has indicated to us that his budget will include less funding for the school district in the coming year,” Jones said. “He did not give us a specific amount, but he said it would be south of the current amount we’ve been receiving.”

Expected revenues for the FY20 general fund is estimated to be $142,588,810.

The FY20 expenditure budget was developed using the same staffing formulas from FY19. Salaries and benefits compromise 80 percent of total expenditures. The total for estimated expenditures for FY20 is $142,371,983.

The district is waiting to see the governor’s state budget, which will be released in mid-February.

At the work session, school board member Zen Kelly urged the board to watch the governor’s State of the State next week and to keep their eyes out for the Feb. 15 release of the governor’s budget.

“We’re going to learn a lot in the next 31 days about where we need to head,” Kelly said.

More in News

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof closes Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Most Read