A day after Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed an education bill that would increase per-student funding from the state by $700 and implement a slew of policy changes, the Alaska Legislature successfully overrode the move. Three of the four Kenai Peninsula lawmakers joined the override effort, which needed 40 votes to pass and came in 46-14.
When House Bill 57 passed the Legislature on May 2, it was supported by each of the peninsula’s legislators, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski; Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna; Rep. Bill Elam, R-Nikiski; and Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer. Per reporting by the Alaska Beacon, the veto override is the first successful such move since 2002; it follows failed overrides of Dunleavy’s veto of education bills in April of this year and March 2024.
The governor did not announce his veto until the last day of his deadline to do so, only days before the current legislative session was scheduled to conclude on Wednesday. In his veto letter to the Legislature, he wrote that “there is no evidence that a permanent increase in the base student allocation will improve educational outcomes.”
Legislators from Anchorage chafed against that claim, specifically, on social media. Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, wrote “there is a huge amount of evidence that lack of funding harms outcomes, much of which was presented to the Education Committee.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and others have said that the funding from the state has fallen far short of inflationary pressure since 2011 — also that it would require an increase of more than $1,800, considerably more than $700, to restore the purchasing power districts had that year.
Dunleavy has said the bill doesn’t include some of his desired education policies, like an open-enrollment rule that would work across districts and the ability for more entities to create charter schools. HB 57 included funding for student transportation, a bar on cellphone use in schools, and eased regulations for charter school formation, among other things.
Vance, one of only two legislators who supported HB 57 and then didn’t vote in favor of overriding, wrote on Facebook that she had wanted to see Dunleavy’s policies enacted within the weeks between passage of the bill and the governor’s veto. She also pointed to Alaska’s worsening “fiscal picture.”
Ruffridge wrote on Facebook that he supported the override because HB 57 “delivers progress for our students, educators, and communities across the state.”
“This bill isn’t perfect, but it is a critical step forward,” he wrote. “It includes thoughtful policy changes and smart funding solutions that can make a difference in our classrooms.”
Elam wrote that he supported the override because Alaska parents, teachers and business owners want stability, accountability and results — “HB 57 is a course correction that moves us in that direction.”
“This bill funds education through the formula — not through one-time bulk payments,” he wrote. “That’s more than a budget line; it’s a commitment to transparency, consistency, and fiscal responsibility. Formula funding ensures districts can plan ahead, taxpayers can track their dollars, and schools are held accountable year after year.”
At the same time, Elam said the conversation isn’t over and that “neither side got everything we wanted.” HB 57, he wrote, is the “smart first step.”
KPBSD’s budget for the next year, approved in April but set for continued revision until a July deadline, calls for closing two schools. It describes the elimination of counselors, pool managers, theater technicians and student support liaisons. It would make steep cuts to the district’s distance education programming, gifted and talented program, Kenai Peninsula Middle College and extracurricular stipends. It would result in a reduction of more than $1 million in teacher salaries and benefits as staff are cut from schools.
Dunleavy during a Monday press conference said he’d yet to decide whether he’d attempt to veto funding from schools from the state’s budget. He threatened to do just that in a meeting with Alaska school superintendents earlier this month.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
This story was updated with the latest information Tuesday afternoon.
