Apr 15
8
HB72 and Education Funding in KPBSD
HB72 and Education Funding in KPBSD
- Prioritize Alaska’s future.
Our children have one chance for a K-12 education and it needs to be the best we can provide. KPBSD is committed to deliver a quality education to our students and provide stability for our staff and communities. Unanticipated education funding reductions, proposed this late in the budgeting process, compromises our ability to prepare our students for their future.
- Proposed cuts will compromise the ability of schools to deliver quality education and vital programs.
“In addition to our Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses, art, music, and technology education, we have been able to increase the amount of college prep classes we are able to offer at our school,” said Dan Carstens, Nikiski Middle-High principal. “Our AP course offerings have doubled in the past year and we were able to offer an honors course to our freshmen and sophomore classes. Our main focus is to differentiate what we offer to our students to best meet them at their current levels. The bottom line is that we have a fine balance of offerings to meet the needs of our diverse population at Nikiski Middle-High School.
For the next school year, in part due to enrollment and budget reductions, we already needed to eliminate one full position. We were able to manage this reduction while still being able to offer our complement of courses, albeit at a decreased level. Obviously it was not our desire to eliminate a position, however, we also understand the need to reduce our spending with the state income not what it used to be.
When I learned of the possible additional reduction to the BSA [Foundation Formula 4.1% reduction], I was taken aback and immediately examined my current staffing sheet to determine what else could go. It came down to programs and opportunities for our students. … I then looked at our CTE programs and would have to have lighter versions due to the fact that our instructors would need to teach a wider variety at mainly a beginning level. In other words, not a deep understanding, only introductory. Which would be a shame, especially with the variety of equipment we currently possess.
Again, I understand the need to make reductions. It is imperative, however, that these reductions are incremental and they are not applied all at one time. We have made our plans for next school year to continue our services. Each year we have the normal attrition of our staff from retirements and resignations; we examine how we can restructure our staffing on a regular basis to continue to meet the needs of our students. As you know, it is never easy, but we have made those decisions based on what our students need to graduate and be successful beyond high school whether it is in college or a career.”
Please contact legislators to voice your opinion about the proposed reductions to education funding.
Last Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee amended HB 72, with a 4.1 percent reduction to the Foundation Formula educational funding. The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $4,238,432
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $977,007
Governor Walker proposed an operating budget reduction of educational One-Time Funding in HB 72.The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $2,262,989
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $520,487
Potential 2015-2016 revenue loss to KPBSD: $7,998,915
- Total possible reduction in state funding to KPBSD: $6,501,421
- Total possible reduction in local (borough) funding to KPBSD: $1,497,494
A joint Finance and House conference committee has formed for HB 72 and will be meeting soon.
- Email the entire Legislature: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
- Individual Senator Contacts: http://akleg.gov/senate.php
- Individual Representative Contacts: http://akleg.gov/house.php
*HB72 Operating Budget Conference Committee Members
- Representative Mark Neuman – Representative.Mark.Neuman@akleg.gov – 800-505-2678
- Representative Les Gara – Representative.Les.Gara@akleg.gov – 888-465-2647
- Representative Steve Thompson – Representative.Steve.Thompson@akleg.gov – 877-465-3004
- Senator Pete Kelly – Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov – 877-665-3709
- Senator Anna MacKinnon – Senator.Anna.MacKinnon@akleg.gov – 800-861-5688
- Senator Donald Olson – Senator.Donny.Olson@akleg.gov – 800-597-3707
Kenai Peninsula Legislators
- Senator Peter Micciche, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov– 907-465-2828
- Senator Gary Stevens, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov– 907-465-4925
- Representative Mike Chenault, Representative.Mike.Chenault@akleg.gov– 907-465-3779
- Representative Kurt Olson, Representative.Kurt.Olson@akleg.gov– 907-465-2693
- Representative Paul Seaton, Representative.Paul.Seaton@akleg.gov– 907-465-2689
- Representative: Louise Stutes, Representative.Louise.Stutes@akleg.gov – 907-465-2487
Connect with KPBSD on Facebook, twitter, our Mobile App, and website to follow updates. Contacts for Alaska legislators are noted in this announcement, and also on the Alaska State Legislature webpage.
Links
- HB 72
- KPBSD and the Legislature webpage
- The Alaska State Legislature webpage
- Media Release April 3, 2015: Proposed reduction to education funding in Alaska
- April 7, 2015: Education Funding and KPBSD
- April 8, 2015: HB72 Conference Committee Education Funding and KPBSD
Contact Pegge Erkeneff, Communication Specialist
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
907.714.8838
Communications@KPBSD.org
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