The Trump administration will release millions in federal education funding for Alaska that had been frozen since June 30. Alaska schools will now receive over $46 million that they included in their budgets for the upcoming school year. The money supports programs for migrant education, professional development for teachers, adult English learner services, as well as before-and-after-school programs.
Kimberly Hanisch is the Unalaska City School District Superintendent. Earlier this month, she was preparing to cut staff after learning that over half of their funding from the federal programs was frozen.
“Without those programs, it is just impossible to meet all students’ needs,” Hanisch said. “So, much relief for our students and for our staff to know that we have those opportunities back.”
Districts learned on June 30 that the money would not be released, just a day before it was to be sent out to states. About 60% of Unalaska students qualify as English Language Learners. Hanisch is glad the funds will now be available, but said the process has been chaotic.
“The quickness of it just seems to be part of the chaos that seems to be embedded in everything related to education funding right now,” Hanisch said. “It’s good that they unfroze it, but it’s just unsettling that we’re never really sure what’s going to happen next.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski signed onto a letter with nine other U.S. senators asking Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to release the $6.8 billion in federal money for schools and adult learning programs.
In a Friday press release, Murkowski called the funding thaw a win.
“Local communities have the best understanding of the unique needs of their students and how best to serve them,” Murkowski wrote. “But the anxiety, disruption, and extra work to figure out how to serve students without this funding should never have been necessary.”
A coalition of schools and advocacy groups filed a lawsuit over the frozen money earlier this week. The Anchorage School District — one of three Alaska districts named in the suit — said they had to lay off five employees due to the federal and state funding cuts to their already-approved budget for the upcoming school year.
Districts are still dealing with the impacts of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s line-item veto of state formula funding. Legislators are set to convene a special legislative session Aug. 2 to discuss education funding and reforms. They will have five days once they begin to vote on an override of Dunleavy’s vetoes, but Dunleavy has asked several lawmakers to skip the first part of the session.
