Gov. Mike Dunleavy is defying state law and the will of Alaskans on education funding. When the Legislature overrode the veto of House Bill 57, that bill became law, raising the base student allocation in the state’s education funding statute by $700. The governor’s line-item education veto disregards this funding requirement.
Forty-six legislators stood up for students by voting to override the HB57 veto. When they signaled similar intent for the line-item veto, Dunleavy called a special session in August to discuss “education reform,” apparently unsatisfied with the bill’s existing reforms that align with his stated goals. He is calling the special session after vetoing funding for special sessions and implementing a statewide travel and hiring freeze, citing budget concerns. The governor’s spokesperson Jeff Turner wrote in email, “Dunleavy asked House minority members to not show up for the first five days of session because like any governor, he does not want his vetoes overturned.” This special session appears to be less about reform and more about control — an effort to bypass the Legislature’s check on his veto power.
The stakes are high. If the governor’s veto stands, students across Alaska will suffer. Legislators must override this line-item veto to uphold the law and support Alaska’s future.
Education budgeting: A broken process
School budgeting in Alaska is fraught with uncertainty. Districts are required to balance budgets months before knowing their actual state and local funding. In April, the Fairbanks school board conservatively assumed flat funding in our proposed budget. To close a $16 million gap, we cut deeply — closing three schools, downsizing another, outsourcing evening custodians, and increasing class sizes.
At a June 9 work session, the board explored potential budget add-backs due to optimism from the passage of HB57 and an unexpected local contribution increase. But the governor’s line-item budget veto in mid-June slashed $200 per student from the BSA, resulting in a $4.5 million loss to the district. This unprecedented veto of education funding below what statute requires has left school districts in disarray months before the school year begins.
Two false narratives
The governor claims:
“We can’t keep funding a failing system.”
“Alaska is broke— we must choose between the PFD and education.”
Both are misleading and false.
Students are not failing
The governor cites the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) as evidence of student failure. But NAEP data is limited: It tests only a small number of randomly selected students at a handful of schools and does not track growth or account for cultural and geographic factors. It’s a snapshot of a small sample of each state’s students, not a comprehensive measure.
In Fairbanks, we are seeing incredible gains. In fall 2023, only 40.6% of students were reading at or above benchmark; by spring, that number rose to 63.3%. Students far below benchmark dropped from 40.3% to 22.6%. Progress was seen at every grade level. Reforms are already happening — and would be more effective with proper funding.
We have skilled and innovative educators ready to improve outcomes. But ongoing budget cuts make it harder to retain staff and students, offer diverse electives and robust CTE programs, and implement initiatives like the Alaska Reads Act. Demanding more reforms before providing adequate funding ignores reality: reforms require resources.
Alaska is not broke
Alaska has abundant resources and a sovereign wealth fund that rivals those of nations. The issue is not lack of money — it’s lack of political will. If our system can’t support constitutional mandates like education, then it’s the system that needs reform. Lawmakers must diversify our economy, and stop presenting a false choice between the PFD and education. We can — and must — do both.
A bold stand for students
Following the veto, the Fairbanks school district faced an additional $1.8 million deficit. The board refused to cut additional teaching staff or increase class sizes, and considered using our modest savings instead. We’ve cut enough — and enough is enough.
However, in a bold action, the board passed a budget amendment to reflect state revenue equivalent to what is legally required. Our message: We trust the Legislature to uphold the law.
The Legislature has a chance to override this veto — with 45 votes needed. The 46 legislators who overrode the HB57 veto showed courage. We ask others to join them and resist Dunleavy’s attempt to circumvent the process.
Please join us in urging legislators to uphold the law, and put students first. Don’t allow political games to derail Alaska’s future.
Your constituents are watching. Hold the line.
Bobby Burgess and Morgan Dulian are members of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education and parents of public school students. Opinions expressed are their own and do not reflect the views of any organization they are associated with.
