Lon Garrison, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School Boards
As the Alaska Legislature convenes the second session of the 34th Legislature, AASB does so with a clear sense of both purpose and concern. Last year’s work produced meaningful progress, including a long-overdue increase to the Base Student Allocation. That step mattered. But it did not solve the underlying challenges facing Alaska’s public education system, nor did it restore what has been lost to more than a decade of inflationary erosion.
One of my primary concerns entering this session is a growing perception—among some policymakers and members of the public—that last year’s funding action “fixed” education. It did not. The recent BSA increase accounted for only a portion of inflationary loss, and districts across Alaska continue to face staffing shortages, program reductions, and difficult tradeoffs that directly affect students.
This is why AASB’s Board of Directors adopted clear and focused 2026 Legislative Priorities centered on investment—not simply spending—with student achievement and wellness as the unifying objective. Those priorities call for sustained investment in public education, educators, and school infrastructure, recognizing that student success depends on strong systems, stable staffing, and safe, functional learning environments. Investing in education means restoring the purchasing power of the BSA, ensuring predictable and equitable funding, stabilizing and strengthening Alaska’s education workforce, and addressing a documented K–12 infrastructure crisis that includes aging buildings, deferred maintenance, and safety risks.
The condition of Alaska’s school facilities deserves particular attention. Across the state, we are asking students and staff to perform at their best in buildings that are not conducive to learning—and in some cases may not even be safe. Decades of underfunding and deferred maintenance have left many schools well beyond their intended design life. Safe, modern, and functional facilities are not optional; they are foundational to learning, staff retention, community resilience, and the state’s constitutional responsibility to provide a quality public education for every child.
This session also unfolds against a broader fiscal backdrop that remains unresolved. Alaska still lacks a long-term fiscal plan that aligns public expectations with sustainable revenue, while critical public services—including education—compete for diminishing resources.
Finally, AASB remains concerned about recurring proposals that would divert public education funds away from public schools through vouchers, education savings accounts, or unrestricted allotments. Such approaches risk weakening the very system that serves the vast majority of Alaska’s students.
In this challenging environment, AASB will continue its nonpartisan advocacy on behalf of locally elected school boards and the communities they serve. Our focus remains steady: investing in students by investing in educators, facilities, and the public education system itself—because student achievement and well-being depend on all three.
We encourage school board members, educators, families, and community leaders to remain engaged, informed, and constructive voices throughout the session. Alaska’s students deserve nothing less.
With hope,
Lon Garrison
