Feds to withhold COVID relief funds from Alaska as state feud continues

Soldotna High School students stitchery for luncheon successful nan school’s commons. (M.Scott Moon/KDLL)

The national authorities plans to withhold astir $17.5 cardinal successful COVID-related assistance costs aft it says nan authorities underfunded immoderate Alaska schoolhouse districts.

During nan pandemic, Alaska’s acquisition section received $358,770,937 successful national alleviation costs done nan American Rescue Plan. As a information of nan grant, nan authorities was not allowed to disproportionately trim backing for districts serving ample numbers of low-income students.

The national authorities says Alaska grounded to meet that request and underfunded districts successful Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and nan Kenai Peninsula. Earlier this year, nan national Department of Education warned nan authorities it would beryllium designated a high-risk grantee if it didn’t hole nan correction by allocating $17.5 cardinal to those 4 districts.

Now, nan national Office of Elementary and Secondary Education says it’ll withhold much than half of nan state’s remaining COVID alleviation funds. Only erstwhile nan authorities pays what it owes nan 4 districts will that clasp beryllium lifted.

The authorities and feds person fought for months complete nan state’s alleged noncompliance. Although dozens of states initially grounded to meet nan grant’s alleged “maintenance of equity” requirements, Alaska is nan only authorities to stay retired of compliance.

The authorities maintains it adequately funded nan districts during nan pandemic.

In a missive this past May, authorities Education Commissioner Deena Bishop based on that nan state actually increased per-student funding during nan pandemic. That’s done a $30 bump to nan guidelines magnitude districts person per student.

The number of students enrolled successful a schoolhouse territory mostly determines nan magnitude of money that territory receives from nan state. During nan pandemic, enrollment numbers fluctuated, arsenic immoderate families pivoted to home-schooling and different distant learning options.

State lawmakers tried to partially settee nan conflict by including $11,893,486 successful this year’s fund to reside nan problem. That would person covered nan outstanding magnitude for fiscal twelvemonth 2022, including astir $5.5 cardinal for nan Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. But Dunleavy vetoed nan money, saying nan full magnitude needed is unknown.

The national government’s move to withhold assistance money comes arsenic districts crossed nan authorities struggle pinch what they opportunity is inadequate authorities funding.

For nan upcoming fiscal year, nan Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is facing a $17 cardinal fund deficit. The feds opportunity nan authorities owes nan territory almost $8 cardinal crossed 2 fiscal years.

Clayton Holland is KPBSD’s superintendent. He said nan district’s been monitoring nan attraction of equity conflict since past year, but hasn’t counted connected getting nan money anytime soon.

“Once we heard astir it, it was thing like, ‘Okay, if this happens, we could do this aliases that,’” he said. “But we ne'er did facet that into our budget, conscionable because of each nan uncertainties astir it, and really not proceeding thing from DEED to dangle connected that funding.”

Holland says it’s “been awhile” since nan territory heard immoderate updates from DEED, and that they’ve grown tired of pushing for answers. He says it’s clear DEED believes it funded districts adequately.

“I deliberation earlier on, location was still possibly thought that it could beryllium debated aliases challenged,” he said. “At this point, it doesn’t look for illustration that.”

Holland says he hopes to link pinch Bishop soon to study much astir what nan latest improvement intends for Kenai Peninsula schools.

As first reported by nan Alaska Beacon, nan authorities plans to entreaty nan national government’s determination to withhold nan money. Per nan national government, nan authorities has until Oct. 15 to taxable its appeal.