Maintenance Budget Lacking for Alaska’s Public Schools

The level of funding to maintain Alaska’s K-12 schools is not sustainable to adequately maintain the facilities, according to a study from the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Alaska Public Media reports.

The study looked at capital projects across Alaska districts between fiscal years 2000 and 2020. Large capital projects, such as those involving public school maintenance, are funded by a combination of bonds and state grants.

The National Council on School Facilities recommends spending 4% of a state’s schools’ current replacement value on capital projects. Alaska’s current replacement value for its almost 500 K-12 schools is US$9.4 billion. Under the National Council’s guidelines, Alaska should invest $374 million each year on school capital projects.

The study found that Alaska spends $249 million—2.6% of its current replacement value. The study’s author, Bob Loeffler, is concerned Alaska’s public-school facilities will degrade under the current funding.

School spending was higher before the state’s budget crisis in 2015. Since then, capital spending has dropped from an average of $300 million per year to $124 million. In 2015, the state stopped reimbursing school bond debt. Before, the state promised reimbursement between 60% and 70%.

Loeffler said a potential fix might be to rescind the moratorium on bond debt reimbursement. The moratorium is in place until 2025.