As of 2025, Alaska’s school-going student population stood at 126,730. However, this count has been steadily declining over the last decade and has affected funding. School districts receive money from the state based on the number of students enrolled. 

Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, explained, “The square footage doesn’t change because I’m losing students. The fixed costs don’t change.”

These budget cuts have greatly impacted school infrastructure. A recent ProPublica report revealed that nearly two dozen students in Sleetmute arrive at a school building that is almost on the verge of collapse. Five years back, it was condemned as “unsafe for occupancy.”

This isn’t the only instance; two Alaska school districts, Kuspuk and Fairbanks, even filed a lawsuit in Anchorage Superior Court against the state, the governor, and the education commissioner.

Following several reports, the state legislature has finally tripled the existing funding for school construction and maintenance. The bill allocates $148 million in FY27, up from $40 million that was provided in the current financial year ending June 30. The bill still awaits Governor Mike Dunleavy’s signature.

If approved by the governor, this money could fund 30 projects that need repairs, but it will only be a small fraction of the statewide requested repairs.

School districts had requested $1.2 billion for FY 2027, the second-highest amount since 1998. Despite the new funding, it barely scratches the surface, as the approved amount is only 13% of the total requested amount.

The worst-affected schools are located in rural areas, which double as emergency shelters and primarily serve the Indigenous populations. These schools serve communities where residents do not pay taxes that can help fund education.

Unlike other American states, in Alaska the state owns just under half of 128 rural schools and relies on state funding for school facilities and maintenance. 

For almost three decades, 135 school projects have had to wait five or more years to receive funding, while 33 had to wait for over a decade. 

So, who is to blame?

State legislators and the education department have passed the blame on to each other. In 2025, Education Commissioner Deena Bishop explained, “The power of the purse is with the Legislature.”

In March 2026, Bert Stedman, a republican during the Senate Finance Committee meeting, said, “She’s responsible. The buck stops with her.”

While schools struggle to receive adequate funding and with no permanent solution in sight, lawmakers are looking for stopgap efforts. The Galena City School District requested $36.5 million for major renovation. Legislators cut down on the funding for Galena to ensure other schools on the list receive a portion of the funds. However, this has not remedied the issues for a single school, but has kept everyone on tenterhooks.

State Senator Löki Tobin secured a one-time grant program to help public schools offset the skyrocketing energy prices. The Senate voted to make the program permanent from 2028.