The Borough Assembly proposed and passed (5-4) an amendment that had the effect of reducing the amount of funding available to KPBSD for use in the classroom by $138,052. The State of Alaska has not yet determined funding for public education.
Mayor Navarre proposed to increase the borough funding appropriation to KPBSD by $1.5 million in KPB Resolution 2017-035* on May 2, 2017. This increase would have provided KPBSD the fiscal certainty to offer seven teaching contracts the morning of May 3, 2017.
However, also on May 2, 2017, a Borough Assembly Amendment to Resolution 2017-35 reduced Mayor Navarre’s proposed education funding by $1,438,432. Because this reduction was designated solely in section A. Local Effort Appropriation (in contrast to in-kind funding categories), the net result is a further deficit to the KPBSD FY18 budget of $138,052.
The Borough Assembly will meet on May 16, and June 6, beginning at 6:00 PM in the Borough Assembly Chambers. Borough residents have the opportunity to speak about education funding during public hearing on item M4, 2017-19, An Ordinance Appropriating Funds for Fiscal Year 2018. Click here for the Assembly calendar, agenda, and documents.
If you support funding education, please contact your Borough Assembly member today. This is your link to the Borough Assembly member contacts: http://www.kpb.us/assembly-clerk/meet-the-assembly
As a result of the unanticipated Borough Assembly amendment action to the original funding resolution on May 2, 2017, offering contracts for the following positions was frozen:
- Four kindergarten teachers: Mountain View Elementary, Soldotna Montessori, Sterling Elementary, and Tustumena Elementary
- Two first grade teachers: Nikiski North Star Elementary, Paul Banks Elementary
- One middle school math teacher: Kenai Middle School
These positions reflect seven of the thirty unfilled and frozen teaching vacancies for the school year beginning in August.
Links
- Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) Resolution 2017-035
- Amendment to Resolution 2017-035
- Ordinance 2017-19 KPB: An Ordinance Appropriating Funds for Fiscal Year 2018 (Mayor)
*Mayor Navarre’s $1.5 million increase designated $1,303,380 for local effort, and $199,620 for in-kind funding categories, which is not available for unrestricted use.