States Struggle With School Funding Amid Budget Strains

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed a $1,000 per-student increase in school funding, proposing a $560 increase instead, citing declining oil revenues and raising concerns about job cuts in schools. The Alaska Legislature may lack the votes to override the veto, leaving education funding unresolved. In Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly is urging the U.S. Department of Education to reinstate $22.6 million in COVID-era funds for learning loss, which federal officials say can no longer be spent. Michigan school districts are seeking voter approval for bonds to fund infrastructure repairs and preserve staff jobs. In Missouri, the Senate Appropriations Committee is weighing full funding of the school foundation formula and restoring state worker pay raises as federal cuts shift costs to the state. These actions highlight widespread challenges in state and local education funding amid economic uncertainty and reduced federal support.