Alaska2026Passed Legislature
SB66
State-Tribal Education Compact Demonstration Act
Last scannedSep 12, 2026, 4:46 AM
In one sentence
This bill allows the commissioner of education and early development to sign five-year agreements with specific tribes to run schools that are exempt from most state school district rules but must follow certain laws on safety, attendance, funding, and teacher retirement.
What it does
- Authorizes the commissioner of education and early development to enter into demonstration compacts with participating tribes.
- Requires each compact to include terms for a five-year duration, roles and responsibilities, legal and financial compliance, auditing, dispute resolution, liability limits, insurance, and mandatory teacher retirement participation.
- Exempts these schools from most state statutes applicable to school districts while requiring them to follow specific laws on parental rights, attendance, safety, anti-discrimination, student disabilities, health education, bilingual-bicultural programs, and funding procedures.
- Allows the state Board of Education and Early Development to waive standard teacher certification requirements for individuals with specialized knowledge relevant to a tribe upon request from the school.
- Sets a deadline requiring any new compacts to take effect on or before June 30, 2028.
Who it affects
- Federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations that participated in negotiations under SLA 2022 chapter 43.
- The commissioner of education and early development.
- Teachers employed by the demonstration schools who must participate in state retirement systems.
- Students attending these new compact schools.
Limits and unknowns
- The bill does not specify the exact amount of funding available for these schools, only stating the legislature may appropriate funds.
- It is unclear if any compacts will be signed before the June 30, 2028 deadline because no agreements are listed in this text.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Demonstration State-Tribal Education Compact
- A five-year agreement between the state and a tribe to operate a school with specific rules different from standard public schools, while still following certain mandatory laws.
- Participating Tribe
- Federally recognized tribes or tribal organizations that took part in negotiations under SLA 2022 chapter 43.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
STATE-TRIBAL EDUCATION COMPACTS An Act relating to demonstration state-tribal education compacts; relating to demonstration state-tribal education compact schools; and providing for an effective date.
Official activity
Bill history
- (S) Heard & Held -- Testimony <Invitation Only> --Text
- (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
- (S) Heard & HeldText
- (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
- (S) REFERRED TO EDUCATION62
- (S) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER62
- (S) FN4: (EED/FUND CAP)62
- (S) FN3: ZERO(EED)62
- (S) FN2: ZERO(EED)62
- (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)62
- (S) EDC, FIN62
- (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS62