MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS & SCHOOLS

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HOUSE BILL NO. 256

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES STAPP, Allard, Gray

Introduced: 1/20/26
Referred: House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, Education, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to public school students connected to the military; relating to school 1
funding for purple star designations; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.17.410(b) is amended to read: 4
(b) Public school funding consists of state aid, a required local contribution, 5
and eligible federal impact aid determined as follows: 6
(1) state aid equals basic need minus a required local contribution and 7
90 percent of eligible federal impact aid for that fiscal year; basic need equals the sum 8
obtained under (D) of this paragraph, multiplied by the base student allocation set out 9
in AS 14.17.470; district adjusted ADM is calculated as follows: 10
(A) the ADM of each school in the district is calculated by 11
applying the school size factor to the student count as set out in AS 14.17.450; 12
(B) the number obtained under (A) of this paragraph is 13
multiplied by the district cost factor described in AS 14.17.460; 14
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(C) the ADMs of each school in a district, as adjusted 1
according to (A) and (B) of this paragraph, are added; the sum is then 2
multiplied by the special needs factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(1), [AND] the 3
secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor set out in 4
AS 14.17.420(a)(3), and the purple star funding factor set out in 5
AS 14.17.420(a)(4); 6
(D) the number obtained for intensive services under 7
AS 14.17.420(a)(2) and the number obtained for correspondence study under 8
AS 14.17.430 are added to the number obtained under (C) of this paragraph or 9
under (H) and (I) of this paragraph; 10
(E) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if a school 11
district's ADM adjusted for school size under (A) of this paragraph decreases 12
by five percent or more from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, the school 13
district may use the last fiscal year before the decrease as a base fiscal year to 14
offset the decrease, according to the following method: 15
(i) for the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year 16
determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 17
for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 18
the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 75 percent of the 19
difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 20
base fiscal year and the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 21
(ii) for the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year 22
determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 23
for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 24
the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 50 percent of the 25
difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 26
base fiscal year and the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 27
(iii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year 28
determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 29
for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 30
the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 25 percent of the 31
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difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 1
base fiscal year and the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 2
(F) the method established in (E) of this paragraph is available 3
to a school district for the three fiscal years following the base fiscal year 4
determined under (E) of this paragraph only if the district's ADM adjusted for 5
school size determined under (A) of this paragraph for each fiscal year is less 6
than the district's ADM adjusted for school size in the base fiscal year; 7
(G) the method established in (E) of this paragraph does not 8
apply to a decrease in the district's ADM adjusted for school size resulting 9
from a loss of enrollment that occurs as a result of a boundary change under 10
AS 29; 11
(H) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if one or more 12
schools close and consolidate with one or more other schools in the same 13
community and district and, as a result of the consolidation, basic need 14
generated by the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under 15
(A) - (C) of this paragraph decreases, the district may use the last fiscal year 16
before the consolidation as the base fiscal year to offset that decrease for the 17
first four fiscal years following consolidation according to the following 18
method: 19
(i) for the first two fiscal years after the base fiscal year, 20
the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - 21
(C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 22
ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 23
paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 24
the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 25
and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the district's ADM of 26
the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under 27
(A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's ADM of the 28
consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 29
multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 30
consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, and 31
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adding that number to the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated 1
schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 2
paragraph; 3
(ii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year, the 4
district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) 5
of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 6
ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 7
paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 8
the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 9
and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the 10
district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as 11
adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's 12
ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, 13
multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 14
consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 15
multiplying that number by 66 percent, and adding that number to the 16
sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current 17
fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; 18
(iii) for the fourth fiscal year after the base fiscal year, 19
the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - 20
(C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 21
ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 22
paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 23
the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 24
and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the 25
district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as 26
adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's 27
ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, 28
multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 29
consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 30
multiplying that number by 33 percent, and adding that number to the 31
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sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current 1
fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; 2
(iv) to calculate the district's basic need for each fiscal 3
year, the number obtained through the calculation in (i), (ii), or (iii) of 4
this subparagraph is added to the number obtained under (C) of this 5
paragraph for the remainder of the district; 6
(I) if the basic need calculated under (H)(i) - (iii) of this 7
paragraph for one of the first four fiscal years after consolidation is less than 8
the basic need calculated under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for that fiscal year, 9
the basic need may not be adjusted under (H) of this paragraph for that fiscal 10
year; 11
(J) a district may not offset a decrease under (H) of this 12
paragraph if 13
(i) a new facility is constructed in the district for the 14
consolidation; or 15
(ii) the district offset a decrease under (E) of this 16
paragraph in the same fiscal year; 17
(K) a district that offsets a decrease under (H) of this paragraph 18
may not reopen a school that was closed for consolidation in the district until 19
(i) seven or more years have passed since the school 20
closure; and 21
(ii) the district provides evidence satisfactory to the 22
department that the schools affected by the consolidation are over 23
capacity; 24
(L) a district may not reopen and reconsolidate a school that 25
was consolidated in the district more than once every seven years for purposes 26
of the calculations made under (H) of this paragraph; 27
(M) a district offsetting a decrease under (H) of this paragraph 28
shall provide the department with the list of schools participating in the 29
consolidation and the corresponding ADM; 30
(2) the required local contribution of a city or borough school district is 31
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the equivalent of a 2.65 mill tax levy on the full and true value of the taxable real and 1
personal property in the district as of January 1 of the second preceding fiscal year, as 2
determined by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic 3
Development under AS 14.17.510 and AS 29.45.110, not to exceed 45 percent of a 4
district's basic need for the preceding fiscal year as determined under (1) of this 5
subsection. 6
* Sec. 2. AS 14.17.420(a) is amended to read: 7
(a) As a component of public school funding, a district is eligible for special 8
needs, [AND] secondary school vocational and technical instruction, and purple star 9
funding and may be eligible for intensive services funding as follows: 10
(1) special needs funding is available to a district to assist the district 11
in providing special education, gifted and talented education, vocational education, 12
and bilingual education services to its students; a special needs funding factor of 1.20 13
shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); 14
(2) in addition to the special needs funding for which a district is 15
eligible under (1) of this subsection, a district is eligible for intensive services funding 16
for each special education student who needs and receives intensive services and is 17
enrolled on the last day of the count period; for each such student, intensive services 18
funding is equal to the intensive student count multiplied by 13; 19
(3) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding 20
available under (1) and (2) of this subsection, secondary school vocational and 21
technical instruction funding is available to assist districts in providing vocational and 22
technical instruction to students who are enrolled in a secondary school; a secondary 23
school vocational and technical instruction funding factor of 1.015 shall be applied as 24
set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); in this paragraph, "vocational and technical instruction" 25
excludes costs associated with 26
(A) administrative expenses; and 27
(B) instruction in general literacy, mathematics, and job 28
readiness skills; 29
(4) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding 30
and secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding available 31
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under (1) - (3) of this subsection, purple star funding is available to a district in 1
which 75 percent or more of the district's schools have a purple star awarded 2
under AS 14.34.100; a purple star funding factor of 1.75 shall be applied as set 3
out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1). 4
* Sec. 3. AS 14.17.440(a) is amended to read: 5
(a) Except as provided in AS 14.17.400(b), funding for state boarding schools 6
established under AS 14.16.010 includes an allocation from the public education fund 7
in an amount calculated by 8
(1) determining the ADM of state boarding schools by applying the 9
school size factor to the student count as described in AS 14.17.450; 10
(2) multiplying the number obtained under (1) of this subsection by the 11
special needs factor in AS 14.17.420(a)(1), [AND] the secondary school vocational 12
and technical instruction funding factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(3), and the purple 13
star funding factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(4) and multiplying that product by the 14
base student allocation; and 15
(3) multiplying the product determined under (2) of this subsection by 16
the district cost factor that is applicable to calculation of the state aid for the adjacent 17
school district under AS 14.17.460. 18
* Sec. 4. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 19
Sec. 14.30.287. Accommodation requirements for children of military 20
families. (a) If the parent or guardian of a student who is the child of an active duty 21
member of the uniformed services and who was receiving accommodations provided 22
under 20 U.S.C. 1400 - 1482 or 29 U.S.C. 794 before transferring to a school district 23
in this state provides documentation that the student was receiving the 24
accommodations before the student's first day of attendance in the school district, the 25
school district shall take necessary steps to ensure that the student begins receiving 26
comparable accommodations on the first day of attendance, including requesting the 27
transfer of school records, evaluations, and meeting notes. If a student is enrolled in a 28
school district as allowed under AS 14.03.080(g), the school district shall accept 29
written documentation of a student's accommodations provided under an 30
individualized education program or section 504 plan before the student's arrival in the 31
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school district and shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that comparable 1
accommodations are in place on the student's first day of attendance in the school 2
district. Not later than 30 days after the student's first day of attendance in the school 3
district, the school district shall either adopt the student's former individualized 4
education program or section 504 plan and begin providing the services or 5
accommodations provided under the individualized education program or section 504 6
plan or develop and complete a new individualized education program or section 504 7
plan. Whenever possible, the school district shall use existing evaluations in the 8
development of a new individualized education program or section 504 plan. If the 9
school district determines that additional evaluations are necessary to develop and 10
complete a new individualized education program or section 504 plan, the evaluations 11
shall occur not later than 30 school days after the student's first day attending school in 12
the school district, subject to the written informed consent of the student's parent or 13
guardian as provided for in AS 14.30.191. 14
(b) A school district shall take reasonable steps to provide a physical copy of a 15
student's school records to a student who is the child of an active duty member of the 16
uniformed services and who is transferring out of the school district because the parent 17
or guardian has been transferred or is pending transfer from a military installation in 18
the state to another military installation. 19
(c) A school district shall take reasonable steps to notify the parent or guardian 20
of a student who is the child of an active duty member of the uniformed services of the 21
requirements of this section. 22
(d) In this section, 23
(1) "active duty" and "uniformed services" have the meanings given in 24
AS 14.34.030(g); 25
(2) "military installation" has the meaning given in AS 14.03.080(g); 26
(3) "section 504 plan" means a plan developed as required under 29 27
U.S.C. 794 (sec. 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973). 28
* Sec. 5. AS 14.34.030 is amended to read: 29
Sec. 14.34.030. State council on educational opportunity for military 30
children. The board shall designate a subcommittee of its membership to comprise 31
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the state council on educational opportunity for military children, which shall 1
serve as the state council required under AS 14.34.010. Consistent with state law, the 2
board shall designate other persons to serve on the subcommittee to complete the 3
representation required by the compact established under AS 14.34.010. 4
* Sec. 6. AS 14.34.030 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 5
(b) The council shall 6
(1) assist state and local education agencies with 7
(A) promoting and communicating the provisions of this 8
chapter to public school district officials and military families; 9
(B) orienting and training district military education 10
coordinators on provisions of this chapter; 11
(C) developing and administering programs that inform 12
military families of the need for self-identification in order to ensure an 13
accurate accounting of the children of military families enrolled in public 14
schools; and 15
(D) developing and administering programs that recognize 16
education agencies, public schools, and leaders who have established or 17
contributed to programs facilitating successful school transitions of children of 18
military families; 19
(2) at least once a year, hold a public forum in a military community to 20
receive feedback regarding the effectiveness of the provisions of this chapter; the 21
public forum may be held in person or virtually; 22
(3) submit an annual report on a date determined by the council to the 23
governor, the board, and the education committee of each house of the legislature that 24
includes 25
(A) information describing the achievements of the council and 26
school districts regarding the support provided to military families under this 27
chapter; 28
(B) details of the reports provided by the council to the 29
Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children as 30
provided for under AS 14.34.010; 31
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(C) the number of children in military families in each school 1
district who transferred to or from another state or federal education agency in 2
the previous year; 3
(D) information regarding training provided to school district 4
personnel with respect to this chapter; 5
(E) details regarding plans for future engagement efforts with 6
military families under this chapter; and 7
(F) other information the council considers relevant. 8
(c) The council may 9
(1) form committees to carry out its functions; 10
(2) enlist volunteer participation by individuals or organizations to 11
assist in development and execution of programs; 12
(3) provide recommendations to the department regarding bills before 13
the legislature to amend this chapter and efforts to amend regulations applicable to the 14
department and school districts under this chapter. 15
(d) A majority of council members constitute a quorum. 16
(e) The council shall meet at least quarterly but may meet more often as 17
determined by a majority of the members or at the call of the chair. 18
(f) The department shall provide staff and administrative support for the 19
council. 20
(g) In this section, 21
(1) "active duty" means full-time duty status in the active uniformed 22
service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on 23
active duty orders under 10 U.S.C. 1209 and 1211; 24
(2) "children of military families" means one or more school-aged 25
children, enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, in the household of an active 26
duty member; 27
(3) "council" or "state council" means the state council on educational 28
opportunity for military children; 29
(4) "federal education agency" means a public authority legally 30
constituted by the federal government as an administrative agency to provide control 31
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of and direction for kindergarten through 12th grade public educational institutions; 1
(5) "transition" means the formal and physical process of transferring 2
from school to school and the period of time in which a student moves from one 3
school in the sending state to another school in the receiving state; 4
(6) "uniformed services" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine 5
Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 6
Commissioned Officer Corps, and United States Public Health Services 7
Commissioned Corps. 8
* Sec. 7. AS 14.34 is amended by adding new sections to read: 9
Article 2. Children of Military Families. 10
Sec. 14.34.100. Purple star schools. (a) The department shall establish a 11
process for recognizing public and private schools that show commitment to military-12
connected students and families as purple star schools. A purple star is valid for three 13
years and may be renewed upon application by the school. A school may reapply for a 14
purple star after an earlier application has been denied. A school shall maintain 15
records demonstrating completion and maintenance of the requirements to receive a 16
purple star and shall provide the records to the department upon request of the 17
department. 18
(b) The department shall award a purple star to a public or private school that 19
has enrolled military-connected students if the school 20
(1) applies for a purple star on an application made available on the 21
department's Internet website; 22
(2) designates a school counselor, teacher, administrator, or support 23
staff member who has completed training provided by the school on the unique needs 24
of military-connected students and families to serve as a military point of contact for 25
the school; the school must assign the military point of contact the duties to 26
(A) support military-connected students and families by 27
serving as the point of contact for and working collaboratively with military-28
connected students and families, the school, and military personnel; 29
(B) maintain familiarity with existing community and military 30
installation resources and the school's enrollment and withdrawal procedures, 31
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records transfers, and student supports; and 1
(C) provide additional resources for school personnel on issues 2
related to military-connected students; 3
(3) publishes information and resources for military-connected 4
students and families on the school's Internet website; the information may include 5
details on enrollment, registration, transfer, and withdrawal procedures, the Interstate 6
Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, special education services 7
and 29 U.S.C. 794 (sec. 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973), available student counseling 8
and support services, and opportunities for parental involvement and engagement; 9
(4) provides a list of resources describing the available academic, 10
social, and emotional supports the school provides to assist military-connected 11
students; 12
(5) submits to the local school board a copy of the school's application 13
for a purple star as well as a resolution supporting military-connected students. 14
(c) A public or private school that does not have enrolled military-connected 15
students qualifies for a purple star if the school submits in its purple star application 16
evidence that the school 17
(1) emphasizes the importance and honor of military service; evidence 18
may include holding Veterans Day assemblies, celebrating Armed Forces Day, hosting 19
patriotic events, letter writing campaigns, and care package drives, partnering with 20
veteran organizations, inviting local military personnel to speak, maintaining a wall 21
that honors veterans, recognizing Military Appreciation Month, and producing public 22
service announcements that highlight the value of military service; 23
(2) recognizes veterans' service to the country and accomplishments, 24
active duty and reserve military personnel, and national guard personnel in the 25
school's community; 26
(3) sponsors special events to recognize military service; 27
(4) celebrates students who have committed to serving in the military; 28
and 29
(5) has submitted to the local school board the school's application for 30
a purple star as well as a resolution supporting military-connected students. 31
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(d) In this section, 1
(1) "military installation" has the meaning given in AS 14.03.080(g); 2
(2) "military-connected student" means a student who is a dependent 3
of a current or former member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve unit 4
of the armed forces of the United States, or the Alaska National Guard or who was a 5
dependent of a member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve unit of the 6
armed forces of the United States, or the Alaska National Guard who was killed in the 7
line of duty. 8
Sec. 14.34.110. Purple star and military children coordinator. The 9
department shall establish a position dedicated to coordinating and supporting the 10
purple star process. The position will serve as the designated compact administrator 11
for the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children 12
established under AS 14.34.010. The compact administrator shall cooperate with all 13
departments, agencies, and officers of and in the government of this state and its 14
subdivisions in facilitating the proper administration of the compact or of a 15
supplementary agreement entered into by this state. 16
Sec. 14.34.120. Priority in open enrollment policies. If a school district has a 17
policy that allows a child who resides inside or outside of the school district's 18
boundary area to attend a school in the school district that is selected by the student's 19
parent or guardian and the student is the child of an active duty member of the 20
uniformed services as defined in AS 14.34.030(g), the policy must include a provision 21
that 22
(1) ensures the student is not disadvantaged in the admissions process 23
because of the student's location or the date the enrollment is requested; and 24
(2) allows the student to remain at the school through completion of 25
the highest grade level at the school. 26
* Sec. 8. AS 14.34.020 is repealed. 27
* Sec. 9. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 28