KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB257 • 2026

EDUCATION FUNDING: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

An Act relating to funding for residential schools; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
SENATOR CRONK
Last action
2026-05-04
Official status
(S) EDC
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how much money will be available for funding, nor does it specify an effective date beyond being retroactive to July 1, 2025.

Funding for Residential Schools

This act changes how residential schools are funded in Alaska, including transportation and living expenses.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the way costs can be claimed by school districts for reimbursing students who attend residential schools.
  • Includes one round trip on the least expensive means of transportation between a student's home community and their school during the school year if the district pays for it.
  • Provides a monthly stipend to cover room and board expenses, which varies based on different regions in Alaska.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School districts that have residential schools
  • Students attending residential schools

Terms To Know

base student allocation
The basic funding amount given to each student by the state for their education.
region
A specific area in Alaska that has different costs of living and transportation needs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much money will be available for funding.
  • The effective date is not provided, but the act is retroactive to July 1, 2025.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-04 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  2. 2026-05-04 Text

    (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  3. 2026-02-23 1754

    (S) REFERRED TO EDUCATION

  4. 2026-02-23 1754

    (S) EDC, FIN

  5. 2026-02-23 1754

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

EDUCATION FUNDING: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
An Act relating to funding for residential schools; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB0257A -1- SB 257
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1489\A

SENATE BILL NO. 257

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY SENATOR CRONK

Introduced: 2/23/26
Referred: Education, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to funding for residential schools; and providing for an effective date." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 14.16.200(b) is amended to read: 3
(b) Costs that may be claimed by a district for reimbursement under (a) of this 4
section are 5
(1) one round trip on the least expensive means of transportation 6
between the student's community of residence and the school during the school year if 7
the district expends money for the trip; and 8
(2) a per-pupil monthly stipend to cover room and board expenses as 9
determined by the department on a regional basis and not to exceed [THE 10
FOLLOWING AMOUNTS]: 11
(A) for the Southeast Region (Region I), the amount of the 12
base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by 37 percent 13
[$1,230]; 14
(B) for the Southcentral Region (Region II), the amount of the 15
34-LS1489\A
SB 257 -2- SB0257A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by 36 percent 1
[$1,200]; 2
(C) for the Interior Region (Region III), the amount of the 3
base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by 44 percent 4
[$1,452]; 5
(D) for the Southwest Region (Region IV), the amount of the 6
base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by 45 percent 7
[$1,509]; 8
(E) for the Northern Remote Region (Region V), the amount 9
of the base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by 53 10
percent [$1,776]. 11
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 12
read: 13
RETROACTIVITY. This Act is retroactive to July 1, 2025. 14
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 15