School districts hope for more state funding next year

WRANGELL — School districts statewide be looking to the Legislature next year for an increase in state funding, but any boost in the state’s per-pupil formula likely will depend in large part on oil revenues and also Permanent Fund earnings.

And neither looks good this month, less than seven weeks before lawmakers are scheduled to convene in Juneau.

The state funding formula for K-12 education hadn’t moved in about five years before this year’s 0.5% mini-nudge upward. Meanwhile, districts statewide are facing budget deficits and program cutbacks, also blamed on the end of federal pandemic reli...