Following the Governor’s introduction of his teacher recruitment and retention bonus legislation as well as a separate bill imposing state control over local schools, the Alaska House Coalition issued the following statements:
“Teacher hiring and retention bonuses are a positive complement to a BSA increase and restoring defined benefits,” said Minority Leader Calvin Schrage (NP-Anchorage). “The House Coalition is looking forward to working with the administration to tackle all three items this year.”
“As a teacher I am committed to passing a meaningful BSA increase this year,” said Representative Maxine Dibert (D-Downtown Fairbanks). “We must bring class sizes down to a manageable level where students can receive the attention they need to reach their full potential.”
The House Coalition views the Governor’s gender identity bill as a distraction that will do nothing to fix overcrowded classrooms while removing local control and adding another layer of bureaucracy.