Assembly sets school district budget funding “to the cap”

During the April 24 Special Meeting, the Assembly made the preliminary decision to fund the Juneau School District at $26.5 million, which is the maximum local contribution allowed by state law. It’s what people refer to as “to the cap” funding. Now that it’s set, it cannot be any lower at final adoption, which is scheduled for the May 13 Regular Assembly Meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall Chambers. The public will have another opportunity to comment on the school district budget then.

The minimum amount the state requires the City and Borough of Juneau to contribute to the school district is $14.5 million, which is 55 percent of what the Assembly has decided. The Assembly Finance Committee also approved $1.4 million in “outside the cap” funding for the school district. The outside the cap funding goes to food service, student transportation, community schools, high school activities, and middle school activities. The district has also requested $300,000 in outside the cap funding for the Kinder Ready program. The Finance Committee put that on its pending list.

The Finance Committee is taking this week off and will meet again on Wednesday, May 8 at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Chambers. The body is likely to start making decisions on its Pending List and Increased Funding Requests. It’s scheduled to take action on the Marine Passenger Fee Recommendations.