NOME, Alaska — Nome Public Schools is inching towards a final budget for the next school year. As they reviewed the fourth draft at a work session Tuesday night, Superintendent Shawn Arnold had good news and bad news for the school board: The state legislature has restored funding for the Nome Youth Facility, but early childhood education funding is still in jeopardy.
Earlier this month, a House subcommittee called on the state to close the Nome Youth Facility to save $1.7 million. Later, lawmakers decided to reinstate that funding.
The money will benefit Nome Public Schools, which handles education at the facility and receives funding based on its enrollment. But legislators could still change their minds.
“So now we’re not worried about losing that? That’s not something that’s going to change? It’s not still up in the air?” asked board member Jennifer Reader.
“Well, everything’s up in the air,” said Arnold. “But I think they realize there is a need for that facility.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers are still debating the need for early childhood education. Since 2012, Nome Public Schools has received an annual grant for its pre-kindergarten program, but the state has cut that money from its current working budget. The district stands to lose $260,000 and the Nome Preschool.
“I would like to see us lobby the city for Pre-K funding if that doesn’t make the legislative cut,” said Reader. “It would be a travesty if we lost that program and all of the gains it has helped our current students make.”
In the fall, the City of Nome named early childhood education as one of its legislative priorities, but they have made no financial commitment to help the district if the grant disappears.
Nome Public Schools has drafted a $14.6 million budget for the next school year. That’s about $800,000 less than this year. Arnold said the board will finalize the budget on April 12 — the same day lawmakers are set to gavel out of the legislative session. The board will approve and adopt the budget on April 19.
