All Roll Calls
Yes: 79 • No: 38
AlaskaHB 5734th Legislature - First Session (2025)HouseWALLET
SCHOOLS: COMM. DEVICES/CLASS SIZE/FUNDING
Sponsored By: Zack Fields (Democratic)
Became Law
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Smaller classes and clearer classroom data
Beginning July 1, 2026, each district must post target average class sizes. Pre‑K–grade 6 targets may not exceed 23; grades 7–12 may not exceed 30. Districts can exclude mixed‑grade and certain elective classes and must include steps to reduce class size when needed. Starting July 1, 2025, districts must report, within privacy laws, K–12 classroom student and teacher counts and detailed K–3 reading screening and grade‑progression results each year.
More base money for each student
Beginning July 1, 2025, the base student amount is $6,660 per student, up from $5,960. This raises the core state funding schools receive for each enrolled child.
New formula for school bus money
For school years starting July 1, 2025, the state funds student transportation with a formula. Payment equals a district’s ADM minus correspondence ADM, times a district‑specific per‑student amount set in law. Funding is subject to appropriation and applies to districts that transport students who live far from school.
Cash rewards for K–6 reading
Districts can get at least $450 for each K–6 student who reads at grade level or shows approved growth. If funding is short, the state pays grants pro rata. If Alaska enacts the separate “highly digitized business” tax change (SB 113 or similar), those tax dollars are used first for these grants. Any leftover then goes to secondary career‑tech, split among schools. These parts start 181 days after that tax law takes effect.
Clearer rules for charter schools
Starting July 1, 2025, boards must set charter application rules with a parent‑teacher‑employee committee, share a contract template, accept applications during the school year for the next year, and post a deadline. New charter contracts must include key terms like program plan, funding and costs, staff, facilities, student count, a term up to 10 years, and termination rules. Boards may end a charter only for material contract breaches or fraud, after written notice and a chance to cure; schools can appeal to superior court. The state board must decide charter‑application appeals in 45 days. Boards may use simpler renewal rules for contracts in good standing.
More support for special needs and career-tech
The law sets the special needs funding factor at 1.20 and funds intensive‑services students at 13 times the base count. It raises the secondary career‑tech factor to 1.023. When the career‑tech factor rises, districts must budget and spend the added dollars on secondary career‑tech instruction. These changes take effect only if the “highly digitized business” tax law (SB 113 or similar) is enacted, starting 181 days after that law’s effective date.
State tracks graduates for 20 years
Beginning July 1, 2025, the education and labor departments collect career, college, and residency data on each high school class. They repeat the check every five years for 20 years after graduation. The labor department publishes a report every two years on graduates’ progress.
Task force on school funding
Effective July 1, 2025, a six‑member legislative task force studies education funding, open enrollment, absenteeism, school maintenance and construction, and insurance costs. It must report by the first day of the First Regular Session of the Thirty‑Fifth Legislature. The task force ends January 31, 2027.
Rules for student cellphones at school
Starting July 1, 2025, each district must set and share rules for non‑school wireless devices during school hours, including lunch and passing periods. Policies must allow use for medical or translation needs, emergencies, or teacher‑approved learning. A district without a policy may not allow general student device use during school hours. Schools may not monitor or collect information about a student’s personal device use.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Zack Fields
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/30/2025
PASSED Y17 N3
Yes: 17 • No: 3
Senate vote • 4/28/2025
PASSED Y19 N1
Yes: 19 • No: 1
House vote • 4/16/2025
PASSED Y34 N6
Yes: 34 • No: 6
House vote • 4/11/2025
AM NO 3 FAILED Y9 N28 E3
Yes: 9 • No: 28
Actions Timeline
(H) FN7: (S.FIN/LEG)
10/15/2025House(H) FN6: (S.FIN/LWF)
10/15/2025House(H) FN5: (S.FIN/EED)
10/15/2025House(H) FN(S) ATTACHED TO APPROP. BILL HB 53
10/15/2025House(H) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/30/25
10/15/2025House(S) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/30/25
10/3/2025Senate(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER
7/30/2025House(H) ASSIGNED CHAPTER 5 SLA 25
7/30/2025House(S) MEMBERS: TOBIN (CO-CHAIR), KIEHL, CRONK
7/30/2025Senate(H) MEMBERS: HIMSHOOT (CO-CHAIR), STORY, RUFFRIDGE
7/30/2025House(H) TO LEGAL SERVICES
5/20/2025House(H) GOVERNOR VETO OVERRIDDEN Y46 N14
5/20/2025House(H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 5/19/25
5/19/2025House(H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
5/2/2025House(H) 9:15 A.M. 5/1/25 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR
5/2/2025House(H) COSPONSOR(S): GALVIN, MINA
4/30/2025House(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
4/30/2025House(H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y31 N8 E1
4/30/2025House(H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 5
4/30/2025House(H) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP
4/30/2025House(S) VERSION: SCS CSHB 57(FIN) AM S(REENGROSSED)
4/30/2025Senate(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED
4/30/2025Senate(S) KIEHL, GIESSEL, CLAMAN, CRONK, STEDMAN, OLSON, BJORKMAN, MERRICK, STEVENS
4/30/2025Senate(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): TOBIN, WIELECHOWSKI, DUNBAR, KAWASAKI, YUNDT, GRAY-JACKSON,
4/30/2025Senate(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
4/30/2025Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled HB 57
4/30/2025
SCS CSHB 57(FIN) am S(reengrossed)
4/30/2025
SCS CSHB 57(FIN) am S
4/28/2025
SCS CSHB 57(FIN)
4/25/2025
CSHB 57(EDC)
3/14/2025
CSHB 57(L&C)
2/10/2025
HB 57
1/22/2025
CSHB 57(EDC) am
4/11/2024