Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

Lawmakers with the bipartisan majority caucus have expressed support for more funding for schools, but point to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s history of vetoes as a major roadblock.

The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management director updated lawmakers and outlined a “significant cleanup mission” planned for this summer.

Chronic absenteeism has remained high since the COVID-19 pandemic, but the reasons for why students are missing class are difficult to define and vary widely across the state.

Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation said they support the state’s appeal and are urging FEMA and the Trump administration to fund the disaster relief effort.

Roughly half of Alaska’s school districts qualified for the five-year grant program, which is managed by the state’s education department.

The new deadline for applications is Feb. 20, 2026. State and federal officials are continuing to encourage residents to register for both state and federal assistance programs to maximize their potential benefits.

The National Guard said five service members will assist with administrative support; lawmakers and civil rights advocates worry that the move signals a ramping up of immigration enforcement operations in Alaska.

Some work on critical infrastructure projects will continue, but the state’s focus will transition to supporting storm-impacted communities and evacuated residents through the winter, officials said.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed an extension of the state’s disaster declaration on Saturday to continue emergency response and recovery efforts following the Western Alaska storms, including the remnants of Typhoon Halong.

On Monday, July 28, the governor called for legislators to address what he called “Alaska’s chronic education outcome crisis,” and to reconsider his executive order they had previously voted down, creating a new Alaska Department of Agriculture that he said would strengthen food security in Alaska.