The bill amends Alaska's education laws to improve public school attendance policies, regulate mobile device usage in schools, and establish reading proficiency incentive grants. It allows school-age children to attend public schools in their resident district without tuition and provides a process for applying to schools outside their district, contingent on capacity. A new mandate requires school districts to adopt policies that prohibit personal mobile device use in schools, with exceptions for emergencies, educational purposes, health needs, or individualized education plans. Additionally, the bill introduces a reading proficiency incentive grant of $450 for eligible K-6 students who meet specific performance criteria and modifies the funding structure for student transportation services.

Moreover, the bill extends the timeline for bond debt reimbursement applications for school construction projects until July 1, 2030, and introduces retention and recruitment incentives for full-time teachers, offering payments of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 based on district eligibility. Teachers must apply annually for these incentives, which are considered retirement compensation. The bill also mandates a joint report from the house and senate education committees to assess public school funding and performance metrics, while extending the repeal date of certain sections to 2030. Various effective dates for the provisions are included, with some taking effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
SB0082A, AM SB 82, introduced 01/31/2025: 14.03.080, 14.14.110, 14.14.120, 14.17.600, 14.03.300, 14.30.760, 14.03.124, 14.03.255, 14.03.290, 14.07.170, 14.03.250, 14.03.253, 14.09.010, 14.11.014, 14.11.100, 14.07.020, 14.11.008, 14.11.102, 14.16.200, 14.17.410, 14.17.470, 14.17.450, 14.17.460, 14.17.430, 14.17.420, 14.17.510, 29.45.110, 14.17.400