While education funding is expected to go up this year, city and school administrators are working to figure out just exactly how a change to the funding formula will affect them.

Before ending its regular session, the state legislature approved a $90 million increase to education funding next year. It passed a series of bills that would give more money for things like student transport and vocational instruction. The bills generally inspired little controversy, but a change to the “millage rate” – a figure tied to property values that sets the minimum and maximum amounts that municipalities can contribute to schools -- has left administrators across the state confused to how it will affect them.

Here in Unalaska, administrators parsed the bills’ language last week, and concluded that the formula change should not affect the school but could be a boon for the city, according to Superintendent John Conwell. Under the new funding process, the City of Unalaska would be expected to contribute less money toward the school’s $7.5 million budget, with the school expecting to make up the difference.

The Unalaska school district’s budget will be presented at the city council meeting on Tuesday evening.