Alaska's education commissioner, Deena Bishop, has stated that the state's annual ranking system may be unfairly biased towards small, rural school districts, particularly those attended by Alaska Native students. The ranking, which is used to determine which public schools will be renovated, is meant to prevent political interference in the funding process. However, Education Department officials argue that the ranking system rewards school districts with funding for detailed surveys and planning experts, while smaller districts lack funds. This year's maintenance list includes 103 projects, costing $401 million, and a separate list calls for an additional $442 million in state funding for 14 school construction projects. The current budget includes less than $29 million for capital renewal of school facilities across Alaska. An annual report by the state education department recommends that Alaska should be spending over $376 million annually to maintain its public school facilities, with 3% of the school facilities' assessed value each year.