BSSD School Board votes down visa fee for international teachers

In a special meeting on Tuesday, the Bering Strait School District School Board voted to not act on BSSD paying a $175,000 visa fee for seven Filipino teachers to begin their H-1B Visa process. The $25,000 visa processing fee for each teacher was to be repaid to the district through the teacher’s payroll once they were reemployed by BSSD in the 2025 school year, Superintendent Susan Nedza explained.

“It’s a disbursement not an expenditure, it doesn’t affect the bottom line, the only way it would is if they couldn’t fulfill it,” Nedza told the board.

During discussion, board member Silas Paniptchuk asked when the fee would be paid. Immediately, Nedza said. The process of applying for a H-1B visa can take at least 18 months, the district wants the teachers to be in Alaska for the fall 2025 school year.

Various board members expressed concern at the risk of teachers not returning. Nedza said the teachers will sign a promissory note before the district puts forward $25,000 for the visa application.

Nedza said it’s in the teacher’s best interest to stay with the district. If they choose to leave during or after their five-year visa it would interrupt their process of getting a green card. With the H-1B visa, teachers are authorized to work in the U.S. for BSSD meaning they can’t go to another district in Alaska or another state. Once they’ve completed their five years at BSSD, they are eligible to apply for a green card and can remain in the U.S. to do so. This is different from a J1 visa, which the district previously used for international teachers, where teachers are required to go back to their home country for two years after their visa expires.

Nedza apologized for the quick turnaround calling the meeting but explained that she wanted to start the process so the teachers could arrive on schedule.

Board member Milton Cheemuk stated the district is not a bank. He said he understands teachers are hard to find especially for rural Alaska and he doesn’t approve of giving out money.

This is a payroll advance that will be paid back through their salary, Nedza said. The teachers were previously employed by BSSD and returned to the Philippines following the expiration of their J1 visas. They were positively evaluated and many have recommendations from the villages requesting their return.

Three board members voted yes to paying the visa fees and five voted no.

Board member Irene Navarro explained she voted no because she wanted more data on the overall improvement of students through the guidance of the Filipino teachers. If that information was provided at the December meeting, she said it would be worth revisiting.

Other board members agreed and the action item was added to the December BSSD board meeting.