FAIRBANKS — Educators from Fairbanks and across Alaska on Monday urged state lawmakers to make a modest bump in education funding to stave off teacher layoffs.

The Senate Education Committee heard testimony from teachers, administrators and parents before advancing a measure that would increase per-student funding $125 the first year, to $5,805; $130 the second year, to $5,935; and $135 the third year, to $6,070.

The measure, Senate Bill 171, crafted by the Education Committee, is aimed at helping schools deal with rising fixed costs.

The proposed budget Gov. Sean Parnell submitted late last year included flat funding that, when combined with declining federal funding, has put districts across the state in a tough spot. Officials at the Juneau school district recently announced they would have to cut more than 66 positions.

Even if the Legislature passes a $125 increase this year, it’s not expected to cover the needs of everyone. According to testimony, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is slated to lose about 160 positions, but that number would be reduced to 130 if the measure passes.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District will release its proposed budget Wednesday, and it’s expected to contain deep cuts. In testimony, Superintendent Pete Lewis told the committee the measure won’t save every position but it will make a difference. Fairbanks has a budget of $181 million — $116 million in state funds — with an estimated $12 million shortfall.

“In Fairbanks, we’re looking at significant cuts to our budget,” he said. “These cuts will affect both people and programs, and the $125 increase will not cover the deficit but it will make a difference and will allow us to maintain reasonable class sizes and hopefully restore some positions that we may have to cut.”

The measure advanced out of the Senate Education Committee with strong support but faces an uncertain future outside the Senate.

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said he believes the bill, with its “realistic” increases, should be enough to find support from the House and from the governor. The measure would cost about $33 million in the first year, $32 million in the second and

$33 million for the third.

House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, on Monday said he believes the Legislature likely will pass some kind of education funding increase this session, but he declined to say what form that might take.

Last year, the Legislature passed $20 million in funding that was distributed among districts to meet rising energy costs, but Chenault said he’s not a fan of that kind of year-to-year funding.

“I don’t like the one-time shot, but it was an opportunity to put some into education,” he said. “Each year they continue to grow, and for us to say K-12 doesn’t get any increase is just wrong.”

House Democrats have been vocal supporters for increasing base student allocation.

SB171 moves onto the Senate Finance Committee next.