Anchorage's school board says closures won't fix the budget; residents aren't so sure

Anchorage's school board is trying to lower expectations that closing schools will fix the district's budget — even as most residents, by the district's own survey, favor consolidation.

At the first meeting of the board's new "rightsizing" committee Wednesday, members and administrators argued that closures would not meaningfully shrink the deficit. The district has room for about 50,000 students but serves roughly 42,000 — about 8,000 empty seats, or the equivalent of 20 school buildings.

Many residents see that gap and conclude closures would balance the books, board member Rachel Blakeslee said. She argued the roughly $900,000 in savings per closure she has seen is not a net figure, because it leaves out added busing and other costs. Chief Operating Officer Jim Anderson said any savings fade: "By year 5, it's really probably not about the money at all."

Residents' interest in consolidation isn't only about the budget, either. In the district's survey, 71% supported closing and combining schools, and Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt said much of that is frustration rather than math — underused buildings and near-empty buses make people question the property taxes the district asks them to approve.

The roughly $90 million deficit those savings are measured against is not a looming shortfall. The board erased it in February, cutting about 500 positions, raising class sizes and closing three schools — and those cuts are the other side of the argument. Parents, teachers and program advocates warn that closing or repurposing schools harms specialized programs, deepens inequities and can push enrollment down further. The board's own resolution lists what February took: band and French at Bartlett, Russian immersion at West, nearly all Advanced Placement at Dimond, busing to the Rogers Park gifted program.

Blakeslee urged the board to settle on a consistent message, saying members sometimes speak as if rightsizing is a budget tool when it is not a significant one. Committee chair Paul McDonough said the panel is focused on "instructional opportunities" more than savings. The board has already voted 5-2 to pledge no closures in 2026-27 absent an emergency, and McDonough said he will spend the next month recruiting parents, unions and community councils for advisory seats.