Edgecumbe Review Committee Meets Wednesday; Draft Recommendations Unpublished

A state committee reviewing Mt. Edgecumbe High School holds its fourth and final meeting by Zoom Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 1 to 3 p.m., but families will not see its recommendations on academics, student supports and school climate, meaning day-to-day conditions, until afterward. No draft is attached to the agenda, and no item is designated for a vote.

The State Board of Education created the Mt. Edgecumbe Ad Hoc Committee March 11, on a unanimous vote, after public testimony in December about student safety, withdrawals and dorm staffing. The board governs Mt. Edgecumbe because it has no local governing board. The committee is advisory only and reports findings by October; the board next meets Oct. 13 and 14 in Sitka. The department's Office of Education Advocacy facilitates it. Members include two students, two parents, an alumna, a tribal representative and a state board member.

The school faces a $1.6 million shortfall, teacher departures tied to declining enrollment, and two competing 2026-27 budget scenarios ranging from $12 million to $12.5 million, according to state budget documents.