Mt. Edgecumbe students testify as state board gets 22 recommendations for school

Mt. Edgecumbe High School students testified to the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development on Wednesday about the recent restructuring of the state-run Sitka boarding school. The board, which oversees the school directly, also received 22 written recommendations from its committee reviewing the school.

The students spoke during public comment on the second day of the board's quarterly meeting, held on the Mt. Edgecumbe campus. They talked about the restructuring, the school's attitudes and legacy, and their optimism that the school will continue to thrive with continued dedication, according to a department news release issued Friday.

In his closing comments, Joshua Bolling-Cornilles, the board's student advisor, said hearing directly from students stood out to him. "Every student I spoke with mentioned how much the school had improved during the up to four years they had been there," he said.

Earlier testimony described different conditions. At the board's December 2025 meeting, alumna Tanya Kitka relayed concerns from parents, students, alumni and staff about conditions at the school, and student health center manager Kristen Homer raised student safety and well-being concerns, according to the approved December 2025 minutes. The board created the ad hoc committee in March to review academic performance, student supports and school climate, according to the March 2026 minutes, which also note a $1.6 million budget shortfall at the school after COVID-era funds expired.

Surveys gathered for the committee showed mixed views. More than 80% of 186 student respondents agreed classes prepare them for future goals, though many raised concerns about dorms, food and communication from school leadership, according to the student survey.

Alaska News reported Sept. 9 that the state review of the school, prompted by safety complaints, was wrapping up with recommendations still to come. The committee's 22 recommendations came to the board Wednesday as an information item, with no board action required, according to the committee's document. They cover four areas: communication, residential life, school culture and student engagement, and academics. They include consistent dorm rules, stronger mental health supports, clearer procedures for responding to safety concerns and a written protocol for when staff must contact parents.