1:02

Rachel Blakeslee

30:57 - 32:00

"many seem to believe that school closures are the thing that will solve these massive budget deficits that we've faced year after year. It is the idea that if ASD would just close some more schools, we'd be done with it, this conversation of the deficit."

many seem to believe that school closures are the thing that will solve these massive budget deficits that we've faced year after year. It is the idea that if ASD would just close some more schools, we'd be done with it, this conversation of the deficit.
Speaker
Rachel Blakeslee
Community
Alaska News
Location
Anchorage
Captured at
August 26, 2026

From the transcript

But the thing that I find that seems like it's missing in the survey data or even in the public conversation is an understanding of why, or the, the motivation or the rationale that people have behind why they are supportive of school closures. And what I have found is that many seem to believe that school closures are the thing that will solve these massive budget deficits that we've faced year after year. It is the idea that if ASD would just close some more schools, we'd be done with it, this conversation of the deficit. And, and I wonder, I guess my— if I phrase that in a question, is, is if any of the survey data itself has, has made it clear what, like, what financial savings, however minimal they are, are actually included in every school closure. I know I've seen data that shows every school closure is like $900,000 saved, whatever.

Related Coverage

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

The Anchorage School Board argued at its first rightsizing meeting that closing schools won't meaningfully shrink its deficit, even as most surveyed residents back consolidation.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews12h ago2 min readAI
Anchorage, Alaska
Cover image for article: Anchorage's school board says closures won't fix the budget; residents aren't so sure