Anchorage School District

Anchorage School Board keeps control of closed-school planning after lawyer advises against Assembly task force

Anchorage School Board keeps planning for closed school buildings in its own hands, giving Assembly members non-voting seats after its lawyer advised against a joint task force.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2d ago3 min read

Anchorage schools model a $9 million budget gap for fiscal 2028

Anchorage School District officials project a $9 million fiscal 2028 gap after reserves and assumed energy relief, with major costs still unsettled.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Anchorage officials fail to agree on shared school-closure committee

The Anchorage Assembly and School Board failed to agree on a shared school-closure committee, leaving the existing board-led panel in place.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago5 min read

Anchorage's school funding gap has shrunk to about $6 million

Anchorage projects a school funding gap of about $6 million for fiscal 2027, down from $12 million, after the Legislature capped the local contribution increase at 4 percent.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Anchorage's required 2027 school contribution rises to about $138 million

Anchorage must send about $138 million to its school district in 2027 under state rules, with a voluntary contribution ceiling of roughly $108 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Students wait for the bus on the shoulder of Rabbit Creek Road

Both design options for the Rabbit Creek Road rehabilitation include a separated pathway, on a corridor where students now wait for buses on the shoulder.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min read

Assembly members seek equal vote on joint school rightsizing panel

Three Anchorage Assembly members are seeking equal voting power on a joint school-consolidation committee, rejecting the single non-voting seat the Anchorage School Board offered.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Two closed Anchorage school buildings head back to municipal hands

Two closed Anchorage elementary schools are set to return to the Municipality of Anchorage as surplus, shifting decisions about the sites to the Assembly.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Anchorage school district proposes splitting $32 million in one-time state money

Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt told the Anchorage School Board on Tuesday that $32 million in one-time state waterfall funding is confirmed. His proposal would restore tutoring, credit recovery, transportation and activities now while cutting the FY28 deficit to about $26 million. The board takes it up in October.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Anchorage elementary schools drop pre-packaged meals for traditional food service

Anchorage School District has moved every elementary school to a new lunch service format, according to the state education department's September school meals bulletin, and the district says meal consumption and participation are rising.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

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.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage schools will open a new listening effort with a $42 million shortfall

Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt presented ASD Listens to the Anchorage School Board, a four-step engagement cycle of surveys, pulse polls and community conversations. The district named the projected FY28 deficit and responsible stewardship as the first subject.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage will ship contaminated concrete to Oregon after the state tightened disposal rules, adding $850,000

The Anchorage School Board approved about $850,000 to send PCB-contaminated concrete from the old Inlet View Elementary to Oregon, after the state raised its disposal standards for the banned chemicals.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

The road to Bear Valley Elementary would narrow, and won't fix the jam

A reconstruction of Mountain Air Drive by Bear Valley Elementary would narrow the road from 36 to 28 feet, and a memo says it won't resolve the school's pickup queuing.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage school board bets its emergency reserve on money that may not come

The Anchorage School Board weighs spending $6.8 million of its emergency reserve to reinstate up to 45 positions, betting on uncertain state funding, and extends its school-consolidation committee.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage day cares say a grant cut could force them to close

Anchorage child care providers warn they may close if the city's Child Care and Early Education Fund cuts operational grants from $2.4 million to $765,000 in its 2027 budget.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly resolution seeks school-funding scenarios and deferred maintenance analysis

The Anchorage Assembly introduced AR No. 2026-211, requesting the administration model at least two school-funding scenarios by Aug. 31 and map a multi-billion-dollar deferred maintenance liability before the Oct. 2 budget deadline, while formally acknowledging a Southcentral natural gas shortage that will raise consumer and municipal costs.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min read

Who pays when the state underfunds school construction debt?

The Alaska Municipal League is urging the Governor and Legislature to fully fund school bond debt reimbursement in the FY2027 budget, as shortfalls shift costs onto cities, boroughs, and local taxpayers.

by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read

Anchorage child care fund squeezed by programs moved from alcohol tax

Anchorage's Child Care and Early Education Fund says two added programs are squeezing its mission — but the alcohol tax its board wants them moved to is also shrinking.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage budget trade-off: schools OR general government, not both, may be coming

Anchorage Assembly committee asks administration to model fully funding schools OR fully funding general government — signaling a potential FY 2027 fiscal cliff

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage School Board adopts class size policy under state mandate

The Anchorage School Board unanimously adopted a class size policy Saturday that sets two tiers: the state's statutory maximums and lower, evidence-based targets the district cannot currently afford.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage zoning board to review variance criteria changes

The Zoning Board of Examiners and Appeals will review a draft ordinance Thursday amending how Anchorage evaluates dimensional variances and minor modifications, potentially changing standards property owners must meet for setback exceptions.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read

Anchorage to issue $55.2M in bonds for roads, parks, fire equipment

The Municipality of Anchorage will issue $55.2 million in general obligation bonds in July to fund voter-approved capital projects spanning road repairs, park renovations, fire equipment, and public safety upgrades across multiple service areas.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage's alcohol tax can't fund everything it was promised to fund — and a board meeting Tuesday made the tradeoff explicit

Anchorage's alcohol tax fund must shrink in 2027, forcing a tradeoff between ASD preschool classrooms and emergency homelessness response. Both needs are real.

by Alaska News3mo ago2 min read

ASD projects $40M FY28 deficit — two months after voters rejected school bond and tax levy

Anchorage School District confronts a $40 million structural deficit on top of $90 million in prior cuts, with uncertainty over both state energy relief funding (not known until August 31) and municipal contribution levels creating urgent budget planning challenges for FY28.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage schools adopt regional nurse model, will pull nurses from schools with fewer medical needs

Anchorage School District will deploy nurses across six regions next year, moving nurses from low-acuity schools to cover high-acuity schools when regular nurses are absent. The shift responds to a nursing shortage and repeated uncovered absences.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

ASD claims state funding bill comes too late

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read

Anchorage School District to receive $37 million from state education funding increase

Alaska Legislature passes $144 million statewide education funding increase; Anchorage School District to receive approximately $37 million and benefit from 4% cap on required local contribution increases

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read

Seven Western Alaska typhoon evacuees graduate from Anchorage schools

Seven students displaced by ex-Typhoon Halong in October 2025 graduated from Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School Monday, completing a senior year split between their Lower Kuskokwim School District home and Anchorage. A video shown at the school board meeting identified six students; Superintendent Jarrett Bryant put the total at seven.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago1 min read

Anchorage schools eliminate elementary health teachers, shift to integrated model

Anchorage School District eliminated dedicated elementary health teachers Wednesday and will integrate health education into reading, PE, and counseling programs to address a $90 million budget deficit.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read

East High students organize benefit concert to save band program

East Anchorage High School students are organizing a benefit concert Saturday to raise money for their band program, which the school plans to eliminate next year as part of district-wide budget cuts.

by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read

Anchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze

The Anchorage School District's $90 million deficit and proposed cuts reflect broader national trends of flat state funding, rising costs, and structural budget pressures facing urban districts.

by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min read