Carl Jacobs
Board President · Anchorage School Board
28 articles · 20 transcripts · 18 clips
Affiliations
Anchorage teacher tells school board two behavior staff have quit since September
“will not answer questions or engage in discussion”
Anchorage superintendent says April school bond should stay under $60 million
Anchorage schools chief Jharrett Bryantt wants April's bond kept under $60 million, despite $136 million in identified projects. Voters rejected a $79 million bond last April.
Anchorage School Board will pick interim superintendent from within ASD, vote in November
Want to be Anchorage's interim superintendent? You'd better already work for ASD. The board is taking internal applicants only, through Oct. 30.
Anchorage School Board votes to raze Abbott Loop, return Westpark on a nonbinding pledge
The school board will spend $3.96 million to knock down Abbott Loop and hand the city three properties. The Westpark payback is a pledge, not a guarantee.
Anchorage School Board asks Assembly to reject electing most members by district
The Anchorage School Board voted 6-1 to ask the Assembly to kill a plan to elect most board members by district before voters ever get a say.
Anchorage School Board backs public school scholarship groups under new tax credit
“Resolution passes 7-0.”
Mat-Su resolution would ask school board to start classes after Labor Day
“the community has made it clear that they want at least 6 months, ideally a year in advance”
Anchorage School Board keeps control of closed-school planning after lawyer advises against Assembly task force
A school board member wanted the Assembly in on what happens to empty schools. The district's lawyer said no, so Assembly members get seats but no votes.
Anchorage schools model a $9 million budget gap for fiscal 2028
Anchorage schools project a $9 million fiscal 2028 gap after reserves and assumed energy relief. Officials say underlying cost growth is closer to $40 million.
Anchorage officials fail to agree on shared school-closure committee
The Assembly and School Board could not agree on giving both bodies votes on a school-closure committee. The existing board-led panel remains.
Anchorage School Board spends $3 million on classrooms, deepening next year's deficit
“I don't have an appetite at this point for increasing the size of our FY28 deficit when we don't know what we're going to cut”
Anchorage teachers say losing building subs cost them prep time and safety
Anchorage teachers told the school board what losing building subs cost them. The board restored $3.7 million — without promising the subs come back.
Spend $3 million on students now, or save it for next year's hole
Anchorage's school board is deciding whether to spend $3 million on tutoring and staff this year or bank it against a deficit projected above $45 million.
Anchorage school district proposes splitting $32 million in one-time state money
Anchorage schools will split $32 million in one-time state money, spending more than half this year and saving the rest to shrink a $40 million deficit expected next summer.
Anchorage band teacher tells school board he now teaches 330 students a day
Anchorage band teacher Dan Whitfield teaches 330 students daily after the district cut a part-time director position, leaving classes of 45 to 83 students with no jazz band or extra help.
Anchorage's school board says closures won't fix the budget; residents aren't so sure
Anchorage's school board says closing schools won't fix its budget — even as most residents, by the district's own survey, favor consolidation.
Anchorage will ship contaminated concrete to Oregon after the state tightened disposal rules, adding $850,000
Anchorage's school board approved $850,000 to ship contaminated school concrete to Oregon after the state tightened its rules on disposing of banned PCBs.
The Anchorage School Board pledges no more closures next year, but one member says the last three were never explained
The Anchorage School Board pledged no closures next year as an olive branch to a grieving community, though one member says the last three went unexplained.
Anchorage School District adopts a single English curriculum for grades 6 through 10
“Memorandum Number 008 is adopted by a vote of 6 to 1.”
Anchorage board won't reopen a school it may not have fully closed
Anchorage School Board rejected a motion to reopen Campbell STEM Elementary with new state money, but revealed the school may not be legally closed yet, creating a potential opening for reversal.
Anchorage School Board adopts class size policy under state mandate
Anchorage School Board voted unanimously to adopt state-mandated class size limits of 23 for elementary and 30 for middle and high school. • The board also adopted smaller evidence-based targets it cannot currently afford, requiring annual cost analysis to document the funding gap.
ASD projects $40M FY28 deficit — two months after voters rejected school bond and tax levy
Anchorage School District projects a $40 million deficit for fiscal year 2028 on top of $90 million in earlier cuts, after voters rejected a $12 million tax levy and $79 million bond in April.
ASD claims state funding bill comes too late
Anchorage School District says a potential $37 million state funding increase tied to an August 31 revenue determination arrives too late to hire teachers before the 2026-27 school year begins.
Seven Western Alaska typhoon evacuees graduate from Anchorage schools
Seven students evacuated from Western Alaska villages after ex-Typhoon Halong in October 2025 graduated Monday from Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School after completing their senior year there.
Petersburg proposes area-wide property tax to balance FY27 budget
Petersburg adds 1.71 mills to property taxes to cover 5% budget increase. • Health insurance costs rise $90,000, plus vehicle replacement and wage raises. • Marine passenger fee increases from $5 to $8 per head starting January 2027. • Final budget vote scheduled for June 1.
Petersburg sees early revenue gains after senior sales tax exemption removal
Petersburg gained 26000 dollars in January and 22000 dollars in February sales tax revenue after removing a senior exemption. • The borough removed the exemption to balance its budget without drawing reserves. • The assembly will consider raising the 1200 dollar sales tax cap in May, the lowest in Southeast Alaska. • Voters must approve any cap increase. Final budget approval is June 1.
School Board Reverses Course on Calendar After Community Backlash
“my issue is the issue of transparency and trust. And let me just say that the, the issue where we are today, we earned it.”
Anchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze
Anchorage School District approved closing three elementary schools and cutting over 500 staff positions to address a $90 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027.
