Kelly Lessens
Board Member · Anchorage School Board
26 articles · 18 transcripts · 24 clips
Affiliations
Anchorage School Board to vote Tuesday on Clare Fulp as interim superintendent
“The School Board has two responsibilities at this moment: provide strong leadership for ASD today and take the time to make one of the most important decisions entrusted to the Board for ASD’s future.”
Anchorage teacher tells school board two behavior staff have quit since September
A Tyson Elementary teacher told the Anchorage School Board two behavior support staffers quit since she testified in September, and asked what's changed.
Anchorage superintendent says April school bond should stay under $60 million
“the priorities that were on the bond last year haven't gotten any less leaky over time.”
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
“who's your phone-a-friend?”
Anchorage Assembly members question plan to elect School Board by district
“School board member service was written into the Anchorage Municipal Charter intentionally.”
Anchorage School Board backs public school scholarship groups under new tax credit
“I am concerned that the state of Alaska is rushing the submission of its list of SGOs to be done before a new governor is sworn in.”
Anchorage mayor's office wants closed Abbott Loop Elementary demolished, school officials say
Anchorage's mayor wants closed Abbott Loop Elementary demolished for housing redevelopment, and the school district would need to authorize $4 million in demolition costs from a prior bond.
Anchorage schools list nearly $18 million in urgent repairs ahead of April bond
“I don't think we want students to learn to count 20 by counting the buckets of water in their hallways”
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's required 2027 school contribution rises to about $138 million
“because the effect will be to find other ways to save $4, $5, $6 million. And you know what that looks like? It looks like student opportunities.”
Anchorage School Board spends $3 million on classrooms, deepening next year's deficit
“about 120-something, um, maybe 123”
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
“the recommendation decreases each of the amounts that you see before you by $3 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 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
“maybe it's not an olive branch, maybe it's a stick”
Anchorage School District adopts a single English curriculum for grades 6 through 10
Anchorage adopted one English curriculum for grades 6-10 on a 6-1 vote. The selection committee itself split 6-5, and one board member questioned the process.
An Anchorage board member proposes a one-year pause on school closures
An Anchorage School Board member proposed pausing school closures for a year, barring emergencies. The board hasn't voted, and a $40M shortfall remains.
Anchorage board won't reopen a school it may not have fully closed
“the amendment to the amendment restoring Campbell would do a good thing, but it would also prohibit the ripple effects that utilizing those funds across the district would enable.”
Anchorage School Board balks at a $2.8M curriculum buy members hadn't seen
“my inclination would be to recommend at this time that we move forward with the pilot project so that our educators are able to implement and evaluate this program and intend to come back to the remaining dollar amount in this fiscal year with this board sometime in the fall.”
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.
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.
School Board Reverses Course on Calendar After Community Backlash
The Anchorage School Board moved the 2026-27 start date back to August 19. The change follows community outcry over subsistence conflicts.
