Kelly Lessens

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

Anchorage officials fail to agree on shared school-closure committee

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

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 band teacher tells school board he now teaches 330 students a day

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

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

An Anchorage board member proposes a one-year pause on school closures

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

Seven Western Alaska typhoon evacuees graduate from Anchorage schools

School Board Reverses Course on Calendar After Community Backlash