Anchorage’s out-going superintendent Ed Graff was chosen to lead the Minneapolis Public Schools. That district has about 12,600 fewer students than Anchorage because the Twin Cities metropolitan area is broken into more districts. Two-thirds of the 35,717 students are people of color.
The Anchorage School Board decided not to renew Graff’s contract in October but would not provide specific reasons as to why. He is being replaced by current Mat-Su superintendent Deena Paramo. Graff will stay with ASD until the end of June.
Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her atahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Annehere.