Anchorage School District Chief Operating Officer Jim Anderson said the district will release a plan in October that outlines which schools could close as part of the district’s effort to “right-size” due to declining student enrollment. Anderson declined to say how many schools may close.
Since 2010, district enrollment has dropped by almost 6,000 students, roughly 12%, but only three schools have closed.
At a school board work session on Aug. 20, Anderson said the district is being cautious about closing schools, and trying to do what’s best for students.
“The goal is not to get rid of every small school in the district,” Anderson said. “The goal is to look at what right sizing is really about, which is using our facilities better to meet other needs within the district and not solely looking at a list of small schools.”
Anderson said more than 70% of parents surveyed about the right-sizing effort support the idea, but they want to protect special programs such as language immersion and Montessori programs at smaller schools. According to a district spokesperson, another survey will be sent to parents this month.
Anderson told the board that some buildings may be closed as schools, but leased to charter schools or reopened as child care facilities. He said the district will hold several town hall meetings before making a recommendation to the school board for a final decision by the end of this year.
“We’ve got to build a budget around whether schools or programs are in leased facilities or not, or if those schools will exist in the next year, so just like last time in December there will be a vote on the right-sizing plan,” Anderson said.
School Board President Andy Holleman said the board hasn’t seen the district’s plan. He wanted to remind staff and families that the decisions won’t be based on academic performance.
“I believe that we probably won’t try to do something like five or six, that it may be more like one or two at a time, with it being a multi-year process,” Holleman said, referring to the number of schools the district could close.
In 2022, the district proposed closing six schools in order to cover a budget deficit, but only ended up closing Abbott Loop Elementary School.
Holleman said the potential closures won’t save the district a lot of money, but will streamline operations with fewer schools.
“It’s just less to take care of, and so it means that we can put more resources into the classroom, as opposed to other places,” Holleman said.
The board will hold another work session about potential closures Tuesday.
Tim Rockey is the producer of Alaska News Nightly and covers education for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at trockey@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8487. Read more about Tim here.
