The Anchorage School Board has approved deep reductions to the district’s budget. At a meeting Tuesday night, the board voted to cut more than 500 staff, including over 300 teachers. They also opted to close three elementary schools in order to preserve some programs and teachers.
The cuts come as the district faces a $90 million deficit, which officials attribute to years of flat funding from the state. ASD Superintendent Jharett Bryantt called the cuts severe, and said the district is already projecting multimillion dollar deficits in the next two years.
“Even once this $90 million structural deficit is closed, the work begins to find $40 million on top of that, and $30 million on top of that,” Bryantt said.
The district has no savings to draw on because it used about $50 million from savings accounts last year to address that year’s deficit. That reduced its reserves to the lowest amount allowed by state statute.
The budget makes widespread cuts to almost every part of the district. Besides losing hundreds of teacher positions, the budget trims more than 50 administrative staff, more than a dozen nurses, nine principals and eight counselors. It would increase average class sizes by four students.
During the meeting, community members filled the room to listen as board members spent hours debating over whether to close Fire Lake, Lake Otis and Campbell STEM elementary schools.
While Lake Otis and Fire Lake had recently been floated as potential closures, the district recommended closing Campbell less than two weeks ago, after board members gave ASD officials a week to come up with closure options.
Member Pat Higgins opposed closing Campbell and said he felt the school community wasn’t given enough time to respond.
“Campbell STEM is a great program,” Higgins said. “It got selected in a rush and you don't have a replacement for it. They've got the preschool for the special kids. They've got special ed education programs. It's occupied. It's not one of those half-empty.”
ASD Chief Operating Officer Jim Anderson said the closure decisions were not made lightly.
“I don't think there's anyone in the city that likes everything we cut in the budget,” Anderson said. “You know, it's an amazing school. We've learned over the last, you know, half a decade plus of trying to close schools that every school is the wrong school for somebody.”
After several attempts by board members to delay or prevent the closures, the board ultimately voted 4 to 3 to close the schools, with members Pat Higgins, Dave Donley and Andy Holleman opposed.
Using funding from the closures, the board was able to preserve all middle school sports and many high school sports like hockey, wrestling and cross-country skiing.
Member Kelly Lessens said community members expressed strong support for the benefits sports bring students.
“I think there is incredibly strong support in our community for offering students the opportunity, the grit, the perseverance, the teamwork, all of the engagement and drive that can happen when you have something you care deeply about,” Lessens said.
The board also restored more than a dozen middle school teachers and roughly 16 nurse positions.
Members ultimately voted 5 to 2 to approve the district’s roughly $867 million budget, with Donley and Holleman opposed.
The budget could change if Anchorage voters approve a one-time tax hike on the April ballot. The roughly $11.8 million levy would go to the school district, and ASD leaders have indicated that they would use the money to fund about 80 teacher positions.
