Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê

On Tuesday, April 23, the Anchorage School Board held both a  and . As normal, work sessions are held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, which usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on the  channel. 

Work Session Review - Rightsizing Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Discussion 

The focus of the Board’s work session yesterday centered on the beginning stages of a multi-year effort to rightsize Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s infrastructure. The work session can be watched . Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt introduced the conversation by providing background on why the Administration is actively seeking community input on the topic of rightsizing. Dr. Byrantt defined rightsizing as the process of consolidating and/or repurposing school buildings. He emphasized the importance of launching this outreach plan early to incorporate feedback from the community that is more inclusive and captures voices from across the District. 

Chief Operating Officer Jim Anderson presented background on the city’s declining birthrate and school-aged population, the District’s aging buildings, and the increase in need for specialized services for students. His presentation showed that since fiscal year 2010, the District has seen a 12% reduction in students, and current enrollment projections anticipate a continued decline. Anderson noted these trends are not unique to Anchorage, and correspond to the Pacific Northwest and national trends. Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê has closed three elementary schools in the last 15 years, reducing capacity by 919 students, but enrollment has dropped 5,817 during that period.

From an academic perspective, Chief Academic Officer Sven Gustafson spoke about the advantage of schools with higher enrollment. He said at the elementary level this looks like less combined grade classes and more full-time staff in one building, opposed to splitting their time across multiple schools. At the secondary level, this looks like more course offerings, sports, and activities. 

The presentation included a timeline for this initiative, which will begin with surveying the community through the month of May. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Engagement Director Toni Riley provided insight into the community discussions and dialogue planned to inform the community and gather feedback at every point in the process.

Some of the questions from the Board touched on how  school closures will affect elementary and secondary schools, if all schools identified for closure will close at the same time, are elected officials a part of this conversation, and potential negative impacts of school closures.

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard reports from a variety of Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and Anchorage community leaders, reviewed a technical goal monitoring report, heard public comment, viewed a variety of consent, action, and non-action items, heard an update from the Superintendent, and ended with School Board member comments. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda . The entire Board meeting can be watched 

Reports 

Student Representative Report

The Board meeting began with Student Advisory Board (SAB) President Joshua Pak highlighting the SAB’s school year activities and accomplishments, including:

• Participation in National Student Leadership Week
• Recent passage of two constitutional bylaw amendments to reflect the move of sixth graders to middle school
• A resolution to the School Board supporting South Anchorage High School’s Student Government class remaining a class during the school day
• The Alaska Association of Student Government (AASG) spring conference that took place in Utqiagvik
• Changes to SAB meeting times for next year

You can view the full report .

Military Report 

JBER Col. Erik Dunn updated the community on several items including the upcoming permanent change of station, noting he appreciates the schools’ willingness to accommodate military families throughout the process. He thanked the District for providing communications information related to the changes happening at the District next year. Col. Dunn shared information on the upcoming Arctic Thunder Air Show in July, noting the base is open to the public for the event. You can view the full report 

Goal Monitoring CCL Ready - Cumulative Grade Point Average (grade 9-12)

The monitoring report conversation was based on the Superintendent’s  on College, Career, Life Ready - Cumulative Grade Point Average (Grades 9-12 report that was presented to the Board in the last Board meeting). The report focused on interim goal 3.3 which is grade point average. The interim goal is to increase the number of students with a 2.7 gpa from 55.94% in June 2023 to 70% by June 2028. This goal takes into consideration research-based metrics indicating academic readiness for post-secondary outcomes. 

In addition to the Superintendent, Dr. Kersten Johnson-Struempler, Senior Director, Teaching and Learning, and Eric Backman, Senior Director, Secondary Education, were present to answer questions from the Board. Some of the questions from the Board related to socioeconomic disadvantages, school funding, and chronic absenteeism. They explored equity in grading and Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê systemic conversations on grading. 

You can view the full conversation .

Public Comment Period

After the goal monitoring report, the Board moved into the public comment period. You can begin watching that portion of the meeting . The Board heard testimony from members of the public, including from students about funding for the South High School student government class, and community members spoke about bullying in schools, correspondence programs, and the District’s budget. Written public comment submitted to the Board can be viewed . 

Consent Agenda Highlights 

The Board reviewed and approved a variety of items on the Consent Agenda such as:

• February 6 regular meeting minutes
• , which relates to the new Academies of Anchorage initiative that will launch in the 2024-25 school year. You can view the Portrait of A Graduate document .
•  Science materials adoption for biology (grade 9) and Physical Science (Grade 10)
•  Award of Contract: Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School Academic Area Safety Improvements 
•  Award of Contract: Acer Chromebooks
•  Award of Contract and Re-allocation of funding: Spring Hill Elementary School Roof Replacement
•  Adoption of Tentative Agreement: Anchorage Council of Education

Key Action Items

• The Board voted and unanimously approved , a Resolution calling on the State Board of Education and Early Development to implement regulations providing for correspondence school programs. The resolution is in response to an April 12 Superior Court ruling that struck down two specific statutes related to correspondence programs as unconstitutional. Dr. Bryantt called the ruling a surprise to Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and said the District wants to pursue a path for correspondence families to quickly receive their reimbursements. In addition to the resolution, Dr. Bryantt said Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Administration also submitted what is called an amicus brief, which essentially urged the court to grant a stay - also known as a pause - for its judgment. The Superintendent said these two actions position Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê to support our families through this situation in the short term and the longer term. You can watch the full discussion on the resolution .
•  was unanimously adopted by the Board. You can view the calendar . The calendar breaks down by month and school year how the Board will monitor incremental steps toward reaching the Strategy 2028 Board Goals.
• The Board voted and unanimously approved  Funding Allocations of FEMA Capital Improvement Project Funds. The Administration proposed using the remaining $1,517,765 of General Fund FEMA reimbursement and $1,195,235 of completed April 2020 Bond projects for the following projects: Districtwide Facility and Educational Adequacy Re-Assessments and Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School Gym Floor and Bleachers Replacement. Board members had questions for Capital Planning & Construction on some aspects of the memo; you can view the full discussion . 

Key Non-Action Items

• The four non-action items included:
  •  Contract Modification/Amendment Report for the Month of March 2024
  •  Operating Budget Transfers - March Monthly Report 2023-24
  •  Approval of Master Student Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Workforce Agreement (SCWA) Template 
  •  Quarterly Report of Contracts between $100,000 and $500,000 

Superintendent Update

During his , Dr. Bryantt elaborated on the District's stance and actions regarding the recent court ruling that affects correspondence school families, as discussed during Action Items, Memorandum #151. Dr. Bryantt noted that the District halted allotment reimbursements to correspondence school families based on the advice from legal counsel, but wants to quickly work toward a stable solution for correspondence that falls within the law.

“We want to pursue whatever avenues that are appropriate that will support our families,” said Dr. Bryantt. The Superintendent discussed efforts that were laid out earlier in the meeting to quickly reinstate allotment reimbursements. He said the District awaits a decision on the stay, expected by Friday or Monday, April 29. Once granted, allotment programs will resume to close out the school year. Dr. Bryantt acknowledged the complexity of the situation and said the District plans to launch a website for up-to-date information. “Despite uncertainties, the District appreciates the community's patience and is committed to supporting families,” he said. 

Additionally, the Superintendent highlighted upcoming discussions on the Academies of Anchorage during work sessions, emphasizing the importance of providing the Board with ample time to review plans and make informed decisions.

April 9, 2024

On Tuesday, April 9, the Anchorage School Board held both a  and . As normal, work sessions are held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, which usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on the  channel. 

Work Session Review - Science curriculum discussion 

The focus of the Board’s work session yesterday centered on new science curriculum. The whole work session can be watched .

Coordinator of Curriculum Jen Pickering walked the Board through the  and provided insight into the extensive . 

The new science standards from the State of Alaska that were adopted in 2019, combined with community input, influenced the science curriculum revision and review, which leads us to where we are at now–recommendation of adoption. The new standards place an emphasis on learning science by doing science.

Pickering explained that part of the curriculum revision team’s work included taking a look at the current Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê science pathways with an equity lens, wanting to address the unequal demographics of 9th graders who take biology verses an integrated science course, as data shows students who take biology in their freshman track were more likely to take college preparatory courses including AP and college level courses. 

Dr. Kersten Johnson-Struempler, Senior Director, Teaching and Learning, added the new science pathway begins preparing students in 6th grade to be ready for 9th grade biology. Dr. Johnson-Struempler also noted this pathway revision allows for greater student “teaming” which aligns with the concepts being developed for the Academies of Anchorage launch. She said all these efforts will create a better, more holistic approach to freshman year scheduling.

Pickering shared the new curriculum considers best practices for making science accessible to diverse learners, ensuring that educational opportunity is equitable for all students. Key strategies included connecting to students’ sense of place and identity, problem-based learning, community involvement and relevance, and student-centered learning. 

Indigenous Education Supervisor Jaime Galvan presented it to the Board as well, adding that the new curriculum incorporates storytelling and connects to Native culture. Galvan said it drew the Indigenous Education Department in, and they were able to relate to that. Galvan also noted her team contributed to the curriculum and gave an example of incorporating culturally sustaining practices into the teacher’s guide.

Some of the questions from the Board touched on how the shift in pathways for all students to biology would be successful, questions around creating a curriculum in-house compared to purchasing, and professional development plans. 

Dr. Johnson-Struempler confirmed to the Board the curriculum has been created, teachers have been field-testing during the current school year, and science teachers across the District are interested in the curriculum pilot next school year.

A College, Career, Life-Readiness update was part of the agenda, but the Board did not get to that item. Board President Bellamy noted that the item is recurring and will be on the April 23 agenda.

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard reports from a variety of Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and Anchorage community leaders, reviewed a technical goal monitoring report, heard public comment, viewed a variety of consent, action, and non-action items, heard an update from the Superintendent, and ended with School Board member comments. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda . The entire Board session can be watched 

Reports 

Student Representative Report

The Board meeting began with Student Advisory Board President Joshua Pak discussing SAB agenda items, which include considering bylaw amendments on how the Move to Middle School will impact their body, recognizing outgoing SAB seniors this year, and discussions about the resolution changes that have been brought about. Pak thanked Member Kelly Lessens for notifying the SAB Executive Board about the Administrative Regulations that had changed. Pak recognized the April 4 statewide student walk-out and thanked students for their safe, civil conduct. He ended by noting the Alaska Association of Student Governments spring conference will be in Utqiaġvik at Barrow High School on April 18.

Agnew: Beck - Alcohol Tax Strategic Planning

Tanya Iden from Agnew: Beck shared information about the Municipality of Anchorage’s alcohol tax and strategic planning. They are assisting with developing a plan for the alcohol tax, which will raise about $14-15 million per year. The Anchorage Assembly distributes the funds to three designated uses: 

• Public safety
• Preventing child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence
• Substance abuse and homelessness

Iden said they are asking for more guidance on how the funds can be more transparently spent and distributed in a way that supports the three areas. You can learn more about the alcohol tax  and take the survey .

English Language Learner (ELL) Update

ELL Director Bobbi Lafferty provided an update on the ELL Department’s services and priorities. Lafferty noted ELL students make up about 15% of the Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê student population and there are about 100 different languages spoken by families in Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. ELL Services include partnering with organizations such as Catholic Social Services to welcome families new to the community and help students acclimate in their schools. Lafferty reported one of their top priorities is to raise the level of family engagement and increase the number of students who successfully pass the federal test that determines if students may successfully exit from the ELL program. Students are monitored for four years after their exit to determine if continued ELL services may be necessary. You can watch that . 

Goal Monitoring 

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt  presented a College, Career, Life Ready - Cumulative Grade Point Average (Grades 9-12) - Technical Report. You can view the full report . The report focused on the interim goal 3.3 which is grade point average. The interim goal is to increase the number of students with a 2.7 gpa from 55.94% in June 2023 to 70% by June 2028. This goal takes into consideration research-based metrics indicating academic readiness for post-secondary outcomes. There will be a conversation on this topic during the April 23rd Board meeting and the Administration will be prepared to answer questions.

Public Comment Period

After the goal monitoring report, the Board moved into the public comment period. You can begin watching that portion of the meeting . The Board heard testimony from members of the public, specifically about student safety, bullying, and school start times. Written public comments submitted to the Board can be viewed . 

Consent Agenda Highlights 

The Board reviewed and approved a variety of items on the Consent Agenda such as:

• An award of 
• A 
• A transfer of funds for the Raptor , which the District is implementing to comply with 
• Regular meeting minutes from seven previous Board meetings

Key Action Items

• The Board voted and approved Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Memorandum #131 Proposed BP 5041 - Health Education (Second Reading). You can review the new health education policy.
• A motion by Board Member Dave Donley and second by Member Carl Jacobs was passed to table the Feb. 6 regular  to the next Board meeting.

Key Non-Action Items

• The seven non-action items included a variety of items including:
  • The monthly Contract Modification  for February 2024
  • An award of  in Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
  • An updated Board  that runs through 2028
  • The that was created with feedback from 1,000+ community members
  • Approval of funding allocations of 
  • Sale of surplus 
  • Science materials adoption for 
  • Award of contract for  

Superintendent Update

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt noted during his update that the CCL report in the work session was cut off due to the science curriculum discussion, and that he is committed to reporting out the information at a future date. You can watch the full update from the Superintendent . 

Dr. Bryantt also discussed the Administration's plan to launch a public engagement initiative looking at rightsizing Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. Dr. Bryantt said there will be an initial survey to gauge general feelings and perception. He noted his intent is to improve how the District approached the topic in 2022, indicating discussions with the community are starting earlier. He desires to gather initial data  at a high level before identifying specific schools or buildings for closure. Dr. Bryantt noted that Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê first wants to understand if the community supports the idea, and second, stakeholders’ key considerations and non-negotiables. Dr. Bryantt acknowledged the topic of closing buildings is an emotional process for all involved. Dr. Bryantt ended by saying he humbly awaits community feedback.

We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamÊ®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê@asdk12.org.

March 29, 2024

Anchorage School Board and Anchorage Assembly met in a joint meeting to discuss a number of important issues impacting our community. You can watch the entire meeting , with the full agenda found .  

Youth Representative - Anchorage Assembly 

The Anchorage Assembly is looking for applicants to be the Youth Representative on the Anchorage Assembly. This position is for an individual between the ages of 16-19 to share in the visioning of Anchorage's future. The application deadline is April 30, 2024. For more information, or to submit an application, please go . 

Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Budget Overview 

Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Chief Financial Officer Andy Ratliff provided the School Board and Assembly a brief overview of the Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê FY 25 Budget that was recently approved by the Anchorage Assembly. A full copy of Mr. Ratliff’s presentation can be viewed . 

Mr. Ratliff outlined the budget development process and talked about the Base Student Allocation (BSA) formula not being substantially increased since 2017. He mentioned that Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê takes on a higher degree of risk in spending down savings, as best practice is to have two to three months on hand for reserves. Reductions have been made, but Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê continues to see a very high vacancy rate. Mr. Ratliff mentioned that while the State of Alaska has increased various department budgets due to inflation, school district funding across the state has not subsequently increased.

Assembly Vice Chair Meg Zaletal recognized if the projected $100 BSA increase in the Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê budget did not materialize the District will have some hard choices. Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê School Board President Margo Bellamy said that the fate of the budget is really up to the Governor. She said that the budget has been passed and that they will not make any adjustments until the Governor makes his final decision regarding the state budget and education funding. Assembly Member George Martinez asked if elective courses at the high school level are being affected, and Mr. Ratliff affirmed that due to flat funding, Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê cannot offer as many elective courses. School Board Member Kelly Lessens mentioned that Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) is the highest it has been in decades.

Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê School Sports/Activities 

There was discussion between School Board members and Assembly members regarding the concept of having the Municipality pay for Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê sports and activities. Sports and activities cost roughly $5 million per year. Assembly members noted the challenge of fitting this cost under the tax cap would be difficult. Assembly Vice Chair Zaletal requested a letter pointing to which models to investigate as the Assembly moves into the 2025 budget process. School Board President Bellamy called that a great path forward.

Potential Litigation Discussion - Coalition for Education Equity

The Executive Director of the  Caroline Storm, gave a report on the organization’s work advocating for adequate funding for capital improvements and an increase to the BSA. This work includes data gathering, advocacy, and potential court litigation to fight for school districts in Alaska.  

Academies of Anchorage Update 

Senior Director of Teaching and Learning, Dr. Kersten Johnson-Streumpler, gave an update on the progress being made to launch the . Most importantly, Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and its partners are working hard to launch the Freshman Academy in the Fall of 2024. The Freshman Academy will include:

• A first day of school orientation for freshmen
• All freshman career expo and college campus visit
• A class schedule that includes our core class teachers plus a Freshman Academy Career Exploration (FACE) teacher 
• Development for freshman academy staff

Dr. Johnson-Streumpler talked about the amazing support for the Academies of Anchorage being provided by both the business community and Municipality. 

2024-2025 School Year Changes

Chief Academic Officer Sven Gustafson talked about the new changes for the 2024-2025 school year that include the sixth grade to and new . Mr. Gustafson said that middle school and high school buildings will be open early to accommodate for the later school day starts. Discussions are still ongoing to find successful solutions to how the new start times will impact student transportation and after school activities.  

We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamÊ®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê@asdk12.org. Have a great day.

March 19, 2024:

The Anchorage School Board held both a  and . As normal, work sessions are held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, which usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live or after the fact on the  channel. 

Before we dive into the work session and Board meeting review, we’d like to report that yesterday the Anchorage Assembly approved Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The District is grateful and appreciative for the Assembly’s approval of our budget. Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Chief Financial Officer, Andy Ratliff presented to the Assembly on behalf of the District. 

Work Session Review - Academies of Anchorage Update

Yesterday, the Board received a fantastic update on the transformative  project. Staff, led by Senior Director of Teaching and Learning, Dr. Kersten Johnson, and Chief Academic Officer, Sven Gustafson, provided the Board an in-depth look at the work being done to advance the Academies of Anchorage and launch the Freshman Academies next school year at each of Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s eight comprehensive high schools. 

Dr. Johnson and Mr. Gustafson discussed the progress made to date, to include: holding multiple community convenings, finalizing the portrait of a graduate, developing the Academies of Anchorage logo, launching multiple videos to inform the community how the Academies will work, highlighting the serious work done by various Tactic Teams, recognizing the work done by the Steering Committee, responses to various Board inquiries such as those relating to King Tech and schedule changes, and what’s in store throughout the summer and fall prior to launching the freshman academies in August.  

The entire presentation can be viewed . To watch the excellent videos explaining how the Academies and Freshman Academy will work, go  and , respectively. 

Board Meeting Review

Yesterday’s Board meeting involved a standard agenda, with various updates and reports about Board goals. You can find a full breakdown of the Board agenda  and watch the entire meeting . 

A rather unique informational report was presented by our partners at the Lower Yukon School District (LYSD). Students from the LYSD  about their positive experiences in getting to spend a day at King Tech, and taking part in a shared learning environment at Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. This positive partnership helps expand career and technical education opportunities for rural students, who otherwise don’t have these options in their home district. 

Goal Monitoring Reports 

The Board heard one update covering college, career, and life readiness goals. The full update can be found . Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê is focused on raising the percentage of students in grades 9-11 who are “on track to graduate” to 90% by June of 2028. “On track” is defined by the number of credits earned at the end of 9th grade (5.5 credits), 10th grade (11 credits), and 11th grade (16.5 credits).

Consent Agenda Highlights

All items were unanimously approved on the consent agenda. To review what was on the consent agenda, go . The Board approved key contracts to repair and upgrade the Purchasing Department’s warehouse, internet connectivity upgrades, and a resolution that will provide Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê an avenue to re-employ retired teachers in an effort to fill open vacancies. 

Key Action Items 

Like the prior Board meeting, there were no action items on the agenda for this Board meeting. 

Key Non-Action Items

• After going through a competitive bid process the Purchasing Department put forward a  contract to lease new copiers for schools, that will also print in black and white, throughout the District. 
• The Board also read for the first time, proposed Board Policy 5041: Health Education by the Governance Committee. The full policy can be read . The intent of the policy is to provide students with health education that entails comprehensive, effective, and age-appropriate experiences and opportunities to acquire the information and skills needed to make lifelong health-enhancing and disease-preventing decisions. Should this policy pass, it would go into effect no later than the 2025-2026 school year. 

Superintendent Update

Superintendent Bryantt reflected on the great work being done to advance the Academies of Anchorage initiative via the tactic teams, steering committee, and staff leadership. His full update can be viewed . 

March 5, 2024

The Anchorage School Board held both a  and . As normal, work sessions are held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, which usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live or after the fact on the  channel. 

Work Session Review - 6th Grade to Middle School Move Update

Yesterday, the Board received an in-depth review and update from the Administration concerning the  that is currently set to take effect in August. 

Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê has 10 middle schools spread throughout the District. As of now, three of those ten follow the 6-8 model, meaning they serve students in grades 6-8 as middle schoolers. Beginning next school year (24-25), all ten middle schools will serve students in grades 6 through 8. There are numerous benefits behind shifting to this model of instruction, some of which include: more options for core instruction, increased elective opportunities, PE, band, orchestra, and choir offered daily, availability of higher-level math, including algebra & geometry, and access to middle school sports, clubs and activities. To learn more about the 6-8 model and its benefits, check out the Hot Topics page, 

You can watch the whole presentation . We encourage staff to view and share it with friends and community members who have kids that will be 6th graders next school year.   

Board Meeting Review

Yesterday’s Board meeting was rather light in contrast to the past few that were heavily dominated by budgetary discussions and large volumes of public testimony. You can find a full breakdown of the Board agenda  and watch the entire meeting . 

Special Education Advisory Committee

The Special Education Advisory Committee provided the Board an update on the important work happening to support students with disabilities throughout Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê, especially those in the secondary level, to prepare for life beyond high school. You can watch that update, . 

Goal Monitoring Reports 

The Board heard two update reports concerning the District’s efforts to prepare students for College, Career and Life; along with improving reading proficiency for students in grades K-8. 

An intriguing discussion ensued about the work Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê is doing to improve reading outcomes, especially in grades K-3. The data shared indicates that the longer a student stays with Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê, the more likely they are to score at or above benchmark when it comes to reading proficiency tests. Though many kindergarteners come into Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê below the benchmark, by the time they hit third grade, Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê is seeing more students reach or exceed benchmark than is happening at the national level. Bottom line: our educators and staff are excelling and doing their part to deliver excellent education to our students. 

The report on the CCL work can be found .

The reading proficiency update can be found .  

Consent Agenda Highlights

The consent agenda had just a handful of items that were all approved. The Board approved a memorandum allowing the Administration to move forward with a $3.6 million  to replace and upgrade the fire alarm systems at eight schools throughout the District. Additionally, the Administration was  to sell surplus/old property that has reached the end of its lifespan.

Key Action Items 

There were no action items on the agenda for this Board meeting. 

Key Non-Action Items

• The Board reviewed two contract awards put forward by the Administration. The  concerns replacing the roof and conducting seismic upgrades to the Purchasing Department’s building. The  contract deals with replacing network equipment. Those items will be before the Board at the next regular meeting. 
• The Human Resources Department put forward a  for the Board to consider that would enable Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê to enter into an agreement with the State Department of Administration to allow the reemployment of retired teachers under state law. This is a needed policy as Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê struggles to fill critical teacher vacancies. 
• The last  under non-action was a memorandum detailing various budget transfers that took place in January, 2024.

Superintendent Update

Superintendent Bryantt spoke about the upcoming April election where Anchorage voters will consider Proposition 1, which is the Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê school bond.  is all about security and safety upgrades and school revitalizations.

Projects on the bond include:

• Prioritized Security Vestibule and Security Upgrades
• Academic Area Safety Upgrades
• Roof Replacement and Roof Upgrades
• Renovation, Replacement, and Repair Projects

The Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê 2024 Bond totals $62,370,000

We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamÊ®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê@asdk12.org.

The Anchorage School Board held a  with only one agenda item - : FY 2024-2025 Financial Plan and Budget Approval. Regular Board meetings usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on the  channel. 

Background

This meeting came on the heels of the historic passage of  (SB140) through the Alaska House of Representatives on Feb. 22 and the Alaska Senate on Feb. 26. SB140 addresses K-12 funding, charter schools, student transportation, correspondence schools, the Base Student Allocation, and support for reading improvements. 

Additionally, just hours before the Board Meeting, Governor Mike Dunleavy held a to discuss the education bill, where he stated, "We need to fix a couple of things in that bill. We need to make sure that we're addressing the teacher retention issue. We need to make sure that the reading component in the bill... actually incentivizes good outcomes in reading. We need to work on the charter school part so that we can ensure that anybody that wants to attend a charter school can do that…We got half the job done. But if it's just going to be about money and nothing else, I'm not interested in having this bill become law.”

The Board went into the meeting with the need to balance a nearly $100 million deficit, and the preliminary budget included the recommendation to use the vast majority of the District’s fund balance, reduce elementary immersion teacher positions, increase the Pupil to Teacher Ratio (PTR) by one for grades 4-12, reduce administrative costs, and reduce 18 IGNITE teacher positions, among other things. 

Special Board Meeting Review

The Board Meeting began with public testimony. Six students and seven community members signed up to speak, almost all voicing their concerns for the potential removal of the IGNITE program from the FY25 preliminary budget. Written testimony can be viewed. 

After hearing public testimony, the Board proceeded to the only action item: : FY 2024-2025 Financial Plan and Budget Approval.

Board Member Carl Jacobs motioned, and Board Member Kelly Lessens seconded the motion, to make an  to the budget that would reinstate 70+ Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê employee positions into the budget at an increased cost of $8,780,991. The amendment included: 

• Reversing the elimination of 69.3 teacher positions, which included the 18 IGNITE educators, a topic which drew hours of passionate testimony from the community. 
• Ensuring the pupil:counselor ratio is 300:1 or less at the big 8 comprehensive high schools. 
• Allocating an additional 1.5 net counselor FTE across Chugiak, Service, and South High Schools so that each would get an additional 0.5 Counselor FTE.

The Board voted unanimously to pass the amendment. 

During Board discussions, members thanked the Alaska Legislature for prioritizing public education and for overwhelmingly passing SB140. Member Carl Jacobs noted 93% of the legislature passed SB140, and that the amendment injects $8.7 million, or roughly a $100 BSA increase, to benefit student outcomes. Jacobs noted Governor Mike Dunleavy publicly supported a $300 BSA, so this would be a cautious amendment. 

Board President Margo Bellamy asked Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Chief Financial Officer Andy Ratliff to give an analysis of the risk in the amendment, given SB140 has yet to be signed into law.

“We’ve always budgeted based on what’s in current statute.” Ratliff said. “It’s not without risk. If we don’t get this money sometime in the next few months we’ll have to come back and make these reductions again.” Ratliff added that if there were an increase to the BSA, then the District would be able to apply for the local match from the city.

During his comments, Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt said, “this amendment is reasonable and supports our goals and outcomes.” He added that assuming a BSA increase veers away from our standard practice, but we would do our best to manage a worst case scenario if it occurred. You can listen to Dr. Bryantt’s full comments .

The amended budget passed with a 6-1 Board vote, with the only nay being from Board Member Dave Donley. 

Multiple amendments were presented and discussed during the Board Meeting, with only the amendment described above approved. Discussions regarding additional amendments that were not approved begin at 1:24 into the meeting, and can be viewed .

The Anchorage School Board has directed the District to work on next steps now that it has approved the preliminary budget as amended, and Governor Dunleavy has given the Legislature a deadline, 13 days left, to rework the Education Reform Bill. A revised preliminary budget will be available to the public on our  by Monday, March 4th per the charter deadline with the Municipality of Anchorage.

We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamÊ®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê@asdk12.org. Have a great day.

February 20, 2024: The Anchorage School Board held both a  and . As normal, work sessions are held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, which usually take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on the  channel. 

Work Session Review - Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Rollout

The focus of the Board’s work session yesterday centered primarily on resolving Board Requests for Information (RIF) that are questions from Board members to the Administration about various topics, and a deep dive into the FY25 financial plan and budget. The whole work session can be .

Prior to the budget deep dive, Superintendent Bryantt communicated to the community that the Administration was no longer recommending the restructuring of health and art instruction classes into a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) model. To be clear, the instruction of art and health in elementary schools will continue as it currently stands. After much community feedback, the Administration determined that more time was needed to properly evaluate this model of instruction. 

The majority of the work session consisted of a roundtable discussion between the Board and Administration. Board member questions were largely concentrated on issues such as impacts to the District regarding varying levels of a BSA increase; how cutting the IGNITE program impacts students; what the STEAM model could look like in the future; and how to prepare for the likely reality of a large structural deficit next fiscal year. 

For reference, the FY 25 preliminary budget can be  

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard passionate testimony from members of the public, specifically about the proposed cut to the IGNITE program and proposal to combine art and health instruction into a STEAM model. The Board room was packed with members of the public, including kids, teachers, education supporters, and many other members of the community. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda The entire Board session can be watched  

Multicultural Education Concerns Advisory Committee (MECAC) Update

This committee, led by Toni Riley, Senior Director for Diversity, Equity, and Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Engagement, has been meeting with members of the community throughout the year to garner better feedback and understanding of how Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê can be more responsive to the diverse needs of Anchorage residents. You can watch that . 

Superintendent Update

As he did during the work session, Dr. Bryantt clarified to the community that the Administration decided not to pursue the proposed plan to restructure art and health instruction into a unified STEAM model in elementary schools. Meaning, art and health instruction will continue next school year as it currently does today. 

Additionally, during the Superintendent update, Chief Finance Officer Andy Ratliff provided a of the FY25 budget to give members of the public a better understanding of the fiscal crisis Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê faces. 

An intriguing slide from Mr. Ratliff’s presentation showed the change in funding to various State of Alaska departments since 2017, including funding to public education through the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). You’ll notice the substantial increase to departments dealing with public safety, in contrast to the decreased level of funding provided by DEED to school districts across Alaska. 

You can watch the full update from the Superintendent and Mr. Ratliff . 

Public Comment Period

After the Superintendent update, the Board moved into the public comment period. You can begin watching that portion of the meeting . This was the most robust period of public comment to date on the FY25 budget. The Board took an extended amount of public comment, lasting nearly three hours, to ensure all voices and testimony were heard. Written public comment submitted to the Board can be viewed . 

Consent Agenda Highlights 

On the consent agenda, the Board reviewed and approved a variety of items such as goal monitoring and personnel reports. 

• The Board approved two new memorandums relating to how the public  Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê records and policies for how Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê  District records. 
• Two contracts were awarded: the  dealing with Goldenview Middle School’s fire alarm system, and the  dealing with Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s network and internet capabilities. 
• The Board also accepted a $100,000  from the Municipality of Anchorage’s alcohol tax proceeds that will help expand the Pop-Up Play To Learn project for 3 to 5 year-olds, currently offered at Denali Montessori School. The grant will provide Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê the ability to expand this early learning program up to six days per week, instead of the two days currently provided. 

Key Action Items

• The Board delayed accepting a number of meeting minutes due to a disagreement between members over how Robert’s Rules of Order have been interpreted. 
• The Board authorized acceptance of a  from DEED to help develop career and technical education programs of study (CTEPS) to aid in the development of two new biotechnology CTE programs. 

Key Non-Action Items

• The most significant non-action item reviewed by the Board was the preliminary budget for FY2025. The Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27 to deliberate and finalize the budget for next school year. That meeting will be broadcast live on the District’s YouTube page. 
• The remaining non-action items deal with things such as school fire alarm system ; sale of surplus ; contract ; and the District’s 6-year  which provides recommendations on how Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê should address remodeling or replace various school facilities in the coming years. 

We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamÊ®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê@asdk12.org. Have a great day.

Work Session Review - Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Rollout

Yesterday’s work session was all about the budget. The Administration presented the FY 2025 budget, found . 

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Andy Ratliff and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director (OMB) Katie Parrott provided the Board a full run-down and  on how the District has proposed to balance the budget for next school year. 

Years of flat funding and declining enrollment have created an untenable situation for Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. With a nearly $100 million deficit the District had to make difficult decisions that will result in increased class sizes and fewer resources for students. 

$71 million of emergency savings was used to close the majority of this year’s deficit. The remaining savings came through reductions to administration, school-based positions, and programs such as IGNITE. 

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard passionate testimony from members of the public, specifically about the proposed cut to the IGNITE program. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda The entire Board session can be watched  

Goal Monitoring Update

• Staff provided the Board an update on the District’s effort to advance reading proficiency. You can review this update 

Consent Agenda Highlights 

• The Board approved one-time costs  to move 6th grade students to middle school.The one-time costs include moving and updating relocatable buildings, furnishings, equipment, supplies, and labor costs associated with the move.
• The Board also approved a memorandum for school security and safety improvements at Homestead Elementary. 

Key Action Items

• The Board approved, on a vote of 6-1, a contract extension for Dr. Jharrett Bryantt to continue as Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê Superintendent through June 30, 2026. The memo approving the extension can be found . This extension represents a 1-year extension of Dr. Bryant’s contract with Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. 

Key Non-Action Items

• The most significant non-action item reviewed by the Board under non-action items, was the preliminary budget for FY 2025. The Board requested the Administration continue their presentation from the work session during the Board meeting to answer additional questions regarding special service changes in the preliminary budget, particularly the adjustments to Gifted IGNITE teachers and the Administration’s proposal to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) to all Kindergarten through fifth grade students across elementary schools beginning in Fall 2024-2025. You can review the entire preliminary budget for next school year . The Board will again review the preliminary budget at the February 20 meeting, with the final budget due to the municipality on March 4.
• The Administration also submitted a number of memorandums concerning building and construction upgrades at various schools, found  and . 
• Lastly, after much deliberation and research with legal counsel, the Administration has proposed two new memorandums dealing with and the  These proposals have been submitted based on current industry best practices and appropriate state law. 

Superintendent Update

Dr. Bryantt passionately advocated for public education and explained to the Board that he was heading to Juneau this week to talk with legislators about the need for a $1,413 increase to the BSA. Dr. Bryantt emphasized that 70% of the FY25 budget deficit is being resolved through use of the fund balance; he pointed out that current discussions are over a reduction of $25 million, and if no investment in education is made, this time next year we will be looking at $75M+ in reductions and every program will be on the table. His remarks focused on how the FY 2025 budget avoided massive layoffs, for this year, and looked to the Board goals & guardrails as guidance. You can watch his remarks beginning . 

The Board largely focused on setting budget guidance that will enable the Administration to put forward a balanced budget. Likewise, the Board also held a regular . Work sessions are normally held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, most of which take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on channel. 

Work Session Review - FY25 Board Budget Guidance 

During the work session, the Board received and discussed  from the Administration on how to close the budget deficit. A suite of items were put forward for the Board to consider based on their December 9th discussion. There was not clear consensus on all the items, however, the Board was clear that they don’t want to see increased class sizes for grades K-3 or reductions in school security. 

There are no easy choices when it comes to closing the budget deficit, however, most of the School Board members were supportive of using fund balance (aka District savings) to close the budget gap. 

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard from members of the public and discussed a number of important items. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda 

Goal Monitoring Update

• The Board received a thorough review of the District’s  for high school students. As part of the Board’s effort to achieve its College, Career, and Life readiness goal that seeks to have 90% of high school students graduate Life Ready, the District is hyper focused on increasing attendance rates across all grade levels. This fall, the District launched its  initiative and has been consistently messaging the importance for students to be in class all semester.

Consent Agenda Highlights 

• The Board voted to accept a number of important grants that will support students and improve school facilities across a dozen schools.

Key Action Items 

• The Board unanimously approved the resolution between the Board and the Anchorage Assembly concerning public education funding by the State of Alaska. That resolution, , outlines the need for increased education funding by the State, inflation proofing the BSA, and restarting the school bond debt reimbursement program. 
• The Board also approved a report concerning Board Guardrail 2 which states that the Superintendent will not operate without a plan to develop a diverse or culturally responsive workforce. That report contains great data about Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê’s diverse workforce. 

Key Non-Action Items

• The Administration proposed a for the Dimond Estates community from Goldenview Middle School and South Anchorage High School to Mears Middle School and Dimond High School starting in the 24/25 School year. A town hall was held on November 30 at Mears Middle School to discuss this change with impacted families.
• The Board considered the Administration’s budget guidance for this Fiscal Year. 
• Board Vice Chair Carl Jacobs proposed a memorandum to add a new ex-officio seat on the Board’s Communication Committee which shall be filled by the Alaska Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President or their designee.

The Board  focused on the budget development process and then was followed by a regular. Work sessions are normally held at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays prior to regular Board meetings, most of which take place the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public and can be watched live on  channel. 

Work Session Review - Fiscal Year 2025 Budget 

During yesterday’s work session, the Board reviewed a  on the outlook of the FY 2025 budget for Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê. Over the next few months the Administration and Board will continue to hold numerous meetings and engage the public to develop the Fiscal Year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025) 2025 budget for Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê.  

• For FY 2025, the District is projecting a decrease of $63.48 million in revenue - or roughly 10%. The decrease in revenue is a result of lower local taxes and user fees, reductions in State formula funding based on enrollment, and the removal of one-time State funds appropriated by the Legislature, which is slightly offset by increases in interest earnings, federal impact aid, and other reimbursements.
• Due to decreased revenue forecasts, combined with increased costs, the District is projecting a roughly $98 million deficit going into this next fiscal year. That figure could be brought down to roughly $45 million if the School Board authorizes the use of District savings. 

Board Meeting Review

During the regular School Board meeting, the Board heard from members of the public and discussed a number of important items. You can find a full breakdown of the agenda .

Key Action Items 

• The Board unanimously voted to approve a new one-year  between Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and AEA members. This contract signals both Ê®·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê and the Board’s support for educators and public education. 

Key Non-Action Items

• The School Board is considering acting on a joint resolution between the Board and the Anchorage Assembly concerning public education funding by the State of Alaska. That resolution, , outlines the need for increased education funding by the State, inflation proofing the BSA, and restarting the school bond debt reimbursement program. The Board will dive further into this resolution during the joint School Board - Assembly meeting this Friday, December 8th at 9 a.m.

Superintendent Update

• Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt reflected on the work being done to advance the Academies of Anchorage, highlights of which include hosting another community gathering and presenting at an Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Make it Monday forum this week. 
• Dr. Bryantt also previewed the upcoming Legislative Luncheon to be held at King Tech High School this Friday, acknowledging the critical need for the legislature to correct years of flat funding for public education.