ASD budget decisions FY17-24

In an effort by the District Administration to present a balanced FY25 preliminary budget, a recommendation was made to eliminate 18 IGNITE teacher positions. Offering STEAM programming to all elementary students is a cost-neutral and equitable approach to bringing project-based kinesthetic instruction and learning models that parallel IGNITE methods to all students in elementary classrooms. 

The Administration proposes to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) to all Kindergarten through fifth grade students across Elementary Schools beginning in Fall 2024-2025. This proposal will change the delivery of Art, Health, and Science in Elementary Schools while also building stronger connections in math across Science, Technology, Engineering and Art.

The STEAM approach would allow for greater integration across content areas, applied in lab settings, allowing for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach. These exploratory and inquiry-based activities get students digging in and applying science, technology, engineering, art, and math concepts to real world experiences. On an elementary level, this aligns with the concepts of career exploration the District is rolling out to Secondary students through the Academies of Anchorage as well as the College, Career and Life Ready School Board Goal.

Shifting to the STEAM model would be cost neutral in terms of spending. By having a full-time STEAM teacher in each building, it would free up resources needed for traveling to different schools and allow for more time with students. Currently art and health teachers bounce around from two or more schools and students see these teachers less often than they would if the STEAM model was implemented.

The District would engage AEA through the instructional program input process. Health instruction would move from a specialist to the elementary classroom teacher K-5, and science instruction would move from the classroom teacher to the STEAM teacher. Art instruction would continue to be delivered to K-5 students, but pivot to the integrated STEAM teacher. Core math instruction would continue to be taught by the classroom teacher and reinforcement of math skills and concepts would occur through STEAM, but through hands-on learning activities.

We are still in the exploratory phase of implementing STEAM, however the decision to explore is based off of well-received feedback from our nine elementary school communities currently implementing STEM learning. 

1. Aurora Elementary School

2. Eagle River Elementary School

3. Klatt Elementary School

4. Muldoon Elementary School

5. Orion Elementary School

6. Ravenwood Elementary School

7. Russian Jack Elementary School

8. Ursa Minor Elementary School

9. Williwaw Elementary School

A proposed plan to shift to STEAM was presented in the Feb. 6, 2024 School Board meeting.

The District would build the curriculum with our administrator and teacher leaders over the summer and develop training opportunities for all incoming STEAM teachers. Art and Health teachers would have the opportunity to apply for the new position.

STEAM class would provide students interdisciplinary connections across art to design. The program would expand the process of discovery and creative thinking by presenting a real-world context that encourages problem solving, communication and expression.

STEAM is a more holistic experience that would be accessible to all elementary students. Shifting health instruction to the elementary classroom would allow for a new STEAM teaching position that would staff most elementary schools with one full time  employee. STEAM incorporates hands-on, real-world, project-based learning in a dedicated one-hour long block on a consistent, weekly schedule throughout the school year. A weekly STEAM class would provide students with real-life context to solve problems of today, ignite curiosity and give elementary students the opportunity to engage in rich experiences integrated across content areas.

All items in the preliminary budget presented by the Administration are based on months of feedback from the Anchorage community. The final budget will be determined by the School Board in February and sent to the Anchorage Assembly by the first Monday in March. Should the STEAM model go into effect, the District would engage AEA through the instructional program input process. 

The implementation of STEAM is supported by the School Board goals of achieving math proficiency and being college, career, and life ready. 

During recent School Board meetings, the Board heard passionate testimony from members of the public, specifically about the proposed cut to the IGNITE program. Years of flat funding and declining enrollment have created an untenable situation for ASD. 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.

• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School Board passes budget with few major cuts but reliant on uncertain state funding" published February 28, 2024
• Joe Cadotte, KTUU: "ASD budget passes without cuts to IGNITE gifted learning program " published February 27, 2024
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School District faces uncertainty ahead of Tuesday budget vote" published February 25, 2024
• Steve Kirch, KTUU: " Alaska House unites behind education package with $680 BSA increase" published February 23, 2024
• Sean Maguire, ADN: "Alaska House passes bipartisan education bill with historic boost in school funding" published February 23, 2024
• Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media: "Anchorage School District restores elementary art classes in budget proposal" published February 21, 2024
• Georgina Fernandez, KTUU: "ASD superintendent withdrawals support for STEAM program that would eliminate teaching positions" published February 21, 2024
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School District walks back plan to cut dedicated elementary art classes and health instructors" published February 21, 2024
• Annie Berman, ADN:"Anchorage School District plan to cut dedicated elementary art classes and health instructors draws concern" published February 16, 2024 
• Lauren Maxwell, KTUU: "ASD’s preliminary $621M budget relies heavily on emergency savings" published February 6, 2024 
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School Board hears community pleas to save IGNITE gifted program" published February 6, 2024 
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School District proposes a budget with program cuts, bigger classes and nearly 100 fewer staff positions" published February 5, 2024 

• Sean Maguire, ADN: "Gov. Dunleavy says he would veto a standalone bill to increase school funding" published January 25, 2024 
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Facing $98M deficit, Anchorage School Board begins to narrow down potential cuts" published January 20, 2024
• Iris Samuels, Sean Maguire, ADN: "Among the Legislature’s first orders of business: Deciding whether to reinstate $87M to Alaska’s education budget" published January 13, 2024

• David Bernknopf, KTUU: "Alaska Education Commissioner opposes blanket BSA increase"

• Iris Samuels, Sean Maguire, ADN: "Dunleavy proposes budget with $1 billion deficit and no new revenue sources" Published: December 15, 2023
• Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media: "Gov. Dunleavy’s budget includes large PFDs, but no increase to per-student education funding" Published: December 15, 2023
• Annie Berman, ADN: "Anchorage School District seeks community input on how to balance next year’s budget" Published: December 14, 2023