Approximate read time:  10-12 minutes

Key takeaways:

• Board discusses childcare partnership with Thread Alaska

• Updates shared on school consolidations, boundaries, and special education

• AASB presents family engagement and grant partnerships

• Significant gains in eighth grade math proficiency

• Teachers, students, and families credited for progress

• Public comment centers on staffing, compensation, and school closures

• Chugiak High CTE design approved (Memo 061)

• Plan outlined to sustain Academies of Anchorage this year (Memo 075)

• Superintendent shares update on Western Alaska student support

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the Anchorage School Board held a work session at 4 p.m., followed by a Board meeting at 6 p.m. Board meetings typically take place the first and third Tuesday of the month. 

Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public. Meetings take place at the Education Center and can be watched live or on demand on the District’s YouTube Channel. 

Anchorage School Board Resources:

Calendar of upcoming meetings

Anchorage School District’s YouTube 

School Board meeting agendas

Work Session Review

The Board Work Session agenda is available to review. There are two recordings of the meeting available for playback. Recording 1 can be viewed here. Recording 2 can be viewed here.

The Work Session provided an overview from District Administration on three key topics of discussion:

1. Rightsizing ASD: Child Care Partnerships

2. Rightsizing ASD: Update on School Consolidations, Boundaries, and Special Education

3. Grant Partnerships: Association of Alaska School Boards

Rightsizing ASD: Child Care Partnerships

Presenters

• Jim Anderson, Chief Operations Officer

• Stephanie Berglund, CEO, Thread Alaska

Summary

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt shared that Rightsizing ASD is entering a new phase focused on partnership. Along with discussions about facilities and boundaries, this phase explores how licensed child care can become part of the broader strategy to support families, strengthen neighborhood schools, and make the best use of existing space.

The presentation highlighted six focus areas guiding this phase of Rightsizing ASD:

1. Partnerships
   ASD is collaborating with Thread Alaska, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving access to affordable, high-quality childcare. Thread provides training, licensing guidance, and business support for childcare providers through its Start a Business of Caring program. Together, the District and Thread are exploring opportunities for independent childcare providers to lease space in ASD schools, creating new care options for families and helping staff with young children find reliable, nearby care.

2. Space
   Several schools across Anchorage have areas that could be adapted for licensed childcare programs. These spaces would remain separate from regular school operations and would meet state licensing requirements, such as having a dedicated entrance or restroom. The approach builds on the co-location model already underway at Fairview Elementary, which has become a successful example of how schools can host community-based services.

3. Support
   Anchorage faces a shortfall of more than 8,000 licensed childcare slots. Many providers want to expand but face challenges hiring and retaining qualified early educators. Average wages are just under 18 dollars per hour, and few positions offer benefits. Thread helps address these barriers by providing free training, classroom coaching, and scholarships that strengthen the workforce and help new providers get started.

4. Balance
   Bringing licensed childcare to multiple neighborhoods would make it easier for families to find care close to home or work. It would also help balance the availability of care across the city, support working parents, and reinforce the role of neighborhood schools as community hubs.

5. Planning
   ASD will soon invite licensed childcare operators to apply for available school space through a public bidding process. Once proposals are received, the District will evaluate each site’s needs, costs, and licensing requirements to determine the best fit. The review and planning process is expected to take about six months from the time bids are submitted.

6. Listening
   Community voice will continue to guide this work. Families, staff, and childcare providers will have multiple opportunities to share feedback as the project develops. These conversations will help ensure that each partnership reflects community needs and supports ASD’s goal of making every school a place that serves families well.

Rightsizing ASD: Update on School Consolidations, Boundaries, and Special Education

Presenters

• Sven Gustafson, Deputy Superintendent

• Jim Anderson, Chief Operations Officer

• Kersten Johnson, Deputy Chief of Schools

• Jason Hlasny, Director of Special Education Instruction

Summary

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt introduced the Rightsizing ASD update, focused on proposed school consolidations, boundary adjustments, and special education alignment. The goal is to ensure every neighborhood school is strong, stable, and fully supported while making efficient use of facilities across the District.

The presentation covered four key areas:

1. Consolidation

   Fire Lake Elementary and Lake Otis Elementary are being considered for closure at the end of the 2025–26 school year due to low enrollment and available space in nearby schools. Leaders emphasized that Rightsizing is about strengthening neighborhood schools so they remain full, vibrant, and sustainable for years to come.

2. Boundaries

   Proposed boundary adjustments would help reduce overcrowding at Romig Middle School and West High School while balancing enrollment across nearby schools. These changes would shorten travel times, strengthen neighborhood connections, and ensure every school has the space and support needed for strong learning environments.

3. Special Education
   Director of Special Education Instruction Jason Hlasny explained how Rightsizing ASD also aims to better serve students with disabilities by aligning specialized programs with their neighborhood feeder patterns.

At Lake Otis, the Life Skills program would move to Airport Heights and Russian Jack Elementary.  At Kasuun, the School-Based Behavior Supports program would move to Ocean View Elementary, where there is more space and closer proximity to many of the students it serves. 

In Eagle River, the Structured Learning program at Fire Lake would move to Birchwood ABC, and the Life Skills program currently at Birchwood would move to Alpenglow Elementary. These moves would better connect students with their middle school programs at Gruening and Mirror Lake.

4. Community Engagement
   ASD is committed to keeping families, staff, and community partners informed and involved throughout the Rightsizing process. Meetings and information nights across Anchorage give families the opportunity to learn about proposals, ask questions, and share feedback that will help shape the District’s final recommendations.

 

Boundary Information Nights 

• Hanshew - Service Boundary Recommendation Information Night 

  Tuesday, October 28

  6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hanshew Middle School

• Wendler - East Boundary Recommendation Information Night 

  Tuesday, October 28

  6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wendler Middle School

 

Rightsizing Community Conversations 

• Wednesday, October 29
  6 to 8 p.m. at Bettye Davis East High School

• Thursday, October 30
  6 to 8 p.m. at Chugiak High School 

• Saturday, November 1
  noon to 2 p.m. at the ASD Education Center 

Click here to see the presentation slides.

Grant Partnerships: Association of Alaska School Boards

Presenter

• Lori Grass Green, Director, Conditions for Learning, AASB 

Summary

The Board heard from the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) about its ongoing partnership with ASD to strengthen family-school relationships and support student wellbeing. Through the Alaska Family Engagement Center, AASB provides training, coaching, and school mini-grants of up to 20,000 dollars to help schools build stronger partnerships with families. ASD schools have also used AASB’s Family Reading Night toolkits and other resources to bring families together around literacy and learning. The Alaska Strong/Thrive program connects families through multi-session gatherings that focus on cultural connection, goal setting, and learning support. AASB also offered to partner with ASD as it welcomes families displaced from Western Alaska, providing additional support with school supplies and engagement resources.

Click here to see the presentation slides.

Board Meeting Review

Resources from this meeting:

Agenda

Recording

Reports

Student Representative Madison Arreola shared updates on the upcoming Alaska Association of Student Governments Fall Conference, which will be hosted in Anchorage with more than 150 ASD students attending. Student Advisory Board officers are wrapping up conference plans, including workshops, an opening ceremony, and a video project with Dimond High School that highlights student leadership and collaboration across the state.

There was no military report. 

Committee chairs noted that the Governance and Communications Committee meetings were canceled for the week, and the Finance Committee will meet Thursday, October 22nd, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

Goal Monitoring Report: Math Proficiency Milestone

Presenters

• Chris Opitz, Senior Director, Assessment & Evaluation

• Joe Zawodny, Senior Director, Secondary Education

• Nicole Sommerfeld, Director, Teaching and Learning

• Amanda Barr, Curriculum Coordinator, Teaching and Learning 

Summary

The Board celebrated a big win for the Anchorage School District. Eighth grade math proficiency increased by nearly five percentage points in just one year, the largest jump in recent memory. Almost every student group showed growth, and Alaska Native students saw an eight percent gain.

This progress is the result of teamwork across ASD. Teachers are making math more interactive, helping students reason through problems and explain their thinking. Students are more confident, engaged, and excited to learn.

Middle schools are now aligned on pacing, curriculum, and expectations so every student gets access to the same high-quality instruction. Redesigned accelerated pathways are also opening new opportunities for students to take advanced math earlier.

The most exciting part is that the biggest gains came from students who have faced the toughest challenges. These results show that focused support, strong instruction, and collaboration are making a difference. Classrooms are buzzing with confidence and curiosity, and families are seeing real progress at home.

Board discussion

Board members praised the results and thanked ASD educators for their hard work and dedication.

Next steps

ASD leaders said the focus now is on protecting this progress and keeping momentum strong. The District will continue classroom coaching, data-driven instruction, and family partnerships to help every school keep moving forward together.

Click here for the presentation slides.

Public Comment

The Board heard from more than twenty speakers, including educators, parents, and students.

Representative Nellie from Toksook Bay opened testimony by thanking ASD for welcoming students displaced by the Western Alaska storm and reminding everyone of the importance of care and connection for families starting over.

Several educators spoke about health care costs, class sizes, and workload, urging the District to reach a fair and competitive contract. Parents and students from Fire Lake and Lake Otis Elementary Schools shared heartfelt testimony asking the Board to reconsider proposed closures, describing their schools as welcoming, inclusive places where every child belongs.

Other speakers raised concerns about communication related to the Alaska Reads Act, staffing shortages, and the impact of large class sizes. Testimony reflected a strong sense of community engagement and deep appreciation for ASD educators.

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda was approved unanimously. Click here to review.

Action Items

ASD Memorandum 061: Chugiak High School CTE Design

The Board approved ASD Memorandum 061, authorizing concept design work for a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) space at Chugiak High School. The $129,000 project funds early planning for classrooms and labs that support hands-on learning in trades, design, and technical fields.

The project is part of an existing bond that includes structural work at Chugiak. Administrators said this design phase will allow CTE improvements to be added while construction is already underway, ensuring efficient use of funds.

During discussion, Member Lessons proposed postponing the vote until a revised Academies of Anchorage master plan is completed. Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt and the majority of the Board firmly opposed the delay, emphasizing that CTE has long been a cornerstone of ASD’s academic mission and will continue to be a top ASD priority. They reaffirmed that CTE equips students with real-world skills, strengthens Anchorage’s workforce, and reflects the District’s ongoing commitment to opportunity and innovation. The amendment to postpone failed 5–1, and the main motion passed with strong Board support.

Non-Action Items

ASD Memorandum 075: Academy Coaches

The Board discussed ASD Memorandum 075, which outlines a plan to continue employing eight academy coaches through the end of the school year following the loss of federal Academies of Anchorage (AoA) grant funding. These positions are an essential part of the District’s efforts to connect students with Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, college and career planning, and hands-on learning opportunities.

Member Kelly Lessens questioned the decision to continue the positions without a revised AoA master plan, raising concerns about timing and structure. Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt and the majority of the Board strongly pushed back on those concerns, reaffirming their full support for AoA and CTE as core pillars of ASD’s academic vision. Dr. Bryantt emphasized that protecting the progress made through AoA is critical to student readiness, stability, and Anchorage’s future workforce.

Several Board members echoed this stance, praising the positive outcomes AoA and CTE have already produced for students and schools. They stressed that these programs open doors for career exploration, industry partnerships, and meaningful postsecondary opportunities. The discussion concluded with clear unity between the superintendent and the majority of the Board on maintaining AoA and CTE as top District priorities.

Superintendent Update

Dr. Jharrett Bryantt shared an update on ASD’s ongoing work to support families displaced by the Western Alaska storm. He described how schools across Anchorage have opened their doors, how teams are working with state and local partners, and how students are being welcomed with care and stability. He thanked ASD staff and community members for their compassion, calling it a true reflection of Anchorage at its best.

Watch Dr. Bryantt’s full presentation here.

School Board & Administration Comments/Communications

The meeting concluded with School Board and Administration comments and communications. 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9 p.m.

This report is from the ASD Administration and summarizes what was presented to the Board during each meeting. We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamASD@asdk12.org. Have a great day. 

 

Sincerely,

Team ASD