4/21/2026 School Board Recap

 

Key takeaways:

• Administrators explain the impact of budget cuts 
• Superintendent outlines funding outlook, priorities if one-time funds emerge
• Administrators propose delaying middle school program changes
• Board reverses 2026–27 school start day changes

 

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Anchorage School Board held a work session at 4 p.m., followed by a Board meeting at 6 p.m. 

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

School Board meeting agendas

 

Work Session Review

The Board Work Session agenda is available to review. A recording of the meeting is available for playback. 

FY27 Budget Reductions/Impact

District leaders shared details with the School Board about the impacts and what daily life may look like for students, staff and families next year under a $90 million reduced budget.

During his remarks, Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt emphasized that transparency in the early stages of planning is critical so families are informed and able to provide feedback.

Administrators organized the changes to service delivery into the following categories:

Human Resources & Operations

Transportation & IT

Office of Business Management, Special Education, Mental Health & Student Supports and Teaching & Learning

Elementary, Middle & High School Divisions 

The Work Session presentation details the changes within each area.

 

 

Legislative Funding Outlook

Dr. Bryantt shared that the State Legislature has signaled it is highly unlikely to make a permanent increase to K–12 education funding will be approved in time for next school year. He also spoke about the possibility of one-time funds, noting that if additional funding becomes available, the Administration will focus on where each dollar can have the greatest impact on student achievement for the largest number of students, particularly as it relates to Board Goals and Guardrails, as well as ASDs commitment to accelerate academic growth for students with high levels of need.  

He further noted that the same operating budget that was just balanced is projected to result in a $40 million deficit for the 2027–28 school year, and that this looming deficit should be a consideration if additional funds are received.

Proposed Delay in Changes to the Middle School Program

One area where the Administration believes it can make a positive difference, despite limited resources, is a proposed delay in implementing the 6-period school day in middle school. The current 7-period schedule allows middle school students to attend five core classes and two elective periods. The Administration is recommending to slow down the transition to a 6-period schedule, which was proposed during the budgeting process, to ensure stronger implementation in the long term.

New Recommendation for the 2026-27 School Year: 

• Return the 7-period schedule 
• Retain the 34.0 pupil-to-teacher ratio increase, as adopted

A 6-period school day would limit student access to electives, including music, world language, and Career and Technical Education (CTE). These scheduling conflicts will be particularly difficult for students receiving Special Education and English Language Learner (ELL) services.

Through continued analysis, Administration identified that the transition would require more planning time than is feasible before the next school year in order to support students with additional needs as well as make the systemwide changes necessary to support all students. An additional year of planning would also allow for community feedback and clearer communication with families.

The Administration emphasized that this proposed delay positively impacts approximately 7,500 middle school students, making it one of the most significant system-wide decisions in the budget. By preserving access to electives, support services, and a more balanced schedule for one additional year, the plan is intended to maximize student opportunity and stability for the greatest number of students, while creating the time needed to design a more financially sustainable long-term model.

 

How This Would Be Funded

The proposed delay does not rely on new funding. Instead, it uses a one-time funding strategy:

• 14 Special Education positions would be temporarily shifted from the general fund to the federal Title VI-B grant (using rollover funds)
• 9 holdback positions would be utilized
• 3.6 FTE previously allocated for Middle School zero-hour courses would be repurposed

This combined approach would:

• Restore approximately 26.6 FTE positions
• Allow middle schools to maintain the current schedule for one year
• Reduce the number of teacher layoffs and displacements

Administration emphasized that this is a one-time solution, intended to create time for thoughtful planning and is not a permanent funding strategy.

Next Steps:

• April 29 Staffing Event:
   Staffing decisions are currently underway; approval of this proposal would require adjustments to those plans
• Special School Board Meeting:
   Board members discussed the possibility of holding a Special Meeting prior to the Staffing Event to consider the proposal sooner, given its impact on staffing decisions. Administrators confirmed the following day that the meeting would take place April 27 at 6 p.m.
• Family Communication:
   Information will be shared with families in the coming days to ensure transparency and provide early awareness of the proposed change.

 

Presentation from this meeting

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Board Meeting Review

Resources from this meeting:

 

The Agenda as amended was approved by the Board. 

Reports

Student Representative Report

Student Representative Madison Arreola reported that she and other students will participate in the Alaska Association of Student Government’s (ASSAG) spring conference in Juneau from April 23–25, where they will meet with legislators and connect with students from across the state.

Arreola and other students recently spent time in Juneau where they advocated for HB 101. 

She also noted student concerns about the impact of budget reductions across schools, particularly the loss of programs in fine arts and electives such as music, student government, and yearbook. 

Finally, Arreola expressed appreciation for student voter participation in the recent municipal election

 

Military Report

U.S. Air Force Col. Dustin Hansen, Mission Support Group Commander at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), provided the military update to the Board. He expressed appreciation for ongoing collaboration with ASD staff, highlighting a recent partnership with West High School teacher Kendra Stolee to share information about civilian career opportunities at JBER. 

Col. Hansen also recognized April as the Month of the Military Child and thanked ASD schools for their support of military-connected students. He shared that service members joined students at Ursa Minor Elementary for “Purple Up Day,” participating in welcoming activities and classroom engagement.

While noting strong support across many schools, Col. Hansen also shared that some military families have expressed concerns about not always feeling heard. He indicated he will follow up with the District to ensure those concerns are addressed and to continue advocating for military-connected families.

He concluded by recognizing Principal Cindy Strupulis of Orion Elementary School for her quick response in supporting families affected by a recent fire, including providing supplies and coordinating with base leadership. 

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Board Conference & Committee Reports

Goals & Guardrail Monitoring

College, Career, Life Ready Grade Point Average (GPA 2.7+)

Board Goal:

The percent of students graduating College, Career and Life (CCL) ready, as measured by four-year graduation rates, will increase from 81% in June 2023 to 90% in June 2028. The percentage of students in grades 9-12 with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 or higher will increase from 55.94% in June 2023 to 70% by June 2028. Note: A cumulative high school GPA of 2.7 and above is a research-based metric indicating academic readiness for post-secondary education.

 

Goal overall progress: 

Near Target

 

Priority Action Steps 

PRIORITY ACTION STEP	STATUS  (IN DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATION & TRAINING,IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING,REFINEMENT & SUPPORT, SUSTAINABILITY & SCALING)
CCL PASS 1:Implement a GPA-Based Academic Support System for High School Students, with an early focus on 9th grade.	COMMUNICATION & TRAINING
CCL PASS 2: Implement an Early Warning and Response System for Off-Track and At-Risk High School Students.	REFINEMENT & SUPPORT
CCL PASS 3: Strengthen secondary school attendance culture through relationship-centered practices, consistent messaging, and staff-led outreach strategies focused on students with high absenteeism.	IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING
CCL PASS 4: Expand Access for ALL Students to Career-Connected Learning through the Academies of Anchorage.	IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING
CCL PASS 5: Implement a districtwide 8th-to-9th grade transition strategy that includes scheduling 9th graders in College & Career Exploration and Financial Literacy coursework, supported by Freshman Academy structures and guaranteed experiences.	IN DEVELOPMENT

 

ASD Presenters: 

Senior Director High School Education Eric Backman

Director Special Education Jason Hlasny 

Senior Director Teaching & Learning Sean Prince
 

Presentation from this discussion:

College, Career, Life Ready Grade Point Average (GPA 2.7+)

 

Guardrail Monitoring Report

The  technical report was presented to the Board for Guardrail 4:

Superintendent will not operate elementary schools without mental health services.

The Discussion on this Guardrail will take place during the next regular School Board meeting.

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Public Comment

More than 30 community members signed up to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. Common topics included program cuts, changes to fine arts and electives, school calendars and schedules, and trust in decision making.

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda as amended was approved by a vote of 7-0.

Action Items

ASD Memorandum #160-  Approval of Update to ASD 2026-27 School Calendar

The Administration brought the recommendation forward based on community feedback to revert back to the start dates on the 2026-27 school calendar approved September 2, 2025:

• Teachers’ first day: Friday, August 14, 2026
• Students’ first day (grades 1-6 & 9): Wednesday, August 19, 2026
• Students’ first day (grades 7-8 & 10-12): Thursday, August 20, 2026
• Students' first day Pre-K/Kindergarten: August 26, 2026

Dr. Bryantt shared that a recommendation was made earlier this month to add instructional days following the new terms of the Anchorage Education Association (AEA) contract, which allow for additional instructional time for students.

The placement of the three added days was set by the Calendar Committee, guided by prior feedback from recent multi-year planning. Administrators noted the complexity of calendar planning, with factors including holidays, elections, and other variables. 

Dr. Bryantt said he is committed to a more inclusive process in the future.

The Board voted 7–0 to approve ASD memorandum #160.

Superintendent Update

During his update Dr. Bryantt emphasized the scale of the District’s financial challenge, saying the $90 million budget reduction is equivalent to about a $700 per-student decrease in funding. 

He noted that even if additional one-time funding becomes available, the District will face difficult choices between addressing long-term structural deficits and investing in immediate student needs.

Dr. Bryantt framed the District’s responsibility around a central question: what matters most for the more than 40,000 students served by ASD.

He identified key priorities moving forward:

• Maintaining strong classrooms
• Retaining and supporting high-quality teachers
• Making targeted investments that accelerate growth for students below proficiency in reading and math

He emphasized that with limited resources, decisions must focus on investments that benefit the greatest number of students while improving academic outcomes. 

Middle school schedule proposal

He said the Administration’s proposal for the Board to consider maintaining the middle school seven-period schedule for one additional year would serve as a one-year bridge for students, families, and staff. 

While the seven-period day is likely not financially sustainable long term, this approach could provide critical transition time and allow for deeper community engagement before implementing permanent changes that affect many students.

Commitment to communication and engagement

Dr. Bryantt acknowledged that the scope of the budget reductions is a lot for families to take in, especially while navigating pressures and challenges in all areas of life. He emphasized the District’s commitment to:

• Continuing to listen to families and staff
• Adjusting where possible within existing resources
• Communicating clearly to avoid surprises

Dr. Bryantt closed by saying he is committed to delivering an exceptional education for every student with the resources that are available. We must build a system that is financially sustainable over time, and that this work will continue in partnership with the community.

School Board & Administration Comments/Communications

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

This report is from the ASD Administration and summarizes what was presented to the Board during each meeting.