1/20/2026 School Board Recap

 

Key takeaways:

• OCEANS Academy charter application final update 
• ASD Teacher Apprenticeship Program offers new pathways for ASD staff to pursue teacher certification
• Superintendent addresses AEA/ASD tentative agreement, budget outlook and newly proposed Anchorage school levy 

 

On Tuesday, January, 20, 2026, 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

School Board meeting agendas

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Work Session Review

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

The Work Session provided an overview on: 

1. OCEANS Academy Charter
2. Teacher Apprenticeship Program

 

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OCEANS Academy Charter

ASD Presentors:

STrEaM Academy Principal Adam Mokelke

 

Choice Schools Senior Director Robyn Harris 

The applicants were also available to answer questions:

 

ASD substitute nurse and teacher Beth Busk

Highland Academy teacher Simon Rose

The OCEANS Academy Charter applicants and District staff participated in what was expected to be the final work session discussion ahead of a Board vote in February. Applicants emphasized the purpose of OCEANS as a hands-on, project-based high school option intended to serve students seeking an alternative pathway, particularly those graduating from school programs like STrEaM Academy, an ASD K-8 charter school.

STrEaM Academy Principal Adam Mokelke shared that STrEaM, now in its 10th year, was intentionally designed by middle school teachers, follows the middle school model and does not plan to expand to serve high school students. He noted he is a strong supporter of neighborhood high schools, however STrEaM families consistently ask for a similar learning option beyond 8th grade.

What’s next?

Administration explained that if the Board approves the application in early February, it would advance to the State for consideration in March. Because the ASD lottery opens February 1, OCEANS may not be included in the main lottery window; administrators discussed options for a potential separate or later lottery to allow the school to enroll students if approved, along with continued alignment of enrollment targets and startup costs.

 

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ASD Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP)

Presenters:

Teacher Expert Jennifer Blome

U.S. Department of Labor, Alaska Apprenticeship Director Jacqueline Garcia 

Chief Human Resources Officer Martin Lang

Senior Director Special Assignment Erik Viste

The Anchorage School District Teacher Apprenticeship Program offers a “grow-your-own” pathway for aspiring educators to earn their teaching certification while working in ASD classrooms.

 

The program is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and sponsored by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). It is designed to remove financial barriers for aspiring ASD teachers, provide meaningful mentorship, and strengthen the local teacher pipeline to better reflect the diversity of our students.

 

Why it matters

• ASD faces persistent teacher shortages, particularly at the elementary level.

• Traditional teacher preparation pathways are not producing enough candidates to meet demand in Alaska.

• In 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor formally added teachers to the registered apprenticeship system. This change created new opportunities for school districts to develop educator pipelines through structured, paid apprenticeship models. 

• Data from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) showed that apprentices in their program more closely reflect student demographics.

• Partnership and collaboration with statewide sponsors, including Bristol Bay and Sealaska, helped inform ASD’s approach.

How it works:
TAP is a paid, work-based learning program that combines on-the-job learning with formal instruction to prepare aspiring educators for certification, creating a pathway to the profession.

 

Apprentices earn while they learn, working alongside an ASD “Journeyworker Teacher” or an experienced mentor teacher during the school day and taking college courses in the evenings.

 

TAP follows a partnership-driven model that removes barriers for aspiring teachers while allowing them to remain employed by ASD. The program integrates:

• Educational Preparation Program: University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)
   

• Sponsor: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
   

• Oversight: U.S. Department of Labor
   

• Employer: Anchorage School District
  
   

Pilot launch:
The pilot began this month and includes five current ASD paraprofessionals pursuing K–3 certification through a two-year pathway. 

Administrators shared that the interest exceeded expectations: 85% of surveyed paraprofessionals expressed interest, more than 120 applied, and 40+ teachers applied to become Journeyworker teachers.

 

Funding & next steps:
The pilot is supported by ASD general funds budget allocated to recruitment and retention funds and DEED tuition grants. Administration plans to pursue additional grants, sponsorships, and fundraising to sustain the program, expand cohorts, and add certification pathways.

 

 Presentation from this portion of the meeting 

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Board Meeting Review

Resources from this meeting:

The Agenda, as presented, was approved by the Board. 

 

Recording

 

Reports

Student Representative Report

Student Representative Madison Arreola reported that the Student Advisory Board (SAB) met on January 13. Students discussed school priorities through an exercise exploring how each school would use $1,000 to address a need. Responses included support for music instrument rentals, fee waivers for AP exams and athletics, access to school supplies, expanded foreign language opportunities, and school infrastructure improvements, among other things.

 

SAB also heard school spotlights from Girdwood K-8, Northern Lights ABC, and Gruening Middle School. Highlights included Girdwood’s intensive programs and end-of-year student market, Northern Lights ABC’s strong statewide academic performance, and Gruening’s Spanish and applied technology programs.

 

A proposed resolution requiring a 0.5 fine arts credit for graduation did not pass. SAB plans to introduce a new resolution focused on foreign language progression from middle to high school, so students who took a foreign language course in middle school can continue to the next level once they are in high school. Arreola concluded by noting applications for the next SAB president-elect are due in early February.

 

Military Report

Military Representative 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 thanked ASD staff, particularly the operations team, for strong and timely communication during inclement weather events, noting the importance of coordination for both District and base families.

 

Col. Hansen highlighted JBER’s continued partnership with ASD to support students becoming college, career, and life ready through the Academies of Anchorage. He shared recent examples of engagement, including JBER medical professionals visiting Eagle River High School to discuss medical career pathways and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit visiting Central Middle School during a science intensive day to showcase civil engineering trades.

 

He also shared updates on JBER’s Readers for Leaders program, with additional service members volunteering at Airport Heights Elementary. Col. Hansen concluded by expressing appreciation for Eagle River High School’s Junior ROTC program for the invitation to the upcoming statewide drill and ceremony competition and he is excited to see future generations “engaged in focused precision and discipline as they prepare for college, career, and life.”

 

Requests to begin bargaining

School Board President Carl Jacobs summarized the two requests to begin bargaining: 

 

Teamsters Local Union No. 959

Public Employees Local 71

 

Committee Reports 

 

Goal Monitoring

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryant presented technical reports that will be discussed by the Board in two weeks on the following School Board Goal and Interim Board Goal monitoring and Guardrail Monitoring Report:

 

School Board Goal: College, Career, Life Ready (CCL)

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.

 

Interim Board Goal 3.2: “CTE Concentrator Status”

The percentage of students earning “CTE Concentrator” status by the end of their senior year will increase from 23.3% in June 2023 to 90% in June 2028. Note: A “CTE Concentrator” is a student who earns at least two credits within a specific CTE program of study (CTEPS) beyond the Freshman Academy Career Exploration course. 

 

Outcome Monitoring January 13, 2026 College, Career, Life Ready “CTE Concentrator Status”

 

Guardrail Monitoring Report:

Culturally Diverse Workforce

 

Guardrail #2

Superintendent will not operate without a plan to develop a qualified, diverse, and culturally responsive workforce

 

 Guardrail monitoring report

 

 

Public Comment

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda as amended was approved by the Board. 

There was no Board discussion about the Consent Agenda items. 

 

Action Items 

ASD Memorandum #078

This memo details an Award of Contract: Multi-Site Secure Vestibule Entry: Group 6 Baxter, Ravenwood, and Scenic Park Elementary Schools

The Board voted unanimously to approve Memo #078. 

 

The Board discussion is available for playback. 

 

Non-Action Items

 

Member Kelly Lessens pulled Non-Action Item #085 Approval Of Charter School Application — Oceans Academy, in order to continue discussion from the work session.

OCEANS Academy Charter Founding Member Melissa Pearl joined the returning panel of applicants from the Work Session to answer questions from the Board.

Superintendent Update

 

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt provided several important updates to the Board and community, focusing on a tentative agreement with the Anchorage Education Association (AEA), the District’s budget outlook, and a newly proposed one-time school levy.

 

AEA Tentative Agreement

Dr. Bryantt began by sharing his appreciation that ASD and Anchorage Education Association (AEA) bargaining teams reached a tentative agreement. 

The AEA ratification vote is scheduled for January 28-30. If ratified, the agreement would come before the School Board for approval at its February 3 meeting. “Teachers are the single most important factor in the classroom learning environment,” Dr. Bryantt said.  He thanked teachers for their dedication and professionalism, acknowledging the significant time commitment required of educators during the 15-month bargaining process. He thanked AEA leadership, and expressed optimism about continued collaboration with AEA President Christi Sitz to ensure strong, sustainable conditions for Anchorage educators.

 

More information on the ASD AEA tentative agreement

Budget Outlook

Dr. Bryantt then turned to the District’s financial outlook, underscoring ASD remains in a severe budget crisis. For the 2026–27 school year, the District is projecting a deficit of more than $80 million.

 

He explained that while the state’s $700 permanent Base Student Allocation (BSA) increase last year was historic, prior to that BSA increase, inflation had eroded district purchasing power by approximately $1,800 per student. Additionally, when balancing the current year’s budget, ASD spent down emergency reserves to preserve student programs and services as directed through community feedback. ASD reserves are now depleted, effectively creating a $700-per-student funding gap going into next year.

 

Dr. Bryantt shared that his leadership team continues to review budgets and costs by identifying efficiencies and reducing administrative and non-classroom costs. Even with those efforts, given the magnitude of the deficit, he stated it is not possible to avoid reductions that impact student services, as the majority of ASD’s budget directly supports classrooms and students. 

 

The Administration plans to present a proposed budget to the Board at the first meeting in February, at which point it will become open for community feedback. Dr. Bryantt cautioned that, unlike in some prior years, additional one-time funding from the legislature may not materialize. While the District will continue to advocate strongly for students and educators, he emphasized to the community the severity of the situation and what lies ahead over the coming months.

Proposed One-Time School Levy

Dr. Bryantt also addressed a newly announced proposal for a one-time school levy, introduced in partnership with Mayor Suzanne LaFrance during a recent press conference. If approved by the Anchorage Assembly, the levy would appear on the April ballot.

 

Unlike a bond, an operational levy can be used for operational expenses. In this case, the proposed $11.8 million levy would be dedicated to supporting teaching positions and essential student services. Dr. Bryantt explained that the amount is equivalent to funding more than 80 teacher positions.

 

He emphasized that this is a one-time investment, not a recurring source of revenue. He also acknowledged that it is a big ask of  taxpayers but if passed would unlock a new opportunity to help mitigate some of the most severe impacts of the upcoming ASD budget reductions.

 

If approved by voters, the levy would cost approximately $27.40 per $100,000 of assessed property value. Dr. Bryantt stated his commitment that every dollar from the levy would go directly into classrooms to support student learning.

 

Dr. Bryantt explained that the opportunity for the levy arose after the state’s BSA increase, which in turn allowed the Municipality of Anchorage to increase its maximum contribution to local schools. 

 

Next Steps

• January 27: The proposed one-time operational levy is scheduled for consideration by the Anchorage Assembly.
  
   
• February: The School Board will review the proposed ASD FY 2026-27 budget in early February, with a final budget adopted and submitted to the Anchorage Assembly by the end of the month.
  
   
• April: Anchorage voters will have time to review the final ASD budget and decide whether to make a one-time investment in Anchorage schools by voting on the school levy.

 

He concluded his remarks by reiterating that while the District faces a severe budget crisis, ASD’s north star remains the School Board’s goals of improving reading, math, and life readiness. Dr. Bryantt acknowledged that the months ahead will require difficult decisions and tradeoffs, but emphasized that those decisions must remain grounded in what best supports student success.

 

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