Anchorage Schools Face Layoffs and Budget Crisis
Anchorage School District officials are grappling with a significant budget shortfall, leading to staff layoffs and program cuts, . The district is responding to a combination of frozen federal funds and state budget cuts, a situation described as a result of “unstable decision-making, delayed funding,” and ”systemic negligence” by Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt.
The crisis stems from multiple funding reductions. The U.S. Department of Education froze nearly $46 million in federal education grants statewide on , including over $14 million intended for Anchorage. These funds supported after-school programs, special education, English learning services, and Alaska Native student support. Governor Mike Dunleavy initially vetoed more than $50 million in education funding in , including a per-student funding increase previously approved by lawmakers.
While the Alaska legislature ultimately overrode the governor’s veto on , restoring some services and teachers, the initial veto created a $4.3 million gap for the Anchorage School District. According to district spokesperson Corey Allen Young, the $14 million in federal funding cuts are equivalent to 34.5 positions. 15 teacher trainers have been reassigned to vacant classroom positions, and five employees have been laid off. Young stated that the district was able to limit the number of layoffs by utilizing existing classroom vacancies and small amounts of funding from other sources.
Superintendent Bryantt, in an email to staff and parents, blamed the cuts on a broader undermining of public education in Alaska. He described a proposed change by the state school board regarding municipal contributions to school districts as a “failure of leadership.”
Governor Dunleavy responded to Bryantt’s concerns by criticizing district leaders for issuing a “hysterical” warning and accusing them of mismanaging funds. He cited falling oil prices as a contributing factor to the decrease in funding, stating that the partial veto of the increase in the Base Student Allocation (BSA) was “carefully considered and necessary given falling oil prices resulting in less funding available.”
The situation is unfolding as Alaska lawmakers consider key education funding bills. A bill was being heard in the Senate Education Committee as of .
The Anchorage School District is also facing a projected $90 million deficit, leading to consideration of eliminating sports programs and support staff, according to a report from .
The broader context of state funding for education has been a recurring issue. In , Governor Dunleavy’s cuts to the University of Alaska system sparked similar concerns about the state’s commitment to public education, including the elimination of funding for the Alaska State Council on the Arts and public television. The Recovery Act previously provided funding to Alaska for education and the arts.
On , the chair of the NEA stated that a loss of arts funding would hurt Alaska’s economy.
