Anchorage School District Budget Cuts Increase Class Sizes and Reduce Programs

The Anchorage School District is implementing budget cuts to address a $90 million structural deficit. These include a 4-student increase in the K-12 pupil-teacher ratio and the elimination of 49 teacher positions tied to enrollment declines.

Staffing and Class Size Adjustments

Residents with children in Anchorage schools will see the effects in daily classroom settings. The district plans to cut 27 special education positions and 20 gifted program positions. Dedicated elementary health instructor roles are also being eliminated, shifting health education to classroom instructors. These changes apply across the district and affect students who previously received targeted support.

Elementary families will lose dedicated art classes, which are being replaced by a weekly STEAM hybrid class. Middle school and secondary students will lose most sports programs, including hockey, swimming, and wrestling. The IGNITE program for gifted students is also being eliminated.

Funding Measures and Next Steps

Voters will decide on Proposition 9, a $12 million one-time tax levy, on the April municipal ballot. The measure is intended to reduce the funding shortfall and limit the scale of class size increases and program reductions. The Anchorage School Board has passed a resolution that could reverse the closure of three elementary schools, Campbell STEM, Fire Lake, and Lake Otis, if the Alaska Legislature passes a $920 per-student increase to the state funding formula. Long-term funding bills have stalled.

These steps follow the district's review of enrollment trends and revenue shortfalls. Anchorage households with school-age children will experience the adjustments through enrollment, transportation, and after-school activities beginning with the next school year. The district has outlined the changes in board documents and public recaps.