2023-04 School District, Federal & State News
Alaska School District News
Anchorage – Anchorage’s Alaska Native Cultural Charter School will move into Abbott Loop Elementary space this fall – Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage – Anchorage School District recommends changing school start times – Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage – Anchorage School District sees sudden rise in drug overdoses among high school students – Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage – Anchorage School District takes action after overdoses involving fentanyl – Lauren Maxwell, Alaska’s News Source
Anchorage – Anchorage School District revokes charter of Family Partnership Charter School – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media
Anchorage – Service High principal placed on administrative leave amid ‘community concerns’ – Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media
Anchorage – 4 Susitna Valley schools shift to remote learning amid heavy snowfall – Anchorage Daily News
Delta-Greely – Kindergarten enrollment open – Delta Wind
Dillingham – School district waits on legislative solutions to budget woes – Riley Board, KDLL
Dillingham – Dillingham City Council yet to decide on education funding as it weighs other city needs – Izzy Ross & Christina McDermott, KDLG
Dillingham – Dillingham School District aims to hire amidst teacher, housing shortages – Christina McDermott, KDLG
Dillingham – District prepares to launch new reading program – Sabine Poux, KDLL
Fairbanks – Borough Assembly to consider school district funding resolution while facing projected deficit – Jack Barnwell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – School board hears legislative funding update but no solid answers – Jack Barnwell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – The power of speech: Students draw laughter, emotion in district contest – Jack Barnwell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Haines – Haines School District overcomes daunting teacher shortage – Brandon Wilks, KHNS
Juneau – City OKs $2.3M in additional ‘out-of-cap’ funding to school district – Clarise Larson, Juneau Empire
Juneau – Juneau School District and teachers union reach tentative agreement – Katie Anastas, KTOO
Juneau – Juneau teachers limit their work to paid hours during contract negotiations – Katie Anastas, KTOO
Juneau – Juneau Police Department investigated student who brought firearm to school, student has been charged with a class A misdemeanor – KINY News
Juneau – Frank Hauser selected as new superintendent of Juneau schools – Katie Anastas, KTOO Juneau
Kenai – School board sends KPBSD budget, with cuts, to borough assembly – Ashlyn O’Hara, Homer News
Kenai – District to debut new English language curriculum this fall selected to align with with state standards and the Alaska Reads Act – Ashlyn O’Hara, Homer News
Kenai – School staff eye retirement reform – Ashlyn O’Hara, Homer News
Kenai – Connections looks to boost home-school enrollment – Ashlyn O’Hara, Homer News
Ketchikan – Audit of School District health insurance finds no major discrepancies – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan – Draft budget for Ketchikan’s school district has fewer staff, but no layoffs – Eric Stone, KRBD
Ketchikan – Joint Assembly, School Board committee mulls effect of potential BSA hike – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan – School Board backs off letter of censure; OKs KEA agreement – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News
Nome – Nome city government, school district seeing increased insurance costs – Greg Knight, KNOM
Nome – Nome Public Schools proposes $15.84 million FY 2024 budget – Megan Gannon, Nome Nugget
North Slope – North Slope’s only tribal school readies a new crop of graduates, and plans to expand – Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News
North Slope – Scientists show Utqiagvik’s eighth graders how to measure sea ice and see who lives inside it – Alena Naiden, Arctic Sounder
Petersburg – School Board meets to announce resignations – Rachel Cassandra, KFSK
Petersburg – Petersburg School District Finance Director Karen Morrison resigns – Rachel Cassandra, KFSK
Sitka – Sitka School District proposes draining reserves to balance budget – Robert Woolsey, KCAW
Unalaska – Unalaska’s Superintendent talks potential BSA increase, other education bills that could affect local schools – Sofia Stuart-Rasi, KUCB
State and Federal News
Opinion: Our politicians should listen to Alaskans on public school funding – Bob Shavelson, Homer News
Are culture wars really what Alaska schools need? – Anchorage Daily News editorial board
Senate proposes one-time $680 increase to per-student funding paired with $1,300 PFD – Lex Treinen, Alaska Public Media
Alaska budget battles could pit the dividend against a school funding boost – Sean Maguire, Anchorage Daily News
Alaska Senate working to close budget gap with House on PFD, education funding – Joey Klecka, Alaska’s News Source
Bills would let school districts opt into state’s healthcare plan – Riley Board, KDLL
Hard math begins on education funding boost: Testimony nearly unanimous in favor of 22.5% proposed increase; senators ask how to pay for it – Mark Sabbatini, Juneau Empire
Alaska House budget debates stall over plan to use savings for one-time school funding boost – Sean Maguire, Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News
Some Alaska House lawmakers stage brief walkout over education funding – KINY Juneau
To help state budget, legislator proposes income tax: $20 for most Alaskans, more for those with upper incomes – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
House bill aims to boost Alaska Performance Scholarship use – Ashlyn O’Hara, Peininsula Clarion
Alaska governor’s ‘parental rights’ bill draws more opposition in second hearing – Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News
Alaskans overwhelmingly oppose governor’s ‘parental rights’ bill in first hearing – Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News
Parents behind ‘Bree’s Law’ blocked by Dunleavy administration from adapting Alaska’s teen dating violence classes for nationwide use – Sean Maguire, Anchorage Daily News
Five schools earn designation of Alaska Purple Star School – KINY Juneau
Yup’ik and Iñupiaq Statewide Spelling Bee for Beginners results – Delta Discovery, Village Telegraph
Keeping Alaska Native Languages Alive: Interview with Dr. X̱ʼunei Lance Twitchell – Pranay Varada, Harvard Review
Alaska Native Heritage Center explores impact of early churches on Indigenous education – Rhonda McBride, KNBA
Indigenizing education with University of Alaska representatives and education leaders – Joe Kinneen, Alaska’s News Source
APU president says the school can help address Alaska’s outmigration woes – Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon
An Anchorage therapist has advice for talking to children about school shootings – Alaska’s News Source