2023-11 School District, Federal & State News

Anchorage – Anchorage School Board approves $62 million bond proposal that includes money for new Inlet View Elementary – Annie Berman, ADN

Anchorage – School board approves $62m bond package including funds to rebuild Inlet View Elementary – Lauren Maxwell, Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Anchorage voters to decide school bond package that again includes Inlet View rebuild – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – ‘Not a painless path ahead’: Facing $95M shortfall, Anchorage School District again warns of cuts – Annie Berman, ADN

Anchorage – Anchorage teachers, school district agree on contract terms – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – Anchorage superintendent says ‘strategic failure’ at play in snow-related school closures – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – ASD superintendent defensive about Mayor Bronson’s criticism of keeping schools closed whole roads went unplowed – Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – School bus drivers struggle with snow as Anchorage schools reopen – Zaz Hollander, Zachariah Hughes, Michelle Theriault Boots, Annie Berman, ADN

Anchorage – Anchorage schools won’t reopen until most roads are plowed, district says – Michelle Theriault Boots

Anchorage – Anchorage School District shifts to remote learning again Tuesday, citing road conditions – ADN

Anchorage – With the rise of remote learning, are snow days in Anchorage a thing of the past? – Annie Berman

Bering Strait – School on Little Diomede closed indefinitely due to safety concerns – Ava White, KNOM

Delta-Greely – Students must have winter gear; screen time should be supervised – Denise Wilhelm, Delta Wind

Delta-Greely – School board to look at superintendent search criteria – Delta Wind staff

Dillingham – More than 2 months in, Dillingham is still waiting for teachers – Christina McDermott, KDLG

Dillingham – Lessons in literacy, stem and Yup’ik culture at Dillingham’s after school program – Christina McDermott, KDLG

Fairbanks – Interior delegation talks education funding, energy at chamber of commerce lunch – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – Librarians react to Alaska AG letters on distribution of indecent content to minors – Carter DeJong and Kris Capps, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – FNSB Assembly member leads lawsuit against Mat-Su school district – Adrian Peterson, KTVF

Fairbanks – Fairbanks residents rally in support of Mat-Su Valley students – Adrian Peterson, KTVF

Fairbanks – New members take their seats on the Fairbanks school board – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Juneau – Lower enrollment grows Juneau School District’s operating fund deficit – Katie Anastas, KTOO

Juneau – Schools, libraries get warning letters from state attorney general about youth content. Local officials say letters lack specifics, aren’t considering changes in policies – Mark Sabbatini, Juneau Empire

Kenai – School board briefed on role of AI in education – Ashlyn O’Hara, Peninsula Clarion

Kenai – From Hope to Homer, how one school district is adjusting to Alaska Reads Act. Implementing the standards outlined by the legislation is not a one-size-fits-all approach – Ashlyn O’Hara, Peninsula Clarion

Kenai – Latest Budget 101 tackles school district fund balance – Riley Board, KDLL

Kenai – School board finance group reviews expenditures ahead of upcoming budget cycle – Ashlyn O’Hara, Peninsula Clarion

Kenai – ‘Budget 101’: School district savings accounts. The series aims to inform the general public about how the KPBSD budget process works – Ashlyn O’Hara, Peninsula Clarion

Ketchikan – School District responded to threatening posts; law enforcement notified, minor trespassed from facilities – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News

Ketchikan – KTN School Board, superintendent discuss schools budgeting – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News

Ketchikan – School Board set to discuss District calendar; hear budget update – Sam Stockbridge, Ketchikan Daily News

Kodiak – 49% of KIBSD students qualify for free, reduced lunches – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror

Kodiak – Specially trained reading teachers ‘graduate’ today – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror

Kodiak – KIBSD to share in teacher evaluation grant – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror

Kodiak – Old Harbor School adds teacher – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror

Kodiak – Bats shown the door at Port Lions School – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror

Lower Kuskokwim – Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Elementary School Principal Josh Gill named Alaska’s National Distinguished Principal – Your Alaska Link

Lower Kuskokwim – Chefornak Native Youth Olympics Meet Results – The Delta Discovery

Lower Kuskokwim – To prevent domestic violence, Alaska schools teach healthy relationships – Claire Stremple, Alaska Beacon

Mat-Su – Attorney: School Board Committee operating in violation of state’s Open Meetings Act
 – Katie Stavick, Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman

Mat-Su – Mat-Su students stage second walkout in protest against representation issue – Alaska’s News Source

Mat-Su – Hundreds of Mat-Su students stage walkout to protest school board decisions – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Mat-Su – Mat-Su Borough students walk out in protest against recent school board decisions – Georgina Fernandez, Alaska’s News Source

Mat-Su – Mat-Su school board candidates speak out about campaign vandalism, crude accusations – Carly Schreck, Alaska’s News Source

Mat-Su – Ahead of Mat-Su Borough school board election, students question free speech rights – Georgina Fernandez, Alaska’s News Source

Mat-Su – In Alaska’s right-leaning Mat-Su, challengers aim to unseat conservative school board incumbents – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Mat-Su – Community discontent grows as Mat-Su School Board meeting addresses concerns – Ian Stewart, Your Alaska Link

Nome – Former students sue BSSD, alleging abuse by ex-Stebbins teacher – Megan Gannon, Nome Nugget

Sitka – Sitka High students introduce resolutions in support of mental health, men’s volleyball — and strongly opposed to book bans – Robert Woolsey, KCAW

Skagway – Skagway students share artistic ideas, projects – Andrew Cremata, The Skagway News

Alaska governor’s staff blocked publication of state agency’s analysis of teacher pay – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Alaska attorney general weighs in on hot-button education issues – Nolin Ainsworth, Alaska’s News Source

Parents must consent to instruction on gender identity in Alaska schools, attorney general says – Iris Samuels, ADN

Student School Board Members Want a Seat at the Table, Not Just a Pat on the Back – Evie Blad, Education Week

‘Enough is enough’: Lawsuit seeks to bring banned books back to the Mat-Su school district – Rebecca Palsha, Alaska’s News Source

Lawsuit contends Mat-Su book removals violate student civil rights – Amy Bushatz, ADN

Mat-Su School District’s removal of books from school libraries prompts federal lawsuit – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage, Mat-Su and many Kenai Peninsula schools shift to remote learning Thursday – Anchorage Daily News

USDOE invites Alaska Native Education Program applications – Federal Register

Feds Award Millions to School Districts to Address ‘Tricky’ Issue of Integration – The 74

Alaska House Republicans confirm Thomas Baker to fill vacancy left when independent Rep. Patkotak resigned – Associated Press

Committee adopts policy for new apartments for Alaska lawmakers and staff – Becky Bohrer, Associated Press

The waning influence of Moms for Liberty – Scott Simon, NPR