2024-11 School District, Federal & State News

Anchorage – Anchorage and some Mat-Su schools shift to remote learning as first big snowfall of the season hits Southcentral Alaska – ADN

Anchorage – The Anchorage School District says remote learning will be the norm when weather is bad – Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Anchorage School District braces for another significant budget deficit – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – ASD to release plan to close schools, redraw middle school boundaries in November – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – Anchorage Parents Brace for Major School Changes as Closures Loom – Your Alaska Link

Anchorage – Enrollment Decline: What ‘Rightsizing’ means for ASD families – Arielle Ingram-David, Your Alaska Link

Anchorage – Thousands of students attend ASD Career Expo as part of debut program to help choose career – Lauren Maxwell, Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – ASD to recommend school closures, repurpose or adjust boundaries – Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – ASD survey on potential new high school schedules sparks concerns – Georgina Fernandez, Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Chugiak High School lockdown safely resolved after “unfounded” reports of weapon on campus – Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Chugiak High School on temporary lockdown after false alarm – Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Anchorage schools change safety protocols after 2 steady years of drug overdoses – Zachariah Hughes

Anchorage – Anchorage schools’ tobacco policy updates include intervention – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Bering Strait – Incident Report Detailing Stebbins School Fire Released – Ben Townsend, KNOM

Delta/Greely – Delta High hosts its first AASG conference, bringing 270 plus students to Delta Junction – Michele Trainor, Delta Wind

Fairbanks – School board discusses the state of special education in the district – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – Measuring success through student growth: A shared responsibility between schools and the state – Luke Meinert, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – Schools canceled Monday due to threat of freezing rain – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Haines – Haines superintendent resigns after seven years. Roy Getchell said he’ll be leaving his post at the end of the school year – Rashah McChesney, Chilkat Valley News

Haines – Haines’ preschool shutdown worsens childcare conundrum – Melinda Munson, KHNS

Juneau – School district faces $738K deficit in food service and activity funds, but now has money to cover – Mark Sabbatini, Juneau Empire

Juneau – Juneau School District’s chief financial officer is resigning – Clarise Larson, KTOO

Kenai – KPBSD committee advances charter proposals – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – KPBSD group talks charter school limits in committee hearing – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – KPBSD principals get new contract – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – Central Kenai Peninsula faces shortage of childcare options – Hunter Morrison, KDLL Soldotna

Kenai – Borough seeks fresh perspective in new RFP for Soldotna schools – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – Soldotna administrator is Alaska’s assistant principal of the year – Hunter Morrison, KDLL

Ketchikan – More students, fewer teachers: Kayhi staff endeavor to meet student needs amid shrinking spending power – Alex Abbeduto, Ketchikan Daily News

Lower Kuskokwim – AVTEC signs MOU with LKSD to provide Teacher Housing – Delta Discovery

Lower Kuskokwim – Fire at Bethel Regional High School started by student causes no injuries, LKSD says – Evan Erickson, KYUK

Mat-Su – Mat-Su to vote on bond proposition to fund charter school buildings – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Petersburg – Petersburg School Board to hear updates on dress code, capital projects – Hannah Flor, KFSK

Petersburg – Petersburg School District secures nearly $1 million in grants – Olivia Rose, Petersburg Pilot

Sitka – School Board Goes Forward with Pre-K Plan – Garland Kennedy, Sitka Daily Sentinel

Sitka – New Sitka School Board tackles its first policy call, agrees to launch a tuition-based preschool – Robert Woolsey, KCAW

Sitka – School Board Passes Psychologist Contract – Garland Kennedy, Sitka Daily Sentinel

Wrangell – Student Advisory Committee wanted direct communication with school board but policy denies that link – Colette Czarnecki, KSTK

Wrangell – School board and advisory committee settle differences over policy – Sam Pausman, Wrangell Sentinel

Wrangell – School district’s new activities director wants to bring consistency to the job – Marc Lutz, Wrangell Sentinel

Dunleavy administration advances new office to investigate complaints against school districts – Iris Samuels

Alaska Gov. Dunleavy spends nearly $10,000 on Facebook ads to support education agenda – Iris Samuels, ADN

BSA increase resolution passed by AFN – Alex DeMarban, ADN

How a single education vote is shaping legislative races across Alaska – Iris Samuels & Sean Maguire, ADN

How candidates for the Alaska Legislature are talking about education as Election Day nears – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media

‘He’s Not Kidding,’ Advocates Warn as Trump Threatens to Defund Schools for Teaching US History – Alaska Native News

School choice goes before voters in 3 states, faces pushback in others – Elaine S. Povich, Alaska Beacon

Feds plan to withhold $17.5 million in pandemic era aid for Alaska schools due to ongoing equity dispute – Sean Maguire, ADN

Alaska House speaker suggests election bill was blocked because it would have improved rural Alaskans’ access to voting – Sean Maguire & Iris Samuels, ADN

Alaska Capitol may begin screening all visitors in 2025, according to draft security proposal – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Alaska legislative panel bans large signs in the state Capitol after education protest – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Education: Where do Harris and Trump stand? – Shauneen Miranda, Alaska Beacon

Biden highlights Sealaska President Rosita Worl during Native boarding schools apology speech – KTUU

Alaska Native advocates call Biden apology for boarding schools ‘just the beginning’ – Rhonda McBride, KNBA

Alaska Native scholars propose statewide reading standards for the state’s Indigenous languages – Claire Stremple, Alaska Beacon

To support the use of Alaska Native languages in schools, educators propose reading standards – Alena Naiden, ADN

Indigenous educators propose new Alaska Native language standards – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

For some teenagers from rural Alaska, learning to drive in Anchorage is a rite of passage – Michelle Theriault Boots, ADN

Alaska joins growing number of states considering crackdown on cellphones in schools – Claire Stremple, Alaska Beacon

False citations show Alaska education official relied on generative AI, raising broader questions. Commissioner Bishop said the documents were a first draft and appeared on the state’s website due to a technical error – Claire Stremple, Alaska Beacon

State argues court should dismiss climate lawsuit from eight young Alaskans – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media

As satellite internet shakes up the rural school internet system, rising costs throw its future into question – Evan Erickson, KYUK

Alaska Schools Switch to Starlink to Improve Connectivity, Cut Costs – Alex Diaz, Tesla North

Parenting in the Far North: Guiding kids through crisis: Family support after school tragedies – Alaska’s News Source

Southcentral Alaska schools are ready for snow: what you need to know – John Thompson, Alaska’s News Source