2025-03 School District, Federal & State News

Anchorage – Anchorage Schools prepare for Mount Spurr eruption – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – New boundaries and empty schools discussed at Tuesday’s Anchorage School Board meeting – Joe Allgood, Alaska’s News Source

Anchorage – Anchorage School Board passes cell phone restrictions – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – Anchorage Prop. 1: School District asks voters to approve $63 million bond for security & safety – KTUU

Anchorage – Here’s what could happen next with the Anchorage school budget cuts – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media

Anchorage – Anchorage School Board discusses repurposing empty school buildings – KTUU

Chatham – After funding cuts, Chatham school board approves budget revision with $70,000 deficit – Rashah McChesney, Chilkat Valley News

Chatham – The big yellow school bus returns to Kluwkan – Will Steinfeld – Chilkat Valley News

Delta-Greely – Delta High principal abruptly resigns, leaves district – Michele Trainor, Delta Wind

Delta-Greely – Decathlon team takes medals at state competition – Derek Case, Delta Wind

Fairbanks – School board adopts ‘unpalatable’ budget – Jack Barnwell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – Fairbanks school district seeks public input on redistricting options – Carter DeJong – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Fairbanks – Our Town: Elementary schools host Native Youth Olympics games – Jack Barnwell, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Haines – In Haines, flat funding from the state is making it hard to keep teachers – Avery Ellfeldt, KHNS

Juneau – Juneau School District approaches decision on annual district budget – Jamie Diep, KTOO

Juneau – Juneau students spend recess on a ‘dirt field’ while elected officials discuss playground plans – Jamie Diep, KTOO

Juneau – No injuries following fire at Juneau’s Dzantik’i Heeni school that left students stuck outside – Jamie Diep, KTOO

Kenai – Homer Flex reacts to potential consolidation plan, staffing cuts – Chloe Pleznac Homer News

Kenai – Ruffridge joins House majority to pass education bill – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – School board builds three budgets amid uncertain funding – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – Bjorkman talks schools, highway at Moose Pass town hall – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Kenai – School budget scenarios would cut staffing, programs – Jacob Dye, Peninsula Clarion

Kenai – School board strikes 6 schools from closure consideration. The board will continue to consider closing Nikolaevsk School, Sterling and Tustumena. – Jacob Dye, Peninsula Clarion

Kenai – Officials promote Dunleavy education priorities at local meetings – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL

Ketchikan – Ketchikan landslide blocks roadway, closes schools – Alaska’s News Source

Ketchikan – All students made it home after landslide; schools closed Friday – Alex Abbeduto, Ketchikan Daily News

Ketchikan – Ketchikan School Board President O’Brien resigns – Jack Darrell, KRBD

Ketchikan – Restructuring back on School Board agenda – Alex Abbeduto, Daily News

Ketchikan – Ketchikan teams compete in Battle of the Books – Danielle Kelly, Ketchikan Daily News

Lower Kuskokwim – ‘What else are we gonna have to take out?’ Bethel students protest ANSEP name change – Samantha Watson, KYUK

Mat-Su – School Board clarifies student dress and grooming language – Katie Stavick Frontiersman

Mat-Su – School district budget subject at MSB, school board meetings this week – Katie Stavick, Frontiersman

Mat-Su – Mat-Su schools, like the state, face big budget gaps next year – Tim Bradner, Frontiersman

Mat-Su – Wasilla student Amber Sherman named Alaska State Board Student Advisor Elect – Your Alaska Link

Mat-Su – Settlement reached in MSBSD lawsuit regarding students’ rights – Katie Stavick, Frontiersman

North Slope – Alaska Supreme Court says North Slope principal’s insult not protected by free speech – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Petersburg – Teachers suggest spending cuts as school board braces for major budget reductions – Sam Pausman, Wrangell Sentinel

Petersburg – ‘Federal funding cuts aren’t just numbers’: Petersburg Borough sends letter of concern to Alaska’s congressional delegation – Hannah Flor, KFSK

Sitka – Funding shortfall may force Mt. Edgecumbe to cut half its teachers next year – Robert Woolsey, KCAW

Unalaska – Unalaska schools keep frugal budget plans while education bill moves through state legislature – Andy Lusk, KUCB

Unalaska – Unalaska school district waits for state funding decision while bracing for million-dollar deficit – Taylor Heckart, KUCB

Unalaska – School district’s $1.2 million deficit prompts fears and solutions at community town hall – Taylor Heckart, KUCB

Valdez – Valdez, a ‘child care desert,’ takes next step toward new center – Raye M. White, Cordova Times

Wrangell – School district budget draft shows deficit for Wrangell Public Schools – Colette Czarnecki, KSTK

Yukon-Koyukuk – Many Y-K Delta school districts face budget woes even with proposed per-student funding increases – Sage Smiley, KYUK

Alaska education commissioner celebrates Trump order to ‘facilitate closure’ of federal Education Department – Iris Samuels, ADN

Trump Education Department decimates office serving 5 million English learners in public schools – Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

Many Y-K Delta school districts face budget woes even with proposed per-student funding increases – Sage Smiley, KYUK

Trump signs order directing Education secretary to shut down her own department – Shauneen Miranda, State’s Newsroom

President Trump signs executive order to dismantle the Department of Education – Stetson Miller, Alaska’s News Source

‘You work for us not Trump!’ Demonstrators show up for U.S. Sen. Sullivan’s address to legislators. Dozens of protesters quietly lined the hallway to the Alaska House chamber with signs for U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, protesting President Trump’s mass firings, budget cuts, the war on Ukraine and more – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

Alaska U.S. Sen. Murkowski addresses challenges of federal firings, budget cuts in annual speech. “This is about as hard as it’s ever gotten,” Murkowski said to reporters after the address, but said she is committed to working for Alaskans through federal cuts and period of uncertainty – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

In annual address to Legislature, Sen. Murkowski criticizes ‘traumatizing’ mass federal firings – Iris Samuels, Sean Maguire, ADN

Alaska legislators ask feds to reinstate program that sent money to rural schools – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Yukon premier testifies on Alaska legislature resolution recognizing Canada’s sovereignty – Dana Hatherly, Yukon News

New forecast projects growing state deficit from reduced oil revenue – Sean Maguire, ADN

Alaska House advances school funding boost over doubts about its costs – Sean Maguire, ADN

Alaska House passes $1,000 per student funding boost, after three days of debate – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

After report finds squalid conditions inside rural public schools, Senate Finance Committee questions state funding process for maintenance, construction – Emily Schwing, KYUK

‘Serious condition of dilapidation’: Alaska lawmakers show renewed interest in school maintenance funding  – Iris Samuels, ADN

‘Schools have been waiting’: Alaska House passes public school funding boost – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media

Alaska House debates amendments to education bill in marathon session – Sean Maguire & Iris Samuels, ADN

As Alaska Legislature tackles education funding, a bigger budget debate looms – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Funding for homeschool programs lacks accountability, due to absence of state standards. An elementary school principal writes that some students need additional attention after falling behind in homeschool programs – Eric Waltenbaugh, Alaska Beacon

House leaders add policy changes to revised education bill with $1,000 funding boost – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media

New-look public education funding bill advances toward Alaska House vote – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Alaska House panel shrinks school funding boost and adds policy changes in bill before floor debates – Sean Maguire, ADN

A Rural Alaska School Asked the State to Fund a Repair. Nearly Two Decades Later, the Building Is About to Collapse – Emily Schwing, KYUK

Rural Alaskan schools are crumbling as the state fails to provide funding to fix them – Emily Schwing, KYUK

Education funding bill awaits Alaska House vote – Olivia Nordyke, KTUU

Rural schools in Alaska are crumbling. The state is the likely culprit – Emily Schwing, NPR

Alaska House plans vote next week on key public-school funding bill – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Cost questions stall bill that would offer Alaska students free meals – Jamie Diep, KTOO

Former Alaska teacher faces charges for sexual abuse of a student he took in as a foster child – Matthew Holloway, Law Enforcement Today

Funding for homeschool programs lacks accountability, due to absence of state standards – Eric Waltenbaugh, Alaska Beacon