2025-01 School District, Federal & State News
Alaska School District News
Anchorage – Anchorage parents show support for education funding plan in Juneau – Quinn White, KTUU
Anchorage – Anchorage schools closed after day of damaging winds and rain – Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media
Anchorage – Alaska teachers, local government workers go weeks without retirement contributions after state retirement division hacked – Iris Samuels, ADN
Anchorage – Anchorage, Mat-Su schools closed due to freezing rain – Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media
Dillingham – Dillingham City School Districts new policy boosts volunteer hours at school sports tournaments – Margaret Sutherland, KDLG
Fairbanks – North Star Elementary will close before next school year – Brian Venua, KMXT
Fairbanks – School district proposes extending charter school contracts to 5 years – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – Fairbanks school board grills borough mayor on education funding needs – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – Fairbanks borough mayor expresses interest in repurposing buildings with looming school closures – Adrian Peterson, KTVF
Fairbanks – Parents, staff look to humanize Fairbanks area school closures as board of education continues consolidation talks – Patrick Gilchrist, KUAC
Fairbanks – Pearl Creek Elementary parents express frustration, discuss plan to save school – Adrian Peterson, KTUU
Fairbanks – What school closures, boundary changes could mean for FNSBSD students – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – No more schools can be closed, says Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board president – Adrian Peterson, KTUU
Fairbanks – Fairbanks area school district releases proposal to close 5 schools – Patrick Gilchrist, KUAC
Fairbanks – Fairbanks school closures proposed due to $16M budget deficit – Your Alaska Link
Fairbanks – School district looking for community feedback on strategic plan – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks – Fairbanks borough mayor expresses interest in repurposing buildings with looming school closures – Adrian Peterson, KTUU
Haines – Lilly Boron to be new superintendent of Haines Borough School District – Trygve Bakke, KHNS
Iditarod – Shageluk teacher celebrated 50 years of teaching – Casandra Mancl, KTUU
Juneau – Juneau student, school staff information may have been compromised in national data breach – Clarise Larson, KTOO
Juneau – Juneau School District not impacted by nationwide PowerSchool data breach – Jasz Garrett, Juneau Empire
Juneau – Juneau students, school staff information may have been compromised in a national data breach – Clarise Larson, KTOO
Kenai – Kenai, Kenatize hold joint work session and share updates – Jacob Dye, Peninsula Clarion
Kenai – Facing $17M deficit, KPBSD warns of “drastic times” ahead – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL
Kenai – The following Kenai Peninsula Borough schools are delayed 2 hours due to icy roads – Nolin Ainsworth, KTUU
Kenai – Vehicle collides with KPBSD school bus; no student injuries reported – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL
Kenai – Kenai Conversation: Mid-year schools update with Clayton Holland – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL
Kenai – KPBSD won’t get $8M after feds drop pandemic funding feud with state – Ashlyn O’Hara, KDLL
Kenai – Mountain View assistant principal earns national recognition. Aubrie Ellis named Alaska’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of 2025. – Jacob Dye, Homer News
Ketchikan – School Board defers consideration of restructuring motion – Alex Abbeduto, Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan – School district to talk through budget – Alex Abbeduto, Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan – School Board eyes cuts, restructuring – Alex Abbeduto, Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan – Students and teachers report a sharp decline in support for non-native English speakers in Ketchikan schools – Jack Darrell, KRBD
Kodiak – Decision time for school board – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror
Kodiak – KIBSD Board of Education to vote whether or not to close a school – Brian Venua, KMXT
Kodiak – Peterson Elementary School off cut list as board, staff, parents mull budget puzzle – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror
Kodiak – Board to consider closing a school to square budget – Steve Williams, Kodiak Daily Mirror
Kodiak – Main Elementary spared from closure recommendation as budget talks begin – Brian Venua, KMXT
Mat-Su – Mat-Su School Board Superintendent addresses the increasing number of district students attending correspondence schools outside the district – Andrew Gelderman, KTNA
Mat-Su – Superintendent proposes ‘dramatic restructuring’ to homeschool program in Mat-Su – Katie Stavick, Frontiersman
Mat-Su – Founding Fathers’ documents display, review timelines, and school configuration measures discussed at last MSBSD school board meeting of 2024 – Katie Stavick, Frontiersman
Nome – Nome Public Schools mull teacher cuts in first draft of 2026 budget – Anna Lionas, Nome Nugget
Petersburg – Petersburg School District part of global data breach – Hannah Flor, KFSK
Petersburg – Petersburg Borough Assembly to decide on bonds for school upgrades – Olivia Rose, KFSK
Sitka – Assembly signals plan to fund schools to the ‘cap’, but it won’t solve district’s budget woes – Katherine Rose, KCAW
Sitka – Schools Get Pledge: City Funding to Cap – Shannon Haugland, Sitka Daily Sentinel
Sitka – Sitka School Board anticipates $2 million deficit for upcoming fiscal year – Katherine Rose, KCAW
State and Federal News
In legislative speech, Dunleavy offers optimistic view but foreshadows education dispute – James Brooks & Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
Alaska lawmakers introduce bill for major boost in school funding. After the governor’s veto last year, House lawmakers’ new proposal aims to increase school funding based on inflation rates – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
Districts across Alaska are considering closing schools – Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media
Alaska House to ‘expedite’ consideration of education funding increase – Iris Samuels, ADN
Trump’s funding freeze confounds Alaska government, schools and nonprofits – Alaska Public Media
Alaska House bill raising education funding more than 40% over three years gets first hearing Monday – Jasz Garrett, Juneau Empire
Alaska House plans fast action on bill that would boost school funding and tie it to inflation – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media
Brain Power: Proposed bill could bring free meals to students in Alaska – Georgina Fernandez, KTUU
Alaska House lawmakers debate education funding, election reform, and more – La’shawn Donelson, Your Alaska Link
Alaska Legislature opens new session on time and in order, a first since 2017. House and Senate leaders say a bill that increases education funding is likely to be a first priority – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Senate majority says it will seek permanent education funding increase – Carter DeJong, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Bill to provide free breakfast and lunch for all Alaska students filed in the Legislature – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
Second round of prefiled bills released Friday as legislators prep for start of session – Carter DeJong and Haley Lehman, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Retirement reform reintroduced ahead of legislative session, topping agendas in House and Senate – Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News
Lawmakers and union call on Dunleavy administration to release drafts of state salary study – Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media
Sen. Stevens and Rep. Stutes share priorities ahead of 34th Alaska Legislature – Brian Venua, KMXT, Kodiak
Stedman Gets Ready For Budget Challenge – Shannon Haugland, Daily Sitka Sentinel
As Alaska lawmakers begin introducing bills, public pension revival is poised to advance – James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Alaska teachers, local government workers go weeks without retirement contributions after state retirement division hacked – Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News
Rural Alaska schools face funding shortfall after U.S. House fails to pass bipartisan bill – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
Alaska education advocates gloomy about prospects of a big funding boost this year – Sean Maguire, ADN
Nick Begich III is sworn in as Alaska’s representative in the U.S. House – Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
With school funding dispute over, four Alaska districts move on without federally promised money – Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
Task force report identifies ways to make child care more available and affordable in Alaska – Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon
In Southeast Alaska, travel for school activities can be a nightmare, but it’s worth it – Hannah Flor, KFSK
Food show highlights what’s new in school lunches across Alaska – Lauren Maxwell, KTUU