The Anchorage School District (ASD) plans to cut immersion programs next year, leaving parents worried about their children’s education. With a projected $100 million deficit, ASD officials say they must make difficult budget decisions that could impact nearly 3,000 students currently enrolled in immersion programs.
These programs provide instruction in 7 languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, German, Yu’pik, and French. Holly Brooks, a parent of two first graders in O’Malley Elementary’s French immersion program, has joined efforts to protect these programs.
Brooks believes the cuts will hurt language immersion and overall school enrollment, putting O’Malley at risk of closure. School Board President Andy Hollerman acknowledged the importance of immersion programs but warned that severe budget constraints limit their options.
Hollerman expressed hope that the state legislature might provide additional funding but admitted uncertainty over the timing and amount. “We are going to do everything we can to keep it from going away,” Holleman stated.
Brooks also pointed out the central issue of hiring teachers. Many immersion teachers and Native speakers who require visas make late funding decisions a logistical nightmare. Holleman stressed that the board must present a balanced budget by March and cannot rely on uncertain funding.
“The cuts that people are seeing right now are a worst-case scenario, but at the same time there’s no guarantee that won’t be the scenario,” Holleman explained. As Anchorage immersion programs face budget cuts, parents and educators continue pushing for immediate funding to avoid losing vital programs.
This news article was originally published by Alaska´s News Source.
