The Anchorage School District (ASD) is facing a dire situation with a $100 million deficit in the 2025-2026 budget. Superintendent Dr. Jharett Bryantt says the root cause of the problem is the lack of inflation adjustment for the State’s “Base Student Allocation” (BSA). This issue has been ongoing for years.
The BSA has only increased by $30 since 2017 and currently sits at $5,960. Bryantt believes this lack of adjustment hurts not just ASD, but districts statewide. Consequently, the district is being forced to consider drastic cuts.
The proposed budget cuts include eliminating middle school sports, elementary library assistants, and high school hockey, gymnastics, swimming, and diving. Bryantt says these cuts are necessary because the district is trying to ensure it can offer sports to as many students as possible.
Meanwhile, the State has granted one-time payments to schools in the past. However, Bryantt says these payments are not guaranteed and cannot be budgeted for. Furthermore, there is currently legislation, House Bill 69, aimed at increasing the BSA.
Bryantt is hopeful that the legislation will pass. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that similar proposals have been denied in the past. Therefore, the district is preparing for the worst-case scenario.
In addition, Bryantt emphasized the importance of finding a reliable solution to the district’s budget problems. He stated that the district is not asking for excessive funding, but rather a sensible solution to ensure quality education for its students.
The Anchorage School District Budget Crisis is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The district’s financial situation is dire, and Bryantt calls for a reliable solution to ensure the district can provide quality education to its students. The Anchorage School District Budget Crisis is a critical issue that affects the entire community.
News story originally published by Alaska News Stories.
