In the face of declining enrollment, outmigration, and the proliferation of school choice, Alaska's school closures are likely to persist. The state's education department reports a dozen school closures in May, with clusters in urban areas mirroring a nationwide trend. While school district officials frame closures as a means to bridge multimillion-dollar deficits, research suggests that these savings are often overestimated. The closures can also have detrimental effects on students and families, exacerbating racial inequities and hindering academic achievement.
The situation is particularly dire in Anchorage, where the school board's recent cluster of closures has sparked a lawsuit from Campbell STEM Elementary School parents. The district's superintendent, Jharrett Bryantt, argues that closures should be used to enhance academic offerings, not to close budget deficits. However, the community's pushback against proposed budget cuts and the distrust stemming from closure decisions have led to a fast-tracked plan to close three schools.
In Fairbanks, the superintendent, Luke Meinert, has had to make painful decisions earlier than other districts due to a smaller savings account and a lack of local funding. The closures have had an emotional toll on the community, but the savings have allowed officials to reintroduce elementary music offerings and programs for gifted students.
Despite these challenges, some districts, like Juneau, have managed to maintain and expand opportunities for students through consolidations and closures. However, the financial strain remains, with Juneau projecting a multimillion-dollar deficit for FY28.
The root of the problem lies in Alaska's shift to the per-pupil model, which ties school funding to the location of students. This model lacks statewide policies to support families, and the task force on education funding is working to address this issue. In the meantime, the hope lies in the upcoming November elections, where Alaskans can support state leaders who prioritize schools and work towards new school finance models.
