Anchorage School Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt said the district will release an initial list of recommended schools for closing, combining, or repurposing on Nov. 1.
From Nov. 12-18, the district will host a series of community conversations where the public can learn more, ask questions, and offer feedback.
“We will also engage the Superintendent Advisory Committees during a special Multicultural Education Concerns Advisory Committee (MECAC) meeting for additional dialogue and feedback,” Bryantt said.
“For our valued employees, I want to assure you that we will prioritize your preferences for school placement if you are affected by rightsizing. Following Board approval of a Rightsizing plan, our Talent Management team will work closely with staff to assist with plans to ensure a smooth transition to your new campus,” the superintendent said.
The Nov. 4 School Board work session will also address the proposed list and the school board’s final decision-making process.
Anchorage is suffering from a loss of students, in part because families have opted for home schooling or private schools, or have moved to the MatSu Valley, where the perception is that schools are performing better than in Anchorage. In addition, Anchorage residents of childbearing age are having fewer children, if any.
Anchorage’s population has been shrinking for a decade. While the overall population in Alaska has grown 2.7% from 2010 to 2020, Anchorage Municipality’s population shrank 2.3%.
The goal of downsizing the overall footprint of the Anchorage schools has been under way on since April, with several school board meetings, community meetings and surveys.
