Weeks before the start of the new school year, Anchorage School District Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt issued a scathing letter to staff and families on Tuesday, sharply criticizing state and federal leaders over what he described as a “coordinated failure of leadership” that is forcing widespread layoffs and service cuts across Alaska’s largest school district.
In the letter, Bryantt announced that ASD had begun issuing more layoff notices and reassignments district-wide, attributing the disruption to “unstable decision-making, delayed funding, and systemic negligence” from both Juneau and Washington, DC
“This letter is not just an update. It is a warning, and a call to action,” Bryantt wrote. He signed the letter, “In solidarity and resolve.”
According to Bryantt, ASD is reeling from a combination of a federal funding freeze and recent state budget increases that were trimmed back in a move he apparently did not see coming.
On July 3, the US Department of Education froze nearly $46 million in federal grants to Alaska schools, including more than $14 million earmarked for Anchorage. The abrupt freeze, Bryantt said, strips funding from essential services, which he describes as after-school programs, special education, English learner services, and Alaska Native student services.
He then blamed Gov. Mike Dunleavy for vetoing some of the massive increases that legislators had passed in education funding.
The administration is also pursuing regulatory changes through the State Board of Education that would cap how much local governments can contribute to their public schools, potentially draining millions more from Anchorage classrooms.
“This is not a coincidence. It is a pattern,” Bryantt said. “These decisions reflect a coordinated failure of leadership that disregards the will of Alaskans and jeopardizes the foundation of our public schools.” It seems that no one is smart enough to lead but Bryantt.
Bryantt detailed how ASD had already eliminated 42 central office positions, cutting over $30 million in salaries and services, drawing down reserves below policy minimums, and increasing class sizes. Even these measures, he said, were insufficient to absorb the latest wave of cuts.
“These are not abstract policy outcomes. They are real people. These are real losses. And students will feel the difference when they walk into school in August,” the superintendent warned.
Bryantt’s letter was sent with the Aug 2 special session in mind, where he hopes the Legislature will override the governor’s vetoes.
“This is what happens when systems fail students,” Bryantt wrote. “We are not just managing a crisis. We are resisting the slow dismantling of public education in Alaska.”
The letter concluded with a rallying cry to the Anchorage community, vowing that the district “will not be silent” in the face of what he called reckless governance decisions.
How quaint. He writes that as if he’s unaware of the general public’s view that he’s due a scathing letter pertaining to ASD and a coordinated failure of leadership.
If graded on a curve and contrasted against the contiguous US ASD is firmly in “F” territory but he wants more in order to maintain status quo. This guy’s a tool. Time for a fresh horse.
Meanwhile, we have a declining enrollment and failing grades. But a swollen and expensive administration is not a problem. Go figure.
I thought I was the only one to see this.
So. We’re paying over $20,000 per student, per year now- for just six hours instruction per day, with summers off, too? Plus, our enrollment has declined every single year for at least a decade. Somehow, that amount is NOT enough? My God! I wish as a parent, I’d had that much cash ‘rolling in yearly for each of my kids! Man. When is enough, enough?
Seriously the most incompetent superintendent I have ever come across in 50 years of education is outraged? If his letter wasn’t so sad it would be laughable
Is he actually using district resources to do a political letter. Wonder if that might be an APOC violation?
We the taxpayers hear this every year. Nothing changes for students but salaries go up for admin and teachers. Show me some results where are students aren’t failing!
I would really like to know exactly what the superintendent meant by,
“This letter is not just an update. It is a warning, and a call to action,” Bryantt wrote. He signed the letter, “In solidarity and resolve.”
Hopefully someone will have the chance to ask him in person and on camera.
Suck it up Bryantt Baby! Get out of my wallet and deal with your failure! And the School Board as well. You and your minions are a sorry excuse for administration of a once admirable school system.
Instead of whining about money, why doesn’t Bryantt try getting results to show why he needs additional funding. Look no further than MatSu Valley to see what can happen when you really care about results instead of pleasing the NEA. Bryantt, stop blaming others for your own troubles and justify your position by producing results.
Hear, hear!
Lol, the valley is not any better at educating students.
The fourth paragraph should read:
“According to Bryantt, ASD is reeling from a combination of an unqualified and imbecilic Superintendent in a move he apparently did not see coming because of his inexperience and political bias.”
That would be the truth. Every voter should hurry up and vote against all incumbent school board members because this gross incompetence (which has a price tag, by the way).
Bryantt needs to return to Texas.
His war against passing test scores has gone splendidly. Im sure he can figure out a way to do less with more funding
So, if Superintendent Bryantt has issued this letter to get parents to tell the legislator to override the governor’s veto of $4.3 million for ASD, will that really bring all the nice-to-have programs back? Remember, the governor’s veto impacted only 0.7% of the ASD operating budget. He could cut the DEI function, reduce the number of Healthcare central office personnel.
Also note that he said he had already cut 42 central office “positions”. My question is, “How many personnel were cut in that central office?”
Bryantt’s ‘solidarity and resolve’ against budget cuts will hopefully be as impotent and feckless as he appears to be.
Yah, we know children will die etc., etc., but remind me how much his salary is.
250k?
Now is a good time to get back to the basics, Bryantt. Start with budgeting for reading, writing, and arithmetic. Consider all students’ needs, not just select groups’. When those subjects are covered, expand to peripheral subjects and needs.
It’s called living within one’s means.
If this idiot would run the school district as a business, he would close schools, consolidate resources and streamline processes. Run it like a business to support LEARNING, not politics…..
Many schools need to close and be sold off.
Many districts have under utilized classrooms, get with the program, stop this madness of NOT teaching our kids.
😭⛲️🤮💵💩💸
👩🏫👨🏫🧑🏽💻👩🏻💻🤓🤪🙃🤯
This is what happens when systems fail students And you are part of the problem It’s all about you and the money
This little man outsider who’s been in Alaska….what, two years?……telling the residents and taxpayers of our state that he is going to lead a resistance against the majority of our voters. EFF him all the way back to Texas. Go home, little boy. You are a disgrace, even to those who reeled you up here.
“Disgrace”. Indeed! That word sums it up pretty well!
He was a REJECT from Houston TX, school district..Next time,when the ASD looks for another Superintendent, they need to study WHY the previous School district rejected him..Need to search out his EDUCATIONAL requirements, NOT just because he support the WOKE “theology”.
Anchorage School District abusing the public’s patience and trust since…
Well, only God knows!
This farce of a superintendent has also earmarked sports that are “white dominated” to be cut from the school budgets. If you want to cut sports, cut all of them or none of them. Do not hand select cuts based on race, but this is how your race baiting past was Mr. DEI at Houston ISD.
“We are resisting the slow dismantling of public education in Alaska.”
I wonder how “resisting” makes more money appear.
It’s a good thing so many new homes and schools are being built in the valley.
Pretty big fighting words coming from our sub-er-intendent. And what does ASD have to show for? Our students are at the back of the line and way behind on basic reading and math so maybe focus on the things that matter. And to anyone who cares, remember to get out and vote when school board positions are up for election because the same people who got us our 12 year old sub-er-intendent over several qualified finalists, got re-elected to their posts so don’t expect any changes any time soon. If you think you don’t have a bone in this fight because you don’t have any kids or kids at home, think again. They are coming for your hard earned dollars via higher taxes.
ASD is FAILING the students of Anchorage.
Soy Boy needs to put the emphasis on the students being functionally literate – everything else is just fluff.
ASD funding fatigue.
Sounds to me like ASD is spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need. Why are schools providing social services instead of teaching reading, writing, arithmetic and history? Seems like social services are covered elsewhere, and by better qualified people. And how did we ever get an education when class sizes were about 30 students, one teacher, no “aides?” And no new textbooks every year, because really, did math change all that much from year to year? Public schools are not teaching, they are leeching, and the time to stop this is now.
If you can’t teach them to read and write, teach them to be gay.
What budget cuts? Didn’t the state just pass a massive INCREASE in per student allocation?
Once again, money does NOT equal education.
No! The funding cuts were NOT a surprise. Notice that Bryantt does not address why the biggest cut (federal funding) happened. It is because the state schools are not complying with the federal requirement that XY people not compete in sports with XX people. This is not a surprise, they’ve known had months to comply. Bryant’s decision to layoff staff rather than preserve XX sports for XX people is an expose that Bryantt’s values are not aligned with the community. Who voted overwhelmingly for Trump and his agenda.
Sounds like a petulant child who has been told that playtime is over.
Just how many participation trophies does one have to be given before being qualified to be hired as a public-school superintendent?
How about “Drag Queen Bingo” on campus during lunch hour, paid for by the participants in the “club”(they say). Hmmm. Back when West High had two stories, I often used my lunch hour for study hall. How could this garbage be allowed in a public school? Snort!
This guy was an illegal, DEI hire by the largely ineffective, incompetent school board. Anything he does is to cover his own butt and insure another exorbitant paycheck for him. He is just another import that is destroying Anchorage.
Too bad no one has the balls to make permanent change. It just takes one example and the rest will fall in line.
What he fails to mention is that ASD has more non-teacher staff than actual teachers. I am sorry that people are losing their jobs, but the reason is the mismanagement by the school board and the superintendent to have allowed and created such a bloated administrative staff.