The State of Anchorage Schools: Are We Truly Supporting Student Success?

The Anchorage School District (ASD) faces a big problem—fewer students are enrolling, mainly because fewer families are moving to Anchorage, and the number of births is decreasing. Between 2014 and 2028, there are expected to be about 1,700 fewer births, which means fewer students attending schools. This is causing ASD to have budget issues, with a shortfall of $64 to $84 million this year.

Some suggest closing schools with few students to save money, but that doesn’t answer a bigger question: Are we making Anchorage schools appealing enough for students and families? Are our schools encouraging families to stay, or are they making families want to move to other states for better opportunities? These are the questions the school board needs to focus on.

According to the ALEC Report Card, Alaska ranks 47th out of 50 states in overall education quality. While the state’s academic standards earn a B+, teacher quality, policies, and digital learning get much lower grades—D- and D+. How can we have strong academic standards when teacher support and digital learning are lacking? This shows that there are deeper problems in the education system.

Charter schools (funded by ASD) and private schools (funded separately) are also not performing well. However, homeschooling in Alaska is doing better, meaning families with the ability to homeschool often get better results than those in public schools. This raises questions about the quality of education in our schools.

Even though Alaska spends between $16,000 and $19,000 per student—among the highest in the country—our education rankings still fall between 40th and 48th nationally. Why isn’t this money making a more significant impact?

From what I’ve seen at school board meetings, it’s clear that the problems start at the top. Leadership often lacks the vision and ability to create meaningful change, leaving teachers without the support they need and students without the preparation for the future. We also tend to hire teachers quickly to fill gaps rather than focusing on hiring high-quality educators. Decisions are often based on emotions rather than logic, which doesn’t always lead to the best student outcomes.

To improve education in Anchorage, we need firm principals who can support teachers and create a positive learning environment. We also need strategies that help students grow academically and mentally rather than just temporary fixes.

For our schools to attract families and help students succeed, we need to align our resources, leadership, and plans in a way that truly prepares students for a changing world.