Anchorage leaders spar over ASD budget and sudden plan to close Campbell STEM

Anchorage officials spent the bulk of a March 20 joint session debating the Anchorage School District’s proposed FY27 budget and a board-backed plan that would close three schools, including Campbell STEM — a move that parents, some assembly members and board members said was sudden, poorly explained and harmful to community trust.

Parents who testified urged the Assembly to withhold approval or demand further review. "The math of the savings of closing Campbell STEM doesn't add up," said Mike Nield during public comment, arguing district projections understate enrollment growth at nearby charter schools and overstate net savings. Haim Winger, a parent and pilot, said the district’s rationale has “changed over and over again” and warned he would oppose upcoming bond measures if the closure proceeds: "they've proven they can't be trusted with money."

The district and its leaders framed the actions as painful but necessary steps to close a projected shortfall. Andy Ratliff, ASD chief financial officer, said the board adopted a balanced budget on Feb. 24 and that amendments made since tightened the footprint, restored many sports at reduced service, and produced about 500 FTE reductions — roughly 10% of the district workforce — to address a multi‑year funding decline. "We ended up producing almost 500 FTE out of this budget," Ratliff said, and described trade-offs that include larger class sizes and cuts to several district office functions.

Why Campbell? Parents and some members questioned how Campbell STEM — not on earlier closure lists — became a candidate late in the process. Several speakers said bond timing and reallocation rules have created a perception that closing a building frees bond dollars for other projects. Sarah Sundberg, a Campbell parent, said voter‑approved bond language earmarked roughly $11.5 million for Campbell repairs and urged legal review before funds are repurposed. District officials stressed that bond reallocation is allowed only after a building is declared excess and after review; bond counsel told the district that reallocation typically requires validation that previously planned projects are truly impractical and that repurposing takes time.

The mayor and lobbyists pressed for state help. Mayor LaFrance told the joint session local efforts — including an education levy on the ballot — cannot fully make up for state shortfalls, and he called on legislators to fund education: "the state will provide $16 million less to ASD this year than last year," he said. Heather Breaks, ASD’s lobbyist, summarized legislative activity and noted an improved revenue forecast driven by oil prices that could affect supplemental funding before the May 20 adjournment in Juneau.

Assembly and board members proposed next steps short of immediate closure. Several asked the district to host a town hall and to publish the math behind the closure recommendation; members also suggested options for program preservation, such as accelerating a charter application or identifying ways to preserve the STEM curriculum even if the building is repurposed. Ms. Baldwin Day (Assembly) called for a community forum and asked ASD to explore reversing a closure if additional state funding becomes available.

Process and legal limits were also central. Chair Constant and legal advisors reiterated that under the municipal charter and state law the Assembly has constrained options in the 30‑day review window: if the Assembly fails to act within the prescribed period the proposed budget may go into effect as submitted. District and municipal officials repeatedly underscored that declaring a building "excess" triggers separate municipal processes for management reassignment, community engagement and any eventual redevelopment.

What’s next: the Assembly is scheduled to consider the district budget at its regular meeting next Tuesday. Parents and some members asked the bodies to jointly convene a public town hall at Campbell STEM, to publish the closure criteria and the district’s savings calculations, and to explore options to preserve the program. The bond proposition and a local education levy are on the upcoming ballot; both outcomes could affect the district’s final staffing and program decisions.