ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Rising costs for the Anchorage School District were discussed at a joint meeting between the Anchorage School District and the Anchorage Assembly on Friday. Members discussed how rising costs could increase a projected $75 million deficit for the next school year.
At the budget presentation, district officials said the FY26 budget is balanced in part because of an additional $700 in per-student funding from the state, but mostly because the district had to spend much of its budget reserves. That money, school board treasurer Kelly Lessens said, won’t be available to balance the FY27 budget.
ASD’s Chief Financial Officer Andy Ratliff presented a series of slides breaking down how funds are being spent in FY26, noting that the budget still includes cuts to more than 130 permanent and contracted positions as well as millions for what the district says are necessary services, supplies and equipment…