[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6084556,"mediaKeyId","2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602","parentId",2912960,"title","Finance committee briefed on HB69, potential PTR restorations and May 15 staffing urgency","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2024420,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602&start=2024&end=2024","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602/thumbnail_2024420.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6084556/Alaska/Finance-committee-briefed-on-HB69-potential-PTR-restorations-and-May-15-staffing-urgency","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084556-f74245a2e0f4f01a393aabd6bf2ddd32/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145927&Signature=FxrrlldhxPAIgVJy2k3Bv7jM7kzmjkKYTgJvnPcq526CBVmFHK3A5fmQPpu8PeHcBc45~Opn2lHEJEGnWPTWNGzL~cAXcIK11VxuX4ewAYtxwDo4ZMqoK97XqyRJAXqhIKuiVd~8snHwRrUCPiYJCjXg7QuxypWH6YE0uPv~NwA5ePKm1QmYj0SGHcUmZ~zshr~jUSdHtHlgPy219qac0oF~lqxp6b2dAma7UEQ9~FALUmAxeMv9xcoqMwFvDfvhGp95-YCBo~CLM9ypHcOAVtQors8lQYBW1i25fRVYqMufBi8eWtd0GFzipzH4~UBwjJ4AAXLUFk5YZDG993ssiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Anchorage School District ","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","Mr. Rat (district staff) told the finance committee that HB69, as passed by the Alaska House, contains several provisions that would affect K–12 funding and operations. Staff summarized the bill's major elements as presented in committee: a roughly $1,000 increase to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) in the House amendment, no automatic inflation proofing, potential limits on charter-school fund balances, a proficiency incentive (staff mentioned $450 per student in committee discussion) and language that would expand school choice options. Staff described the House action as a proposed operating amendment; the House amendment included a $1,000 BSA increase intended to fund some elements of HB69.

District staff walked the committee through a school-by-school scenario that modeled the effects of restoring PTR (pupil-to-staff) targets to previous levels. The model showed the largest staffing impacts in secondary schools, particularly middle schools, because secondary PTRs were where the district previously made the largest adjustments. Staff presented three columns: current classroom teacher counts; staffing under the district's FY25 PTR baseline; and staffing that would result from restoring FY16 PTRs. Across all secondary schools the model indicated roughly 80–150 additional teachers when summing the per-school changes (staff cautioned about rounding and said they would provide a corrected subtotal). The district also modeled elementary additions and the effect of restoring immersion staffing that had been reduced in prior years.

Committee members asked whether the district's enrollment forecasts were included in the model; staff confirmed the presented figures account for known enrollment projections. Several committee members asked about the operational effect of adding teachers: staff confirmed that additional teachers would allow expanded electives, strengthened CTE and fine-arts offerings and smaller core-class sizes in secondary schools, and they said middle schools would benefit most because of prior PTR increases there.

Superintendent staff and board leadership emphasized the time sensitivity: Alaska statutes set May 15 as the date for layoff notices for tenured teachers (and the last student day applies for non-tenured staff). Staff warned that even if the Legislature later provides funding, the district could lose prospective hires to other districts if action comes after the May 15 window. The district plans to brief the Anchorage delegation and provide committee members with communication materials; staff said the board will receive a preview of the communication plan and FAQ for school-based staff in advance of notice actions.

Ending: District staff said they will provide corrected school-level subtotals and will share the analysis with the board and with Anchorage legislators; staff said they will continue to update the committee as HB69 and other bills move through the legislature.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/27/25 ASD School Board Finance Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Staff summarized the House'passed HB69 provisions under discussion (BSA increase, charter fund-balance limits, proficiency incentives) and showed school-by-school estimates of teacher additions if PTRs returned to FY16 levels; staff warned legislative timing threatens the district's ability to refill positions before hires are made elsewhere.","taxTitle","Anchorage School District, School Districts, Alaska","taxId",12911,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6084561,"Board committee hears proposal to reclassify 3K to full ADM; advocates ask board to back SB93",1369,1029000,2398000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602&start=1029&end=2398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602/thumbnail_1029000.jpg","/articles/6084561/Alaska/Board-committee-hears-proposal-to-reclassify-3K-to-full-ADM-advocates-ask-board-to-back-SB93","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084561-7bbf2fa2471b731bab6fe12a77a7ab11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145927&Signature=clm9run2NHltWkiz2rOG~on9h60BZU32G3qLrIYw5ZHHaPIpArGEZNTASp5KH293r4121qSbuYLkLhhBmEKsqy3ScBpL5EOFOomH1CAPz6DkofnRcEmowcAxMXhTibfz6StNfUs6FeFcbNv1yY4SYlxe2xLABjYrB~5FWANwWIHzMZ1MaxTQz6THaxNIZbvAb6zq0~8gxufGKybsTgmpjlzgdFXjNENBB66kWxolNbOBqgpjch42wBzLKHc1jP~~tErOH~IPblhBCFJtKrLE4EZ6LsmpRxYlVlRDkzP~P8ph5srnnIHgHjNI9CqMQEmJRiot0owinIGooxQLTh4hHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Committee member Don Lessons and district Pre-K staff discussed options to increase Anchorage School District's 3K funding classification from 0.5 ADM to 1.0 ADM. Staff presented a financial estimate: moving a .5 ADM allocation to a full 1.0 ADM would bring roughly $2.4 million to the district (staff gave figures in the meeting ranging $2.4M–$2.5M), which staff estimated could support roughly 11 to 12 additional preschool classrooms serving about 17 students each.

The committee heard that the district currently operates 37 general-education preschool classrooms and 54 special-education preschool classrooms; about 10 general-education preschools are funded out of the general fund (with federal Title I funding and municipal taxes supplementing operations). Staff said the district runs a centralized lottery — about 1,400 preschool applications in the most recent round produced roughly 600 placements — and that demand exceeds current capacity.

Presenters explained that many of the discretionary and dedicated funding streams that have supported preschool (municipal alcohol or marijuana tax funds, ACT grants, Mental Health Trust funds) require demonstration of student need (for example, families meeting income thresholds or housing instability acquire higher priority through risk-factor point systems used in the lottery). Staff said the district uses a risk-factor rubric (including measures such as frequent moves or household crowding) to prioritize placements.

Committee members asked for follow-up numbers: if the district could add roughly 170 preschool seats, how many fewer students would be in the \"well below benchmark\" category by kindergarten? Staff agreed to run projections based on district data. Staff also said they are piloting an early-learning assessment this spring so the district can report live preschool-level outcome data rather than comparing preschool attendance to kindergarten benchmark results.

Board member Don Lessons requested that the board consider a letter of support for SB93, a bill discussed in the Senate Education Committee. Lessons said he would draft a letter and run it through the board process; the committee expressed support and asked staff to share the briefing materials with the Anchorage delegation.

Ending: Staff said they will provide the committee with updated projections showing how additional classrooms and seats would alter the district's kindergarten benchmark distributions and will provide a firm cost/projection document for the board and for legislators.","Committee heard a presentation on expanding 3K funding to a full 1.0 ADM (from 0.5), which staff and a board member said would add roughly $2.4 million and the capacity for about 11–12 additional classrooms (about 17 students each); board member asked the board to prepare a letter of support for SB93.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6084565,"Anchorage School District reports higher grant win rate, flags $12 million Digital Equity award",2416,184000,2600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602&start=184&end=2600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2912960-c758469831a41c399aa45fc7fe149602/thumbnail_184000.jpg","/articles/6084565/Alaska/Anchorage-School-District-reports-higher-grant-win-rate-flags-12-million-Digital-Equity-award","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084565-b0ec1e88745da350d669f0a437829263/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145927&Signature=axKQHRsH02ngLozIWiwG6H326g5Aed6nbWibfkIVtDkUkoR4YdG901KPq3zx-qujH~EwY6H~CLXNgZwcN8MONWw06r2nhQXVtAxzZZa00KOIrDarRmrjOncMHH0RN5dYme8kyAq8FSNw2pyB-TaThZqT1~OvrvuZcr5Lr3kWJ-q91mgEtOV6~E4BDnFblt~LuJ6axgEC9Nt00RQyoYZcCsiYIQSIqBZn4jpxleHWHGKMu4bo9KNVuoW2eG9Nwx3dmln8xurTsY4toaVALrNE9lIep7Xv25B4YKEQyTcL78eceI0hhC8SHkMVchSXJMzHyCGrUgCQ6gw032HtXQ7NYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Savannah Esteban, the district's development director, updated the Anchorage School District School Board Finance Committee on discretionary grants on March 27, saying the district recorded a 56% win rate in 2024 and an 86% win rate so far in 2025, while noting a number of grant decisions remain outstanding. Esteban said the Development Office is tracking pending applications and providing an FY25 interim report of activity and strategy.

The report named several significant submissions the district has pursued this year: Promise Neighborhoods, a federal Digital Equity grant (identified as a $12 million opportunity), Department of Transportation funding, an application to the Federal Communications Commission, and the AC Fund through the Municipality of Anchorage. Esteban said the Digital Equity application remains under review and could yield substantial benefits for the district if awarded.

Esteban told the committee most discretionary grant funding the district pursues is federal or federal pass-through funding. She also described the department's role in supporting schools and staff: maintaining a library of previously developed applications, training district and community partners on grant development, and prioritizing proposals that match short- or long-term district needs. The office maintains a public list of resources, handouts and links to prior applications on the district website.

Committee members asked for detail on what the district counts as indirect cost recovery. Andy Ra (chief financial officer) explained the district uses a state-calculated indirect cost rate (about 5% this year) that covers central administrative functions such as accounting, HR and purchasing; the rate is applied to grant awards and is intended to offset general-fund costs for administering grants. Ra said fringe benefits and similar costs are not covered by that indirect cost recovery. Esteban agreed to provide a breakdown of grant sources (federal vs. state/local) on request.

Esteban and committee members said federal-level delays and uncertainty have slowed decisions on several grants. The Development Office noted there are many outstanding applications and cautioned that the 86% win rate may fall as more decisions are recorded. The office will continue monitoring responses and will provide follow-ups to the committee.

The Development Office also summarized its internal grant strategy: prioritize supports tied to elementary/secondary priorities, mental health and student supports, special programs and capital needs; reuse and adapt previously prepared proposals to increase submission volume; and work with community partners to leverage local matches and supports. The office said it regularly shares materials externally and will make the handout and the full grants calendar available on the district website.

Committee members thanked staff for the report and asked that the Development Office share a breakdown showing how much of current discretionary-grant funding is federal or federal pass-through when that information is available.

Ending: Esteban said the Development Office will return with more detail as awards are finalized and will share the referenced resources and links with the board and the public.","Development staff told the finance committee the district's competitive grant win rate rose to 86% in 2025 and highlighted a pending $12 million Digital Equity award; staff warned federal funding delays mean awards remain uncertain.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance committee briefed on HB69, potential PTR restorations and May 15 staffing urgency

Board committee hears proposal to reclassify 3K to full ADM; advocates ask board to back SB93

Anchorage School District reports higher grant win rate, flags $12 million Digital Equity award