ASD details displacement process after FY26 cuts: nurses, librarians and elementary specialists affected

Anchorage School District administrators told the school board on April 22 that they have begun an internal staffing and displacement process driven by FY26 budget reductions that the district estimates will eliminate about 380 certificated positions.

Marty Ling, leading the staffing update, said the district has received 282 resignations so far and has notified 188 employees that they are displaced from their current assignments for next year; those staff will continue in their current positions through the end of this school year while the district attempts to place them. “We are able to offset a good portion of those through current vacancies that we have and the resignations that we've received thus far,” Ling said.

Where displacements stand and next steps: Ling said there were about 128 current open general‑education positions and 60 special‑education vacancies; special‑education hiring has moved into the external recruiting phase because those roles are harder to fill. The district will conduct a displacement‑staffing matching process on April 23, then general staffing on April 29 (voluntary transfers, returns from leave and external hires). Ling warned that the district must notify tenured staff of layoffs by May 15 and non‑tenured staff by the last student day (May 22). Board members asked administrators to inform the Anchorage legislative delegation that funding arriving before April 29 would be simplest to use to reverse displacements.

Nurses, librarians and elementary specialists: - Nurses: The FY26 budget reduced 13 nurse FTE; district plans would move nurses at 24 schools to half‑time in the affected model, with the health services department using an acuity matrix (medical needs, medication administrations, office visits) to decide which schools can safely move to half‑time coverage. District staff said six nurses elected to reduce to half‑time and remain at a single location; others were displaced and will be placed where openings exist. - Librarians: Twenty‑six schools were affected by reductions to half‑time librarian coverage; the district followed a similar survey and pairing process and will attempt placements through the displacement staffing process. - Elementary specialists (art, health, music, PE): The FY26 plan reduced approximately 54 specialist FTE. Because specialists are often shared across schools and pairing under the reduced FTE proved highly fractional and inefficient, the district temporarily notified the least‑senior specialists in each affected group and will finalize school assignments once funding clarity arrives.

Administrators emphasized operational considerations when pairing half‑time positions — proximity of paired schools, a “buddy school” backup in emergencies, and reassessing needs after August registration when new kindergarteners’ health needs are known. Kirsten, a health‑services staff member involved in the nurse acuity assessments, said the district will revisit pairings in the fall if student medical needs justify changes.

On reversals if the legislature provides funds: Ling said an immediate infusion of funds could allow the district to “play our UNO reverse card” and restore staff to their current assignments through the general staffing process; however, once general staffing and external hiring advance, rolling back displacements becomes more complex. Several board members urged prompt, clear legislative communication because of the April 29 and May notification timelines.

Impact and context: Board president Holloman (board president) said moving staff to part‑time or splitting positions “dismantles” existing program continuity and reduces teachers’ ability to build programs and long‑term relationships. Administrators acknowledged non‑quantifiable losses — time before and after school, program continuity, and other supports — in addition to the measurable vacancy and displacement counts.

Ending: District leaders said they will continue displacement staffing tomorrow, report updated placement numbers by the end of the week, and work with employee associations on options if funding becomes available to restore positions.