Anchorage School District board adopts $886.25M preliminary FY26 budget; rejects amendments to restore several programs

The Anchorage School District Board of Education adopted its FY2025–26 preliminary financial plan and authorized an upper-limit spending authority of $886,250,188 at a special meeting on Feb. 25.

The board approved the budget as amended by a 6–1 vote after rejecting several proposed amendments that would have restored program funding or changed staffing priorities. Separately, the board unanimously (7–0) approved a contingent list of restorations that would take effect only if the state legislature provides a major increase to the base student allocation (BSA).

Why it matters: The budget before the board would cut personnel and programs unless the state increases per‑student funding. Board members said they are balancing classroom priorities against a shortfall in state support; several members urged constituents to press the Legislature for additional funding.

The meeting began with a motion to approve ASD memorandum 096s, the FY2025–26 preliminary financial plan and budget and to authorize an upper‑limit spending authority of $886,250,188. After debate and multiple amendment votes, the board adopted the budget 6–1.

Member Donnelly, a board member who sponsored several restoration amendments, proposed an amendment (Amendment 2) to discontinue the middle‑school extra planning period — described in the meeting as the “middle school model” — to restore the Ignite program. Donnelly said the middle‑school model costs about $3,430,000 annually and that restoring Ignite would result in a net savings of roughly $381,000. "I've never…