Board discusses memorandum prioritizing any BSA increase for smaller classes; members push Barnett add‑back and counselors

At the April 1 meeting the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District board discussed a memorandum that would commit any additional state revenue above the baseline BSA to reducing pupil‑teacher ratios (PTR) and restoring student‑facing programs.

The memorandum: Board member Bernice Hardy presented a draft memorandum—modeled on a recent Anchorage board memo—that, if the legislature enacts an increase to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) and additional per‑pupil transportation funding, would prioritize those funds for PTR reductions and classroom restorations. The document included an attachment listing “PTR add‑backs” and other potential reinvestments, and a historical PTR table showing how target class sizes have changed over time.

Board discussion and priorities: Several board members called for specific, high‑priority restoration items to be highlighted: multiple speakers recommended adding a 2.5 full‑time equivalent (FTE) teacher restoration for Barnett (a magnet school), restoring high‑school counselors (board members proposed 2.5 high‑school counselor FTE), and considering charter school funding adjustments if additional funding is one‑time rather than permanent. Miss Julian and others stressed the scale of PTR growth over the last decade: district target PTRs have moved from the low‑20s toward the high‑20s and low‑30s in secondary grades, which they linked to declining enrollment and families choosing correspondence programs.

Money and timing: The memo referenced a proposed $1,000 BSA increase in state legislation and an estimated district revenue increase of about $5.6 million at that level; board members noted that transportation funding and the precise BSA level matter to the math. Members asked the administration to prepare a prioritized add‑back list and a five‑year summary of cuts that directly affected students to attach to the memorandum. Superintendent Dr. Minor said administration could provide historical cuts and cost estimates but requested a practical scope (staff suggested five years was feasible).

Process: Board members agreed to work in a shared Google Doc (the memorandum is publicly available) to propose edits and to return the item for formal action after the board refines priorities and the administration prepares the requested supporting documentation. Several members said the memorandum is primarily an advocacy tool for the legislature, and urged a focused, clear ask rather than multiple scenarios.

Ending: The board paused further action on the memorandum to allow members to add comments and for administration to produce the historical cuts and cost breakdowns. Members emphasized PTR reductions and the Barnett add‑back as top local priorities should the legislature fund a significant BSA increase.