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School board trims and holds decisions as FY26 budget debate continues; Barnett exploratory staff cut, LAD kept K‑8
Summary
At a lengthy March 18 meeting the FNSBSD board moved several budget items: it approved a cut of 2.5 exploratory teacher FTE at Barnett Magnet, kept Ladd (LAD) as a K‑8 model, preserved elementary PTR at 25 and retained library associate staffing; final approval of the FY26 recommended budget was postponed until the board reconvenes.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Board of Education on March 18 made a set of provisional budget decisions and deferred final approval of the fiscal year 2026 recommended budget until it reconvened, moving the district further toward a balanced plan amid a projected shortfall.
Board actions included a formal vote to reduce Barnett Magnet School’s exploratory certified staff by 2.5 full‑time equivalents (FTE), a separate vote to keep Ladd (LAD) as a K‑8 model rather than switch it to K‑5, and several unanimous or “without objection” agreements to hold other positions and programs in the proposed budget. The board recessed to continue deliberations the following evening.
Why this matters: The board is balancing a roughly $230 million district budget that assumes a $60 million local contribution from the borough, a projected enrollment of 11,626 students (a 1.5% decline) and a 6.8% BSA‑equivalent increase (about $16 million). Those revenue assumptions still leave a baseline deficit the administration estimated at about $1.3 million before further votes and add‑backs.
Key votes and outcomes - Barnett Magnet exploratory staffing: The board voted to reduce exploratory certified staff by 2.5 FTE (motion carried). The measure passed on a roll call (Yes: Colonel Cole; Miss Charlie; Shannon; Burgess; Julian; Warren; Maple; and others; No: Carol Hubbard; Hardy; Burnett recorded as No in the roll call sequence). Board members said the decision was difficult and suggested the cut be prioritized for an add‑back if funding permits.
- LAD (Ladd) program model: The board voted to retain LAD as a K‑8 program rather than convert it to K‑5. The motion to keep the K‑8 model carried on a roll call (majority recorded as Yes; Mister Doran voted No).
- Elementary PTR and related staffing: The board agreed without objection to hold elementary pupil‑teacher ratio (PTR) targets at 25 in the proposed budget. Board members repeatedly cited prior consolidation commitments and literacy priorities in support of maintaining those staffing levels.
- Library associates and kindergarten aides: After public testimony and discussion, the board kept 12 elementary library associate FTE and retained kindergarten aides as proposed; administration warned that cutting library staff would reduce teachers’ prep time and affect Alaska Reads Act interventions.
- High school counselors and secondary librarians: The administration proposed a reduction of 2.5 high‑school counselor FTE in the recommended budget. Board members debated this at length; an outcome recorded in the meeting record left the proposed 2.5‑FTE reduction in place (the district will treat restoration as an add‑back priority if revenues allow). Secondary librarians were retained.
- North Star College and activities funding: The board voted to retain North Star College and to keep middle‑ and high‑school activities funding as proposed; members cited program benefits, community partnerships with UAF and student engagement reasons for maintaining those allocations.
Administration briefing and budget context Business official Andy DeGraw walked the board through a new baseline and the balancing‑tool adjustments he had implemented for the meeting. He said the board’s selected baseline items had created roughly a $1.3 million shortfall and urged careful, auditable changes: “I hate mistakes. So, we wanna make sure we we put lots of eyes and and double and triple check things as we're finalizing things,” he said.
Public testimony and community impact Speakers who addressed the budget included teachers and parents from Barnett Magnet, who described the possible impacts of cuts to exploratory classes and to middle‑school staffing; several said cuts would damage a model that draws students from across the borough. Ben Loeffler and other commenters presented alternate estimates of charter and program costs; staff and board members said district calculations factor in multiple variables including school‑size funding and hold‑harmless rules.
Next steps The board recessed the March 18 meeting and voted to reconvene at 6 p.m. the following evening to continue budget deliberations and finalize recommended numbers to submit to the borough. Several items were designated as high‑priority add‑backs if further revenue becomes available, including restoration of counselors, exploratory FTE for Barnett and other student support positions.
Ending The board left several decisions provisional and moved some targeted reductions into the recommended budget while preserving items the administration and community had asked the board to protect. Final FY26 adoption was deferred pending continued discussion and staff updates.
