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Enrollment pressures at small Denali Borough schools prompt plans for community use, CTE and homeschool co-ops
Summary
Board and assembly members discussed falling enrollments at Campbell and Anderson, the revenue effect if counts fall below 10 students, and ideas to repurpose underused school space for CTE, adult education and homeschool co-ops to support community retention.
School board and assembly members spent substantial time on enrollment and how small-school demographics affect both funding and community life.
Superintendent Dan Paul and board members reviewed the district's enrollment counts used for funding. The budget front page showed an Anderson count of "6.5" and the meeting record noted Campbell's current counted figure at 11.75, with only nine students actually enrolled at present. Staff said if Campbell falls below a 10-student threshold in the count period, the district would face an additional funding reduction of roughly $100,000 because of how state formulas reassign small-school counts.
Panelists described a range of community responses aimed at keeping buildings active and supporting families: expanding career and technical education (CTE) and adult-education classes, hosting homeschool co-ops and after-school clubs, and renting rooms for community uses. Participants said PEAK and other correspondence programs also bring revenue: the state provides about 90 percent of a base-student-allocation amount per PEAK-enrolled student, and the program can increase the district's basic need calculations.
Assembly members and school leaders proposed practical steps: inviting vocational training partners, exploring evening adult-learning classes and pursuing grant-supported curriculum or software-based certification programs. They also discussed existing community activities that already use school space, including open gyms, 4-H and Lego clubs, and library services at Tri Valley.
A community member, Callie Bass, and local chefs have filed nonprofit paperwork to pilot a no-cost meals program for students; district and borough participants said the plan could expand to breakfast if the pilot succeeds.
Discussion points: Anderson and Campbell's low enrollments create funding pressure and motivate community reuse ideas; PEAK enrollment and correspondence programs affect how state funding is calculated; local proposals include CTE, adult education and homeschool co-ops to increase engagement and retention.
Next steps: district staff and local leaders will continue outreach to vocational partners and community organizations, evaluate facility uses that are compatible with ongoing K-12 operations, and support a pilot for community-provided student meals.
