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Ketchikan school board approves RIF plan in first reading after staff present consolidation-based budget to cut roughly 43 FTEs
Summary
At a March 7 special meeting, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board approved a reduction‑in‑force (RIF) plan in first reading and directed staff to continue refining a budget package that would close two elementary buildings and target roughly 43 certified FTE reductions; KEA requested a mandated meeting before second reading.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education approved the district’s reduction‑in‑force plan in first reading at a special meeting on March 7, 2026, voting 7–0 after staff presented a consolidated, facilities‑based plan to close two elementary schools and reduce certified staffing to meet a multi‑million‑dollar shortfall.
District presenters Jason House, director of student services, and special education director Sally Stockhausen told the board the proposal was developed on a compressed timeline and was intended to be scalable and compliant with regulatory requirements. The plan targets a reduction of about 43 certified full‑time equivalent positions and reconfigures schools into centralized “hubs” (elementary K–5, middle 6–8 and a 9–12 high school) while preserving key programs such as CTE and fine arts where possible.
Why it matters: the district’s operating‑fund personnel target for next year is about $34.5 million; presenters said their…
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