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Parents, teachers and students urge assembly to shore up school funding to avoid neighborhood closures
Summary
Dozens of parents, educators and students urged the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly to provide bridge or increased local funding to prevent planned closures of Larson and Meadow Lakes elementary schools, warning closures would disrupt students with IEPs and harm neighborhood stability.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly heard more than two hours of public comment March 17 focused on proposed school closures and the borough's contribution to the district budget. Dozens of speakers — parents, paraeducators, classified employees and students — urged the assembly to increase local funding or provide temporary bridge grants to avoid permanent closures.
"Our school district is facing a serious deficit, and the proposed solution of closing neighborhood schools will have long lasting effects on students, families, and entire communities," said Taft Johnson, who identified himself as the parent of a Bells Lakes Elementary student. He asked the assembly to "actively pursue…
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