Ketchikan school board confronts $4–5 million shortfall as students and residents plead to save music and libraries

Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District leaders told the Board of Education on May 13 that the district faces a newly identified budget shortfall in the mid‑millions and laid out a proposed budget revision that could eliminate positions, cut library services and reconfigure activity travel.

The superintendent opened an extended work session saying the district’s year‑end accounting revealed an operating deficit originally estimated at about $4.6 million that has fluctuated with continued review. To close the gap staff proposed a multipart plan: request up to $5 million in short‑term borough assistance, advance state foundation payments where possible, reclassify some expenditures, and reduce staffing and discretionary spending to bring the FY27 budget closer to balance.

Why it matters: the plan includes up to 18 additional full‑time equivalent reductions (about 15 teaching positions), the elimination of the final district librarian position and related cuts that would alter how students access library collections and extracurricular travel. Staff also outlined logistics to close two school buildings and transfer or redistribute materials, furniture and equipment.

Student and community reaction was immediate and vehement during a long public‑comment period. “If music and the arts go away, you know, let’s just go over to the airport and paint over the mural — art is no longer going to live in Ketchikan,” Matt Armstrong told the board, calling the possible elimination of the K High music director position “morally reprehensible.” He asked the board to “hold the right people accountable” while protecting the arts.

Students said the music program functions as a lifeline for many. “Music has been one of the few consistent things that kept me grounded,” a senior told the board. Multiple students and parents said the district’s part‑time band and choir offerings serve roughly a quarter of K High students, provide crucial supports for neurodivergent students, and sustain region‑level events such as HonorFest and Music Fest.

Library advocates warned of a separate but related harm. Pat Tully, director of the Ketchikan Public Library, and several speakers said school librarians do intensive one‑on‑one work that the public library cannot replicate at scale. One student warned the district risks losing “functional access to our entire district‑wide collection, a collection valued at nearly $1,000,000” if no trained school staff remain to manage circulation and systems.

District finance and operations: Comptroller Vicky Wallace and business‑office staff described a small finance team and urged investment in a strong business manager and accurate reconciliations. The superintendent said staff have requested borough help — including a short‑term loan and reworking the memorandum of agreement (MOA) debt repayment schedule — and are also seeking earlier state payments where allowable, but cautioned that state timing limits and debt obligations constrain options.

Board questions focused on implementation and details. Members asked for a full breakout of recent contract dollar totals and how offered teacher contracts compare to the budgeted salary averages; administrators said they will prepare that payroll detail for the board’s forthcoming special meeting. The superintendent also presented a “rainbow sheet” of staffing scenarios and line‑item reductions, and said the draft budget currently still shows an approximate residual shortfall of about $870,000 after the proposed measures.

Building closures and logistics: staff described a phased packing and redistribution plan for the two schools the district expects to close, including inventorying assets, prioritizing salvage of technology, coordinating containers and moving trucks, and seeking volunteer help from civic groups. The superintendent proposed early release during the final student week to give staff extra time to pack and stage moves; the board did not convert the plan to an immediate vote but took the schedule under advisement.

What’s next: the board scheduled a special meeting for May 15 to consider formal budget revisions and staffing actions. The superintendent and staff asked board members to flag any alternative major approaches before that meeting and committed to providing detailed payroll and contract cost breakdowns for trustees to review.

Board action and votes: the board approved the meeting agenda and consent items earlier in the evening and advanced two policy first readings (sale/disposal of books, equipment and supplies; and capitalization) by unanimous votes. At the end of the meeting trustees voted unanimously to extend the session to continue deliberations.

Voices heard: students repeatedly urged the board to seek other budget options before cutting programs they described as essential to mental health, equity and graduation pathways; library and charter‑school representatives urged transparency and protection of collections and charter funding; business‑office staff sought support to stabilize accounting and cash flow.

The board said it will continue discussions with borough officials about short‑term financing, with the state regarding payment timing, and with community partners about salvage, redistribution and volunteer support if closures proceed. The board will reconvene May 15 for a special meeting to consider formal budget revisions and any associated staffing actions.