2026-10-27 | Board Work Session: Pearl Creek STEAM- Presentation by Administration

At its October 27, 2026 work session, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Board of Education reviewed the administration’s assessment of the Pearl Creek STEAM charter school application. The proposal would reopen the former Pearl Creek Elementary facility under a borough-authorized five-year lease with no base rent; the school would reimburse the borough for maintenance and utilities, including maintenance services for which the borough appropriated $268,000. The administration cited concerns about the proposed $50,000 custodial budget for the nearly 63,000-square-foot building, the lease term, staffing and student-support levels, transportation, enrollment limits, and the application’s proposed contract and lottery provisions.

The administration estimated a district allocation of about $3.98 million at the proposed target enrollment of 352 students, including a one-time state charter grant of about $176,000 and a 4% administrative charge of about $152,000; the allocation could reach about $4.77 million at the proposed maximum enrollment of 468. It warned that staffing shifts from neighborhood schools might not offset those costs and that opening the school could add financial and operational pressure amid projected district deficits. The administration recommended denying the application, concluding that districtwide impacts outweighed potential benefits. The board took no vote at this work session; consideration was scheduled for the November 3 regular meeting. No contract award or purchasing approval was made.