5/5/2026: School Board Work Session

The Anchorage School District held a School Board Work Session on May 5, 2026, focusing primarily on student nutrition and staffing updates. The board received a detailed presentation on the district's student nutrition program, highlighting significant improvements such as the addition of 13 Community Eligible Provision (CEP) schools, expanding free meal access to over 22,000 students, and a 20% increase in meal participation over three years. The nutrition team emphasized the shift towards scratch cooking, increased student choice, and positive impacts on academic outcomes and student behavior. The session also covered staffing challenges amid a $90 million budget deficit, including layoffs, displacements, and efforts to retain and reassign staff. The board discussed the restoration of 26.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions due to maintaining a seven-period middle school schedule and explored recruitment initiatives like the Green to Teach program targeting military personnel transitioning to education careers. Additionally, the board previewed upcoming budget considerations involving one-time state funds, potential impacts on the FY28 structural deficit, and capital projects totaling approximately $14 million. No formal votes were recorded during the session, but the discussion set the stage for future budget and staffing decisions.