Office of Management and Budget / FY25 Media and FAQs

Overview and Data

Media and FAQs

Board Budget Meetings

FY25 Budget Survey

FY25 Adopted Budget

ASD has more than 7.8 million square feet of facilities and maintains the largest public facility footprint in the State of Alaska. As Alaska’s largest public school district, ASD budgets nearly $21 million annually for building and preventive maintenance. A quality school’s functional life, without major renewal, ranges from 30 to 50 years. However, for ASD’s 86 school buildings—many built in the population boom of the 1960s and 1970s, additional funds beyond the maintenance budget are required.

FAQs

How has ASD addressed budget decisions in recent years?
Is STEAM learning replacing IGNITE?

In an effort by the District Administration to present a balanced FY25 preliminary budget, a recommendation was made to eliminate 18 IGNITE teacher positions. Offering STEAM programming to all elementary students is a cost-neutral and equitable approach to bringing project-based kinesthetic instruction and learning models that parallel IGNITE methods to all students in elementary classrooms.
What is the rationale behind the proposed elimination of Art and Health teacher positions?

The Administration proposes to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) to all Kindergarten through fifth grade students across Elementary Schools beginning in Fall 2024-2025. This proposal will change the delivery of Art, Health, and Science in Elementary Schools while also building stronger connections in math across Science, Technology, Engineering and Art.
How will the proposed STEAM curriculum benefit students compared to the existing Art and Health classes?

The STEAM approach would allow for greater integration across content areas, applied in lab settings, allowing for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach. These exploratory and inquiry-based activities get students digging in and applying science, technology, engineering, art, and math concepts to real world experiences. On an elementary level, this aligns with the concepts of career exploration the District is rolling out to Secondary students through the Academies of �ڶ�� as well as the College, Career and Life Ready �ڶ�� Goal.
What are the financial implications of implementing the STEAM curriculum compared to maintaining the current programs?

Shifting to the STEAM model would be cost neutral in terms of spending. By having a full-time STEAM teacher in each building, it would free up resources needed for traveling to different schools and allow for more time with students. Currently art and health teachers bounce around from two or more schools and students see these teachers less often than they would if the STEAM model was implemented.
How will the workload of teachers be affected by the proposed changes, particularly for classroom teachers expected to teach additional subjects?

The District would engage AEA through the instructional program input process. Health instruction would move from a specialist to the elementary classroom teacher K-5, and science instruction would move from the classroom teacher to the STEAM teacher. Art instruction would continue to be delivered to K-5 students, but pivot to the integrated STEAM teacher. Core math instruction would continue to be taught by the classroom teacher and reinforcement of math skills and concepts would occur through STEAM, but through hands-on learning activities.
What efforts have been made to involve the community and stakeholders in the decision-making process?
We are still in the exploratory phase of implementing STEAM, however the decision to explore is based off of well-received feedback from our nine elementary school communities currently implementing STEM learning.
A proposed plan to shift to STEAM was presented in the .
What specific plans and resources are in place to support the implementation of the STEAM curriculum, including teacher training and curriculum materials?
What considerations have been given to the potential long-term effects on student well-being and academic performance resulting from the shifting art instruction to STEAM?
How will the proposed changes address the needs of diverse learners, including those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs?

STEAM is a more holistic experience that would be accessible to all elementary students. Shifting health instruction to the elementary classroom would allow for a new STEAM teaching position that would staff most elementary schools with one full time employee. STEAM incorporates hands-on, real-world, project-based learning in a dedicated one-hour long block on a consistent, weekly schedule throughout the school year. A weekly STEAM class would provide students with real-life context to solve problems of today, ignite curiosity and give elementary students the opportunity to engage in rich experiences integrated across content areas.
What measures are in place to ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making processes within the school district?

All items in the preliminary budget presented by the Administration are based on months of feedback from the �ڶ�� community. The final budget will be determined by the �ڶ�� in February and sent to the �ڶ�� Assembly by the first Monday in March. Should the STEAM model go into effect, the District would engage AEA through the instructional program input process.
How will the proposed changes align with the district's overall vision for education and student success?
I am concerned over the reductions to the IGNITE program

During recent �ڶ�� meetings, the Board heard passionate testimony from members of the public, specifically about the proposed cut to the IGNITE program. Years of flat funding and declining enrollment have created an untenable situation for ASD. With a nearly $100 million deficit the District had to make difficult decisions that will result in increased class sizes and fewer resources for students. $71 million of emergency savings was used to close the majority of this year’s deficit. The remaining savings came through reductions to administration, school-based positions, and programs such as IGNITE.

Media

February 2024 Media
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" published February 28, 2024
- Joe Cadotte, KTUU: "" published February 27, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" published February 25, 2024
- Steve Kirch, KTUU: "" published February 23, 2024
- Sean Maguire, ADN: "" published February 23, 2024
- Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media: "" published February 21, 2024
- Georgina Fernandez, KTUU: "" published February 21, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN: " published February 21, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN:" published February 16, 2024
- Lauren Maxwell, KTUU: "" published February 6, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" published February 6, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" published February 5, 2024
January 2024 Media
- Sean Maguire, ADN: "" published January 25, 2024
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" published January 20, 2024
- Iris Samuels, Sean Maguire, ADN: "" published January 13, 2024
December 2023 Media
- David Bernknopf, KTUU: ""
November 2023 Media
- Iris Samuels, Sean Maguire, ADN: "" Published: December 15, 2023
- Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media: "" Published: December 15, 2023
- Annie Berman, ADN: "" Published: December 14, 2023

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FAQs

How has ASD addressed budget decisions in recent years?

Is STEAM learning replacing IGNITE?

What is the rationale behind the proposed elimination of Art and Health teacher positions?

How will the proposed STEAM curriculum benefit students compared to the existing Art and Health classes?

What are the financial implications of implementing the STEAM curriculum compared to maintaining the current programs?

How will the workload of teachers be affected by the proposed changes, particularly for classroom teachers expected to teach additional subjects?

What efforts have been made to involve the community and stakeholders in the decision-making process?

What specific plans and resources are in place to support the implementation of the STEAM curriculum, including teacher training and curriculum materials?

What considerations have been given to the potential long-term effects on student well-being and academic performance resulting from the shifting art instruction to STEAM?

How will the proposed changes address the needs of diverse learners, including those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs?

What measures are in place to ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making processes within the school district?

How will the proposed changes align with the district's overall vision for education and student success?

I am concerned over the reductions to the IGNITE program

Media

February 2024 Media

January 2024 Media

December 2023 Media

November 2023 Media

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