Anchorage School District |
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Anchorage, Alaska |
District details |
Superintendent: Deena Bishop |
# of school board members: 7 |
Website: Link |
Anchorage School District is a school district in Alaska.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district’s…
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Deena Bishop is the superintendent of the Anchorage School District.[1] Bishop was appointed superintendent in 2016. Bishop's previous career experience includes working as an assistant superintendent, principal, and teacher.[2]
The Anchorage School District Board of Education consists of seven members elected to three-year terms. Board members are elected at large but run for specific seats.[5]
Office | Name | Date assumed office |
---|---|---|
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat A | Margo Bellamy | May 6, 2019 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat B | Kelly Lessens | May 3, 2021 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat C | Dave Donley | May 8, 2017 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat D | Andy Holleman | May 8, 2017 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat E | Pat Higgins | May 3, 2021 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat F | Dora Wilson | May 3, 2021 |
Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat G | Carl Jacobs | May 3, 2021 |
This officeholder information was last updated on March 22, 2022. Please contact us with any updates. |
Members of the Anchorage School District Board of Education are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis. Each election is held on the first Tuesday in April.
Two seats on the board were up for general election on April 5, 2022. The filing deadline for this election was January 28, 2022.
The Anchorage School District Board of Education maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[6]
“ |
Public Participation Because the School Board has a responsibility to conduct district business in an orderly and efficient way, the following procedures shall regulate public presentations to the School Board. 1. The School Board shall give members of the public an opportunity to address the School Board either before or during the School Board's consideration of each agenda item. 2. At a time so designated on the agenda, members of the public also may bring before the School Board matters that are not listed on the agenda of a regular meeting. The School Board may refer such a matter to the Superintendent or designee or take it under advisement. The matter may be placed on the agenda of a subsequent meeting for action or discussion by the School Board. 3. A person wishing to be heard by the School Board shall first be recognized by the president. He/she shall then identify himself/herself and proceed to comment as briefly as the subject permits. 4. Individual speakers will be allowed three minutes to address the School Board. The School Board president may limit the total time for each agenda item, modify the length of testimony, and/or the ordering of the speakers. 5. With School Board consent, the president may modify the time allowed for public presentation or may rule on the appropriateness of a topic. If the topic would be more suitably addressed at a later time, the president may indicate the time and place when it should be presented. 6. No oral presentation shall include charges or complaints against any employee of the School Board, including the Superintendent, regardless of whether or not the employee is identified by name or by another reference which tends to identify. Charges or complaints against employees must be submitted to the School Board under the provisions of School Board policy and administrative regulations related to such complaints. 7. No disturbance or willful interruption of any School Board meeting shall be permitted. Persistence, by an individual or group, shall be grounds for the chair to terminate the privilege of addressing the meeting. The School Board may remove disruptive individuals and order the room cleared if necessary.[7] |
” |
From 1993 to 2013, the Anchorage School District had an average of $483,092,476 in revenue and $542,513,476 in expenditures, according to the United States Census Bureau's survey of school system finances. The district had a yearly average of $403,529,238 in outstanding debt. The district retired $33,030,333 of its debt and issued $62,327,190 in new debt each year on average.[8]
The table below separates the district's revenue into the three sources identified by the agency: local, state, and federal.
Revenue by Source | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Local | State | Federal | Revenue Total | |||||||
Total | % of Revenue | Total | % of Revenue | Total | % of Revenue |
Click [show] on the right to display the revenue data for prior years. | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | $76,356,000 | 21.39% | $241,644,000 | 67.69% | $38,995,000 | 10.92% | $356,995,000 | ||||
1994 | $79,158,000 | 25.49% | $204,982,000 | 66.01% | $26,373,000 | 8.49% | $310,513,000 | ||||
1995 | $87,090,000 | 25.98% | $220,592,000 | 65.81% | $27,511,000 | 8.21% | $335,193,000 | ||||
1996 | $88,328,000 | 25.88% | $222,247,000 | 65.12% | $30,720,000 | 9.00% | $341,295,000 | ||||
1997 | $97,953,000 | 30.25% | $199,314,000 | 61.55% | $26,582,000 | 8.21% | $323,849,000 | ||||
1998 | $103,261,000 | 28.63% | $225,910,000 | 62.63% | $31,550,000 | 8.75% | $360,721,000 | ||||
1999 | $108,779,000 | 29.37% | $226,593,000 | 61.19% | $34,964,000 | 9.44% | $370,336,000 | ||||
2000 | $117,522,000 | 30.42% | $234,576,000 | 60.73% | $34,181,000 | 8.85% | $386,279,000 | ||||
2001 | $128,223,000 | 32.99% | $218,700,000 | 56.26% | $41,802,000 | 10.75% | $388,725,000 | ||||
2002 | $125,930,000 | 31.91% | $223,822,000 | 56.71% | $44,904,000 | 11.38% | $394,656,000 | ||||
2003 | $132,123,000 | 31.91% | $232,053,000 | 56.04% | $49,899,000 | 12.05% | $414,075,000 | ||||
2004 | $138,251,000 | 32.13% | $233,437,000 | 54.25% | $58,649,000 | 13.63% | $430,337,000 | ||||
2005 | $153,132,000 | 32.98% | $250,223,000 | 53.89% | $61,008,000 | 13.14% | $464,363,000 | ||||
2006 | $165,598,000 | 33.43% | $268,984,000 | 54.30% | $60,822,000 | 12.28% | $495,404,000 | ||||
2007 | $178,154,000 | 33.20% | $298,397,000 | 55.61% | $60,069,000 | 11.19% | $536,620,000 | ||||
2008 | $194,462,000 | 29.88% | $394,410,000 | 60.61% | $61,866,000 | 9.51% | $650,738,000 | ||||
2009 | $199,037,000 | 30.63% | $384,905,000 | 59.24% | $65,775,000 | 10.12% | $649,717,000 |
2010 | $213,060,000 | 31.05% | $383,161,000 | 55.84% | $89,922,000 | 13.11% | $686,143,000 |
2011 | $210,723,000 | 28.77% | $407,204,000 | 55.59% | $114,561,000 | 15.64% | $732,488,000 |
2012 | $213,772,000 | 28.64% | $438,433,000 | 58.75% | $94,110,000 | 12.61% | $746,315,000 |
2013 | $206,016,000 | 26.75% | $487,629,000 | 63.31% | $76,535,000 | 9.94% | $770,180,000 |
Avg. | $143,663,238 | 29.60% | $285,581,714 | 59.58% | $53,847,524 | 10.82% | $483,092,476 |
The table below separates the district's expenditures into five categories identified by the agency:
Expenditures by Category | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Instruction | Support Services | Capital Spending | Debt & Gov. Payments | Other | Budget Total | |||||
Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget | Total | % of Budget |
Click [show] on the right to display the expenditure data for prior years. | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | $146,234,000 | 47.66% | $139,240,000 | 45.38% | $19,818,000 | 6.46% | $37,000 | 0.01% | $1,508,000 | 0.49% | $306,837,000 |
1994 | $152,851,000 | 43.89% | $141,548,000 | 40.65% | $40,980,000 | 11.77% | $11,296,000 | 3.24% | $1,567,000 | 0.45% | $348,242,000 |
1995 | $148,394,000 | 38.41% | $146,693,000 | 37.97% | $81,744,000 | 21.16% | $7,860,000 | 2.03% | $1,640,000 | 0.42% | $386,331,000 |
1996 | $192,709,000 | 47.11% | $107,437,000 | 26.27% | $100,367,000 | 24.54% | $6,908,000 | 1.69% | $1,624,000 | 0.40% | $409,045,000 |
1997 | $195,500,000 | 50.12% | $111,929,000 | 28.70% | $72,867,000 | 18.68% | $8,089,000 | 2.07% | $1,647,000 | 0.42% | $390,032,000 |
1998 | $207,432,000 | 53.46% | $112,661,000 | 29.03% | $58,232,000 | 15.01% | $8,127,000 | 2.09% | $1,593,000 | 0.41% | $388,045,000 |
1999 | $206,012,000 | 51.84% | $126,973,000 | 31.95% | $53,500,000 | 13.46% | $9,259,000 | 2.33% | $1,647,000 | 0.41% | $397,391,000 |
2000 | $222,108,000 | 50.20% | $135,410,000 | 30.61% | $75,494,000 | 17.06% | $7,629,000 | 1.72% | $1,779,000 | 0.40% | $442,420,000 |
2001 | $201,637,000 | 46.45% | $164,829,000 | 37.97% | $56,636,000 | 13.05% | $9,728,000 | 2.24% | $1,229,000 | 0.28% | $434,059,000 |
2002 | $233,712,000 | 48.43% | $151,485,000 | 31.39% | $84,126,000 | 17.43% | $11,976,000 | 2.48% | $1,229,000 | 0.25% | $482,528,000 |
2003 | $232,179,000 | 43.89% | $159,560,000 | 30.17% | $120,199,000 | 22.72% | $13,171,000 | 2.49% | $3,834,000 | 0.72% | $528,943,000 |
2004 | $244,474,000 | 43.69% | $167,320,000 | 29.90% | $126,767,000 | 22.65% | $17,547,000 | 3.14% | $3,519,000 | 0.63% | $559,627,000 |
2005 | $263,320,000 | 44.51% | $178,988,000 | 30.25% | $126,267,000 | 21.34% | $20,997,000 | 3.55% | $2,087,000 | 0.35% | $591,659,000 |
2006 | $284,863,000 | 46.04% | $195,540,000 | 31.60% | $110,991,000 | 17.94% | $26,946,000 | 4.35% | $433,000 | 0.07% | $618,773,000 |
2007 | $302,924,000 | 51.60% | $212,335,000 | 36.17% | $49,865,000 | 8.49% | $21,130,000 | 3.60% | $771,000 | 0.13% | $587,025,000 |
2008 | $363,382,000 | 52.40% | $248,068,000 | 35.77% | $61,860,000 | 8.92% | $19,695,000 | 2.84% | $410,000 | 0.06% | $693,415,000 |
2009 | $361,875,000 | 49.09% | $277,527,000 | 37.65% | $68,107,000 | 9.24% | $29,168,000 | 3.96% | $441,000 | 0.06% | $737,118,000 |
2010 | $369,275,000 | 48.85% | $296,061,000 | 39.16% | $60,741,000 | 8.03% | $28,489,000 | 3.77% | $1,390,000 | 0.18% | $755,956,000 |
2011 | $401,296,000 | 52.11% | $309,169,000 | 40.15% | $30,709,000 | 3.99% | $27,091,000 | 3.52% | $1,796,000 | 0.23% | $770,061,000 |
2012 | $419,466,000 | 53.97% | $308,752,000 | 39.72% | $18,495,000 | 2.38% | $25,639,000 | 3.30% | $4,875,000 | 0.63% | $777,227,000 |
2013 | $439,272,000 | 55.74% | $311,636,000 | 39.55% | $32,205,000 | 4.09% | $23,000 | 0.00% | $4,913,000 | 0.62% | $788,049,000 |
Avg. | $266,138,810 | 48.55% | $190,626,714 | 34.76% | $69,046,190 | 13.73% | $14,800,238 | 2.59% | $1,901,524 | 0.36% | $542,513,476 |
The table below shows the amount of debt retired, issued, and outstanding in the district for each year.
Debt | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fiscal Year |
Retired | Issued | Outstanding |
Click [show] on the right to display the debt data for prior years. | |||
---|---|---|---|
1993 | $40,122,000 | $0 | $188,889,000 |
1994 | $61,626,000 | $123,935,000 | $250,581,000 |
1995 | $28,866,000 | $58,002,000 | $180,417,000 |
1996 | $30,603,000 | $89,765,000 | $238,112,000 |
1997 | $22,238,000 | $48,084,000 | $227,587,000 |
1998 | $15,143,000 | $0 | $212,444,000 |
1999 | $13,673,000 | $50,389,000 | $221,898,000 |
2000 | $10,456,000 | $0 | $202,183,000 |
2001 | $18,991,000 | $95,106,000 | $270,668,000 |
2002 | $21,526,000 | $92,223,000 | $310,214,000 |
2003 | $22,209,000 | $109,956,000 | $351,121,000 |
2004 | $30,153,000 | $117,252,000 | $438,042,000 |
2005 | $35,843,000 | $156,175,000 | $540,262,000 |
2006 | $36,995,000 | $67,168,000 | $569,097,000 |
2007 | $34,187,000 | $118,227,000 | $506,646,000 |
2008 | $44,080,000 | $63,790,000 | $789,375,000 |
2009 | $46,630,000 | $29,840,000 | $772,585,000 |
2010 | $44,874,000 | $16,907,000 | $744,618,000 |
2011 | $45,744,000 | $37,607,000 | $533,680,000 |
2012 | $44,616,000 | $0 | $468,156,000 |
2013 | $45,062,000 | $34,445,000 | $457,539,000 |
Avg. | $33,030,333 | $62,327,190 | $403,529,238 |
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
Year | Minimum | Maximum |
---|---|---|
2020-2021[9] | $54,069 | $99,523 |
2019-2020 | $52,367 | $96,390 |
2018-2019 | $50,719 | $93,356 |
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[10]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:[11]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 39 | 27 | 21 | 31 | 22 | 35 | 54 |
2017-2018 | 40 | 29 | 22 | 32 | 27 | 37 | 55 |
2016-2017 | 35 | 24 | 16 | 26 | 22 | 33 | 49 |
2015-2016[12] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2014-2015 | 36 | 28 | 19 | 26 | 21 | 33 | 47 |
2013-2014 | 71 | 65 | 52 | 63 | 55 | 69 | 82 |
2012-2013 | 72 | 65 | 54 | 64 | 57 | 70 | 83 |
2011-2012 | 71 | 64 | 51 | 64 | 56 | 69 | 82 |
2010-2011 | 70 | 63 | 50 | 63 | 56 | 68 | 81 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:[11]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 42 | 29 | 25 | 36 | 23 | 39 | 57 |
2017-2018 | 45 | 31 | 29 | 38 | 26 | 42 | 61 |
2016-2017 | 40 | 26 | 24 | 32 | 21 | 37 | 55 |
2015-2016[13] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2014-2015 | 39 | 25 | 23 | 29 | 21 | 37 | 53 |
2013-2014 | 83 | 75 | 73 | 79 | 67 | 82 | 91 |
2012-2013 | 80 | 70 | 69 | 77 | 65 | 79 | 90 |
2011-2012 | 81 | 72 | 71 | 77 | 66 | 80 | 91 |
2010-2011 | 79 | 68 | 68 | 75 | 65 | 79 | 89 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:[11][14]
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) |
Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) |
Two or More Races (%) |
White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017-2018 | 81 | 84 | 70-74 | 80 | 64 | 77 | 85 |
2016-2017 | 81 | 85 | 75-79 | 81 | 63 | 76 | 86 |
2015-2016 | 80 | 82 | 70-74 | 76 | 55 | 80 | 85 |
2014-2015 | 80 | 84 | 75-79 | 75 | 50-54 | 75 | 86 |
2013-2014 | 74 | 71 | 65-69 | 72 | 45-49 | 68 | 82 |
2012-2013 | 76 | 77 | 60-64 | 73 | 50-54 | 68 | 84 |
2011-2012 | 73 | 76 | 60-64 | 71 | 40-44 | 69 | 79 |
2010-2011 | 72 | 73 | 65-69 | 61 | 50-54 | 65 | 79 |
Year[15] | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 46,115 | -3.1 |
2017-2018 | 47,588 | -1.3 |
2016-2017 | 48,238 | -0.2 |
2015-2016 | 48,324 | 0.5 |
2014-2015 | 48,089 | -0.1 |
2013-2014 | 48,159 | -1.3 |
2012-2013 | 48,774 | 0.0 |
2011-2012 | 48,765 | -0.9 |
2010-2011 | 49,206 | -0.8 |
2009-2010 | 49,592 | 1.5 |
2008-2009 | 48,837 | 0.0 |
2007-2008 | 48,857 | -0.8 |
2006-2007 | 49,230 | -1.0 |
2005-2006 | 49,714 | 0.3 |
2004-2005 | 49,545 | -0.4 |
2003-2004 | 49,722 | -0.7 |
2002-2003 | 50,055 | 0.6 |
2001-2002 | 49,767 | 0.5 |
2000-2001 | 49,526 | 0.3 |
1999-2000 | 49,382 | -0.4 |
1998-1999 | 49,587 | 1.4 |
1997-1998 | 48,887 | 1.6 |
1996-1997 | 48,109 | 3.0 |
1995-1996 | 46,697 | -2.0 |
1994-1995 | 47,655 | 1.1 |
1993-1994 | 47,140 | 2.2 |
1992-1993 | 46,103 | 3.3 |
1991-1992 | 44,628 | 5.5 |
1990-1991 | 42,300 | 3.4 |
1989-1990 | 40,924 | 10.1 |
1988-1989 | 37,176 | -9.2 |
1987-1988 | 40,942 | 4.5 |
1986-1987 | 39,175 | - |
During the 2018-2019 school year, 18.8% of the district's students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 15.8% were English language learners, and 15.2% of students had an Individual Education Plan (IEP).[17]
Racial Demographics, 2018-2019 | ||
---|---|---|
Race | Anchorage School District (%) | Alaska K-12 students (%) |
American Indian/Alaska Native | 8.6 | 22.8 |
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 10.9 | 5.8 |
Black | 5.1 | 2.7 |
Hispanic | 11.5 | 6.7 |
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Two or More Races | 15.8 | 11.5 |
White | 41.5 | 47.5 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
In October 2015, the Anchorage School District Board of Education announced its decision to let superintendent Ed Graff's contract expire on March 18, 2016. They offered a short-term extension through June 30, 2016, in order to ease the transition between Graff and the new superintendent. Graff was hired as superintendent in 2013 when Jim Browder left the position. Graff had worked in the district for 22 years before becoming superintendent and stayed in another administrative position in the district after he left his position as superintendent.[4]
Board president Kameron Perez-Verdia explained the board's decision to the public during a press conference. "The board’s reason for seeking new leadership is primarily centered around moving forward. And in order to achieve those goals we need to identify a new leader."[18]
Graff responded to the press conference by saying,
“ | For me, it’s been more important to see the success of students than it is to have the title of superintendent. I remain committed to students. I remain committed to our staff, and public education. And if I can do that in any capacity in our district then I will do that.[7] | ” |
—Ed Graff (2015)[18] |
The board assembled an advisory committee made up of four members with ties to the school district to assist with the search process. In February 2016, they approved a payment of $39,800 to the executive search firm Ray and Associates, Inc. to conduct a nationwide search for candidates.[19] The board selected Deena Bishop, who was then named Deena Paramo, as the next superintendent.[2]
An effort to recall four members of the Anchorage School District Board of Education was rejected in November 2015. Recall organizers alleged that Board President Kameron Perez-Verdia and board members Tam Agosti-Gisler, Pat Higgins, and Kathleen Plunkett misled voters on the 2015 bond reimbursement vote. Organizers also said that the board members violated state regulations by using signs on school grounds to promote bonds and by paying for a public survey on capital projects. The recall petition was rejected by the Municipality of Anchorage because two of the three allegations against the board members were not illegal, and the other could not be proven.[20][21]
The recall was led by Michael Chambers, the chair of the Alaska Libertarian Party, and David Nees, a former middle school math teacher in the district. Nees said Perez-Verdia, Agosti-Gisler, Higgins, and Plunkett were targeted for recall because they were the only four members who could be targeted. The other three members on the board—Eric Croft, Bettye Davis, and Elisa Snelling—were either too close to their terms being up for re-election or were too recently elected to the board.[21]
In January 2014, the Anchorage School District announced plans to cut 219 positions for the next school year. The plan included laying off 159 teachers: 47 from elementary schools, 35 from middle schools, and 33 from high schools and alternative schools. Another 44 positions were terminated because of a projected decline in enrollment. Over the four preceding years, the district had cut about 419 positions. District administrators were working with a $566 million operating budget for the 2014–15 school year, reportedly $23 million short of the funds the district said it needed.[22]
Anchorage School District
5530 E Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: 907-742-4000
Alaska | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
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