Anchorage Parents Protest School Closures

0:00Hey, it's Cory with the story. With Anchorage News today, your city, your news, every day. Parents and Anchorage are furious after the school board voted to close three elementary schools to tackle a $90 million budget shortfall. The decision hit hardest at Campbell Stem. The state's first elementary school certified for science, technology, engineering, and math programs. While Fire Lake and Lake Otis schools had weeks of community talks before the February votes, Campbell parents got just 11 days notice. The district rushed the process because city rules demand a budget by late February. Officials recommended closing Campbell on a Friday, before a three-day weekend, held public testimony that Tuesday, and voted the next week. This came after the board rejected similar closures last year, but asked for fresh options amid cuts to teachers, nurses, and sports. Families who chose the neighborhood for its strong STEM focus feel blindsided and unsafe about sudden changes. This described a tight-knit community where kids walked to class with staff help, now at

1:00risk. They packed board meetings, competing with pleas to save other programs. District leaders admit the timeline was too short, but blamed declining enrollment and flat-state funding over 10 years. Campbell stood out because it had flexible bond money that could cover staff costs elsewhere, giving the board a quick way to save funds. Parents are backing down, with petitions gathering hundreds of signatures, and the local community council urging a reversal. They're pushing the Anchorage Assembly to reject a budget when it votes on March 24th, while the school board meets again this Tuesday. This episode is supported by our sponsor. Relax deeper, reset faster, come for you can hear, soliplow.com