Anchorage Schools Lay Off 56 Teachers, Displace 203

0:00It's April 18th, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Anchorage News today, your AI-powered local news. Voters in Anchorage just shot down Proposition 9, a property tax hike meant to bring in about $12 million for the schools. Now the Anchorage School District is dropping the hammer with cuts to 500 full-time positions across the board for next year. That includes laying off 56 teachers outright while another 203 get displaced, still on payroll, with shuffle to new jobs, or schools. The district's been prepping for this, staring down a $90 million deficit. Back in March they passed the balance budget with two pass, one of the prop passed, one of it tanked like it did. Superintendent Jarrah Bryan says this is straight out of their no-pass playbook. It's hitting hard on folks, especially educators who are the heart of the system. Bryan called it a tough pill, saying their top goal is holding on to teachers, but reality forced these moves, letting over 50 go and uprooting two.

1:00Hundred more. The whole community is feeling the squeeze right now. They weren't shocked, prop 9 flopped, nor bond prop 1 for 79 million in school safety upgrades. A February survey showed voters dead even on bonds, and that vibe never shifted. But Bryan's eyeing other survey insights to guide what's next. As the dust settles, the districts locked into this leaner setup, pushing them to rethink priorities and rally support for future fights to keep. Alaska's kids, learning strong.