Anchorage School Board approves $789 million budget
By KIRSTEN ADAMS
Anchorage Daily Planet
The Anchorage School Board approved the proposed 2010-2011 Anchorage School District’s $789 million proposed budget Thursday night, which includes an estimated $235 million in local tax revenues.
Heidi Embley, the district’s communications officer, in a news release Friday detailed several cuts, including a $20,000 reduction in the school board travel budget and axing the $9,200 board meal budget completely.
In October, the Assembly approved an ordinance limiting the district’s share of property tax revenues to $192 million plus up to $4.8 million in revenue for district expenses previously paid for by the municipality. The official school board budget proposal issued Thursday said the board would negotiate with the Assembly for additional tax revenue.
Embley said the district anticipated it would also benefit from an increase in federal aid.
“The net amount of additional revenue is approximately $1 million,” she said. “Superintendent Carol Comeau directed those funds be used to reinstate a portion of the elementary class size increase, effectively retaining approximately 12 teaching positions that were initially slated for elimination.”
The district originally had proposed eliminating 41 budgeted teaching positions through attrition, but Comeau said no teachers would be laid off. Now, they plan to eliminate 29 positions.
Before it can be finalized, the budget must be approved by the Assembly and Gov. Sean Parnell must sign an education funding bill into law.
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