It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Monday March 2, 2026.
The Mat-Su Borough School District will introduce a proposed budget for the next school year at the School Board meeting this Wednesday. The budget includes cuts to address a projected $22.5 funding shortfall.
Early last week the district announced plans to close Glacier View School, Larson Elementary School, and Meadow Lakes Elementary School to address the shortfall.
Additional cuts were announced later last week. These cuts affect transportation, student activities, administrative roles, and student support positions across the district.
Transportation for all student activities is slated for elimination. This includes sports, clubs, and other extracurricular programs. Additional cuts for specific sports or activities have not been identified yet.
The district plans to reduce student support services. All middle and high school librarians would be eliminated. Secondary school records specialists and elementary school instructional coaches would also be cut. Nurses will continue to serve multiple schools instead of being stationed at individual campuses.
Administrative positions across the district will be reduced. The affected jobs and the projected savings have not yet been released.
Deputy Superintendent Katie Gardner is expected to provide information about staff reductions and additional proposed cuts at the school board meeting on Wednesday. The school board is slated to vote on the final budget during its March 18 meeting.
District officials prioritized classroom teachers in developing the budget. They acknowledged that this required structural and programmatic changes across the district. This results in significant impacts to other areas of operation.
The budget shortfall stems from several factors.
State education funding has not kept pace with inflation, limiting the district’s purchasing power.
Borough contributions remain below the maximum level allowed by the state. This further constrains available resources.
Student enrollment in Mat-Su schools has declined. This reduces state funding tied to per-student counts.
One contributing factor is the number of local students enrolling in homeschool correspondence programs operated by other Alaska school districts.
Approximately 3,000 students who live in the Mat-Su are enrolled in programs elsewhere in the state. As a result, about 2.1 million dollars in state student funding that might flow to the Mat-Su goes to other districts.
The proposed budget reflects the district’s effort to close the funding gap while maintaining classroom instruction. It represents a significant restructuring of services and programs. Final decisions will depend on the upcoming board presentation and vote.
This Page Two article was summarized from a piece in the Mat-Su Sentinel. Find the full article on matsusentinel.com
The district’s budget proposal is at matsuk12.us/fy27budget
The school board will meet on Wednesday March 4 at 6 p.m.
It’s a rough week for schools. The school bus drivers are on strike this week.
View the total lunar eclipse tonight. It’s a “blood moon” due to its red color during totality.
The eclipse starts just before midnight. It will reach totality just after 2 a.m. The totality will last until about 3 a.m. It will be clear and cold, so dress warmly if you go outside to view the eclipse.
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That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on March 2, 2026.