The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is facing a $17 million budget deficit and warns of drastic cuts to services without changes in state education funding. The district's superintendent blames uncertainty around state funding and a flat base amount per student for the financial strain. The district is considering cuts to school pools, theaters, increasing class sizes and lowering thermostats.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Soldotna, Alaska.
“These are drastic times,” he said. “I mean, what we’re looking at for reductions is serious. And we have no idea, once again, where we are with a future budget from our state.” Closing school pools and theaters, increasing class sizes and even lowering school thermostats are some of the ways the district is considering cutting costs. The proposals have galvanized students, parents and employees around the district.
School board president Zen Kelly says the district cannot afford to wait as long as last year for state money to come through. Board member Virginia Morgan played around with a beta version of the software Monday. After applying every cut possible, she still came up almost $90,000 short.
Finance EDUCATIONFINANCE BUDGET DEFICIT SCHOOL CUTS STATE FUNDING ALASKA LEGISLATURE
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