Staffing concerns drove Anchorage superintendent to postpone opening schools
Anchorage School District announced on Sunday evening it would be reversing its controversial plan to return K-2 and special education students to in-person learning as COVID-19 case counts reach record highs in Alaska. Superintendent Deena Bishop made the call after new staffing concerns with both the school district and the city’s health care system emerged late last week.
UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen takes new job in California
The news of her departure comes about two years after Sandeen became the leader of Alaska’s largest public university.
Tutoring programs give a window into what reopened Anchorage schools may look like
The Anchorage School District's tutoring program is targeting children who most need in-person instruction, and testing out its protocols for when more students return to classrooms in November.
Black teacher sues North Slope district for not addressing students’ racist threats in Nuiqsut
The lawsuit alleges students threatened the teacher using racist language and symbols, but were never disciplined.
LISTEN: U.S. Senate incumbent Dan Sullivan is here to answer your questions
Republican Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s junior U.S. Senator for the last six years, is running for reelection. What does he think the most urgent needs are for the state and what are his plans for getting the work done in a fractured senate?
Anchorage School District superintendent expects to postpone start of in-person classes
Anchorage Schools Superintendent Deena Bishop said she'll likely push back the return to in-person schooling because of a surge of COVID-19 infections in the city.
LISTEN: Primaries or ranked choice? Vote Yes and Vote No make their case on Ballot Measure 2.
Ballot measure 2 seeks to make changes to the state’s election structure by replacing the political party primary and by selecting candidates through ranked choice voting. What would it mean for elections and what do you need to know about the measure before voting on it?
Many Anchorage teachers say they don’t want to return to classrooms
Overwhelmingly, public testimony during the meeting came from district teachers who expressed concerns about social distancing, cleaning supplies, and class sizes.
LISTEN: U.S. Senate candidate Al Gross is here to answer your questions
Making his first run for public office, Al Gross wants to win the race for Alaska's U.S. Senate seat, currently held by incumbent Dan Sullivan. Gross is running as an Independent with support from state democrats.
Excitement and betrayal: families and teachers react to Anchorage plan to return to classrooms
As families await more details from the district, they’re trying to figure out what this plan means for them.
Anchorage School District outlines plans for return to school buildings
The youngest children will return first, in mid-October. Middle school children will return in November and high school students will return in early 2021
Palmer High School temporarily closed after single confirmed COVID-19 case
The district will provide an update on the length of the closure Tuesday evening.
After 18 months of negotiations, Mat-Su teachers move closer to a strike
All members of the Mat-Su teachers union are eligible to vote over the next few days on whether to go on strike. The district will have 72-hours notice before a strike takes place.
LISTEN: U.S. House candidate Alyse Galvin is here to answer your questions
Challenging Alaska's lone and long-serving U.S. House representative for a second time, Alyse Galvin is running as an independent with support from state Democrats.
When will the Anchorage School District reopen to students? Possibly mid-October, district says
Superintendent Deena Bishop says the decreasing number of covid cases in the city is a good sign for resuming in person learning.
LISTEN: U.S. House incumbent Don Young is here to answer your questions
Alaska has only one U.S. House seat and Congressman Don Young is seeking his 25th term in that position. What does he want to accomplish in the next two years if he is re-elected?
As the school year begins, Alaska school administrators worry low enrollment could impact state funding
Financially, there is a lot at stake. State funding of public schools is tied directly to enrollment.
Cluster of COVID-19 cases closes three schools in Mat-Su School District
Students at those schools will be learning online while the schools are sanitized and a contact tracing investigation begins.
LISTEN: Not every student in Alaska has access to reliable internet. How are officials handling distance education in rural Alaska?
How will rural students access course materials in areas with little or no broadband? And how will teachers build relationships with students that can’t log on?
PHOTOS: Anchorage families begin a new school year during a pandemic
Families in Anchorage show how they're approaching the '20-'21 school year.