001Recording in progress. Good evening. We'll call ourselves to order. This is the Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 meeting of the ASD school board. Um, present in the boardroom are members Bellamy, Hollowman, Wilson, Jacobs, Higgins, and Donley. Um, online is our student representative Madison. and then not with us tonight and sending her regards as member lessons. With that said, Madison, would you please read the land acknowledgement? Lead us in the flag salute. >> Yes. We acknowledge that we gather here today on the traditional lands of the Deniman people of the Upper Cook Inlet. For thousands of years, the Deniman people have been and continue to be stewards of this land. ASD is committed to diversity and inclusion. And it is with honor and respect that we recognize all indigenous people who live and learn in our community.
002I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, and liberty and justice for all. Thank you, medicine. We want to thank you for attending our meeting and thank you for supporting the work of the Anchorage School District and School Board. Um the board thanks students, parents, teachers, staff, school business partners, and the entire community for your investment in our district with your time, your talent, and your tax dollars. With that said, we have um a motion in front of us and an agenda in front of us to approve. Is there a motion at this time? >> So moved. A second >> made by member Hollowman, seconded by member Bellamy to approve the agenda. Are there any amendments to the
003agenda? Member Higgins. >> Thank you. Uh I move to add an action item titled FY uh 2025-2026 budget revisions. >> Is there a second? >> Second >> made by member Higgins, seconded by member Hollowman. Member Higgins, would you like to discuss your amendment to our agenda? Uh this is a a budget revision request because of the uh lastm minute approval for our additional funding from the state with the decision of the legislature to override the governor's veto and the timing of this is critical for filling positions in the school district for the next year and that starts next week. So we are in urgent need. >> Thank you member Higgins. Is there discussion on this budget amendment hearing? And seeing none, is there any um opposition to amending our agenda? Seeing none, the agenda has
004been amended. Is there any further amendments to our agenda? Is there any opposition to member Donley? Thank you. um other than a special meeting I believe we had we've haven't been in session since two really important holidays the uh Independence Day and also um Junth and so I would move to uh add a reading of the first sentence of the Emancipation Proclamation uh to our agenda and also the first three sentences of their preamble the Declaration of Independence to our agenda. Member Donley, I appreciate the desire to want to read those items, but my question is, did you submit this before our meeting today? >> No. >> Okay. We typically only amend our agenda when it's an emerent need, I believe, is what our board policy states. And I'm wondering if there could we could
005use board comments to honor those very important documents and >> Okay. Um, yeah. >> Wonderful. Is there any additional amendments to our agenda? Okay. Is there any opposition to adopting our agenda as amended? Hearing and seeing none, we have an agenda. Thank you everyone. We'll move to item B, student reports. Our student representative report is up first. Madison, the floor is yours. Welcome. >> Thank you. Um, unfortunately tonight I am not being able to be in person and that is due to me still visiting and finishing up visiting family including my dad out of town. But I will make a brief report. So one of the biggest things I see is that obviously ASD has reinforced more of phone policies in schools. I've talked to some of my peers and it seems that individual schools
006are also making their own policies out of this. I know at Eagle River High School, my own school, we are now making it so all high schoolers at our school cannot have their phones out the entire day and that includes passing periods and lunch. And the policy is in the locker stored away. I have also talked to peers at South High School and it seems that they are similarly locking down on phones, but they can still use it during passing periods and lunch. But it does seem that their policies are getting a little tighter on things such as backpacks in schools, which is following what my own school does as well, where we cannot have backpacks a lot at all in schools. So, it seems that some other schools are also following in that direction.
007I haven't gotten any other news of any other individual schools making the policy their own. But I will say what I've heard from my peers at my own school and others is that there are some confusion and frustration feelings from these new policies at their own individual schools. Whether that's due to not being able to easily coordinate with their peers, um leaving outside of school or during lunch, or whether it's not being able to contact their own families in cases of emergency or just checking in, not having that power to do that themselves. But wherever this direction is going for ASD or their own schools, I'm sure it is made to try and include more positive change. But I will say some of my peers have reported negative feelings about these changes and there is
008definitely a lot of discussion about that. But other than that, um it seems that like a lot of students in our community are excited to start the school year and make a lot of change. I know that for the Alaska Associations of Student Government, Anchorage is actually going to be hosting this year and this fall actually at Alaska Pacific University. So hopefully our own students including me and a few others at my school and Diamond will have a great time hosting and many students across the state will have a great time attending in our city. But that concludes my report. >> Thank you Madison. Are there any questions for our student representative? Seeing none, we'll move on to board conference and committee reports. Does any committee chair wish to check in and provide a report
009at this time? Member Bellamy. >> Thank you, Mr. chair, just to uh let the board know that the AASB had its uh uh summer meeting here in Anchorage uh over at APU and that meeting took place uh maybe two weeks ago now. Um uh and primary the primary topics for discussion really had to do with uh funding uh of which we uh uh which that is I won't say it's no longer an issue but the the the reversal of the governor's veto uh was a primary part of that discussion along with uh some discussion regarding the local contribution the potential local contribution uh uh limit limitations uh were also part of uh the discussion. So um other than that I don't think there was any pressing business uh other than there will be uh three
010seats available uh for uh new members on the board of uh on the board of directors for AASB and I'll bring that information forward uh as soon as it becomes available. And actually one final piece is that if there are any resolutions that any of us or any district would like to see uh go before the body the uh delegate assembly for AASB in November. You have until October 15th I believe uh to get those in and there is a uh they have to be submitted online. So, if anyone has anything um you can either do it yourself or you can uh ask me or ask for my help and I'll be happy to make sure you have the right uh form. So, thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you, member Bellamy. Is there another
011committee chair who wishes to provide an update? Okay, seeing none, we'll move on to item C, goals and guardrail monitoring. Dr. Bryant, the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Mr. President. So, uh, we're creating an addition to the goal monitoring report section and we'll add guard rails periodically throughout the year, similarly to how we present a goal monitoring report. Um, just for the public's awareness because the board has had extensive training on this, but really the the goals outline the vision of the board, what we're measuring, what students are able to do, and what they know. The guard row report um reflects the community values, things that should not be happening in pursuit of the goals. So it is a slightly different format. Um I won't go through the report with the board one by
012one. I think it would be more efficient for everyone to take the next two weeks, review the guardrail report and to submit questions to us in advance just like you do with the goal monitoring report. So I envision in two weeks we can have um a conversation if board members have questions on this particular guardrail. So this is guardrail number three. And for the public's awareness, the guardrail is that the superintendent will not allow unsatisfactory employee performance to go unidentified or unressed in pursuit of the board goals on reading, math, in college, career, and life readiness. Um so we're talking about employee performance here. So it should um not be surprising that the things that we're measuring are one trends in employee performance data and then two um the degree of compliance with our um
013principle our principles engaging in training for employee evaluations and the same type of training for our classified supervisors that are represented in a number of different bargaining groups. Um, so with that said, I envision in a couple of weeks we could um connect those dots and talk about how ensuring that our employees are engaging in highly effective high impact evaluations could help us um meet meet our academic goals. Um, so that's my report for today. Again, just a technical presentation. In two weeks, we'll come back to answer board member questions on unsatisfactory employee performance. Um, and please send your questions in advance. I think that that's all I had for this. >> Okay. Um, seeing no questions from the board, we'll move on. Thank you, Dr. Bryant. To item D, public comments. I believe we've
014got one testifier tonight. Welcome to the board's opportunity of this evening for uh public comment. The board has set aside a 1-hour time slot at the beginning of each meeting for public comment. Uh during public comment, the board will not answer questions or engage in discussion with members of the public. The board welcomes the public to observe and contribute to our meetings. Um however, produ uh the public comment should be productive um and must be structured and civil. Uh ASD conducts its meetings under Robert's rules of order. We would encourage you to look at the requirements posted at the entrance of our boardroom. Uh to include do not attack a member or speaker's motives, no profanity or foul language, refraining from disturbing the meeting, and if you have handouts to share with the board, uh
015please hand them to Miss Sullivan who's seated to my left. Additional details can be found at the handout located at the door. That said, our first and only testifier tonight is Mr. William Baxter. >> Welcome, Mr. Baxter. You have three minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Okay. Is it okay? I'm William Baxter and uh I' I've been in six uh uh uh praise with my trucks and that and uh I represent FFA and 4 and other things and uh I've been in the three praise this summer and I represent FFA and uh one of the other things what's good about FFA Future Farmers of America is they have a good leadership program. I've been to Amway many for many years and I would say Amway probably has one of the best leadership programs at
016one time. They had worldwide deer binders. They had network 21. A lot of your network marketing companies have really good uh leadership programs. And I see uh FFA have that same uh uh type of thing. And I see these kids, these kids are in FFA, the the people that have are head of chapters, they work really hard. A lot of times when you're FFA people that work FFA chapters, they're they're doing things in the winter time. They're going they're working in the fair and the stuff get ready for fair and 4 to not fair. uh the fair is getting ready for 4 and so FF8 I would think is probably one of the best things part of the school system. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. That completes public comment for tonight. We'll
017move on to item E, our consent agenda. Is there a member who wishes to pull an item from our consent agenda for discussion before moving to approve and adopt our consent agenda? >> Hearing and seeing none. Is there a motion to approve the consent agend agenda as written? >> Mr. Chair, I move to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Made by member Bellamy, seconded by member Hollowman. Is there any discussion on the consent agenda? Hearing and seeing none, Miss Sullivan, the vote, please. >> Student Representative Madison, >> yes. >> Member Donley, >> yes. >> Member Higgins. Member Hollowman, >> yes. >> Member Bellamy, >> yes. >> Member Wilson, >> yes. >> President Jacobs, >> yes. Consent agenda is adopted by a vote of six to zero with the student representative voting yes.
018Move on to action items. All right. And our first and only action item is ASD memorandum number 038 FY2526 budget revisions. Member Higgins, do you have a motion? >> Yes. Um um I well I've just made the motion but I uh I'm let's see give me a second. Yeah. Move to approve and I I just don't have in front of me. I have no other memo in front of me. Give me a second. >> All right. There's a motion to approve ASD memorandum number 038 FY2526 budget revisions. Is there a second? >> I second. Okay. Okay. >> Is there a copy of the memo available? physical copy available. There's no notice ahead of this. >> Yeah, fair enough. Um, I'm going to ask for a 10-minute recess while we get a physical copy and then
019we'll prepare member Higgins to read the full title of the memo into the record. >> Okay, >> just 10 minute edies. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Send it back. We'll call ourselves back to order at 6:31 p.m. We've distributed physical copies of AS Memorandum number 038. Member Higgins, would you please read the recommendation into the record? >> Yes. I move to approve a revision to the general fund budget in the amount of $3,670,000. >> Thank you very much for completing our record. Um, Member Higgins, would you like to speak to the motion now that you've made? >> Second. >> Got it. Made by member Higgins, seconded by member Bellamy. U, member Higgins, would you like to speak to the motion to approve? >> Thank you. um um the the recommendation to make
020this revision to the general fund. Uh on August 2nd, 2025, the Alaska legislature overrode the governor's veto of base student allocation funds which will provide the uh nearly $10 million to the Anchorage School District. The district has significant needs to be addressed prior to the start of the school year. In an effort to get resources to students is recommended that the following allocations be released immediately while a full revision to include the entire $10 million is being developed. 20 classroom teachers to address high class sizes as enrollment gets finalized. 2.6 million. Elementary school support for curriculum, music, and inscolastic activities 230,000. Middle school support for tutoring, afterchool programs, and professional development, 60,000. High school support for extended school uh curriculum and professional development 260,000. And charter schools uh proportionate share 520,000. Um just to address
021those points briefly, um the school starts next week. We have had uh no act no opportunity here to make any sort of changes in a timely manner. It qualifies from my perspective as an emergency because of the timing starting school. We've got to make sure that we get the classes assigned right. Charter schools with the allocation of additional fundings is not in the budget right now. So approving this gives the charter schools those funds necessary to be able to make whatever changes they want to for the school year. And um and so for that reason and the goal of course would be for the next school board meeting where we will address the full um additional allocation because of the budget override. Thank you. >> Thank you member Higgins for your comments on the motion.
022Member Bellamy. The floor is yours. >> Thank you. I I will be supporting uh this motion. We are uh thankful to the legislators that voted to uh put the money where it needed to be most. And I think that with school starting, this is for me it's an emergency. I don't know that we can wait. And I think this superintendent needs to have the authority to get our schools ready for our kids. And so I will be voting to support uh the motion. and and I do rep uh realize uh Mr. Chair that this is not uh according to our usual process uh but we are accessing the emergency provision of our policy so that we can get this work done tonight. So I'm hoping that it will pass. Thank you. >> Thank you. Member
023Bellamme, I'll jump in the queue just to state that I support the motion. And then from a process standpoint, I've coordinated with the superintendent to confirm that we'll have a a full plan uh for the entirety of the additional funds that we can budget for um which the board will reapprove um at a future meeting using our typical notice and approval process. Member Hollowman, >> I'd like to echo the comments Member Bellamy and uh President Jacobs that you this this is urgent given the the value of having staff in place on the very first day of school. Uh normally we would notice this in advance and uh take it up at a second meeting, but because there is such a limited timeline, I think it's a a prudent and beneficial thing for us to do.
024and fully support the motion. >> Thank you. Member Hullman. Is there additional comments on the memorandum? Member Wilson. >> I also wanted to say that I'm supporting this memo and uh greatly appreciate the legislators who stepped up to make sure that we have those additional funds for our students. Thank you. >> Thank you, Member Wilson. Any additional member comments before we vote? Member Donlay, the floor is yours. I just wanted to say that this parallels the testimony we had at our work session earlier today of what the most immediate needs are particularly concerned with bubble classroom sizes. That's where class rooms because of the demographics of a particular area have gotten really excessive in size. And this hopefully will allow the superintendent and his team the flexibility to address that and try to keep these
025classrooms from being ridiculously large. >> Well said, member Donley. Any additional member comments? >> Okay, seeing none, Miss Sullivan, the vote, please, on ASD memorandum number 038. >> Student Representative Madison, >> yes. >> Member Bellamy, >> yes. Member Higgins. Member Hollowman. >> Yes. >> Member Wilson, >> yes. >> Member Donley, >> yes. >> President Jacobs, >> yes. ESD memorandum number 038 is adopted by a vote of six to zero with the student representative voting yes. Thank you everyone and thank you to the administration for preparing and drafting something so quickly after our work session. Your efforts are appreciated. That completes our action items. We have a list of non-action items tonight that will be in front of us at our meeting later this month. Is there any board member who wishes to discuss a non-action
026item this evening hearing? And seeing none, we have no additional public comment. We'll move on to item I, superintendent update. Dr. Brian, the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be brief, but I first want to just state thank you to the board for supporting our urgent needs that we see in our schools. So, we had a very atypical situation that happened this Saturday, which was the override of the governor's veto to education funding. So, that means that we learned just a few days ago that the $700 BSA increase has been fully restored. So, that means for ASD um will receive about $10 million for our students. So, this happened very quickly. So, what we requested that the board approved tonight was a revision to our budget to deploy about $3 million directly
027to our kiddos as soon as possible. I think one of the best things that we can do for our students in this moment is to make sure they have access to a great educator. So, what we're going to do effective tonight and I I guess technically tomorrow morning, we're going to try to recruit as many great teachers as we can because every day counts. If we would have waited two weeks, we might have lost some great teaching candidates. So, because of the board swift action tonight, because of our wonderful legislators, we're able to make this possible. And if you know of any great teachers we're hiring, please tell them to apply at our website ask12.org. So, um, that's the new thing that I wanted to share today. But what I had planned to share was
028just to recap with the community just how uh how different of a summer this was in a lot of ways. Not all bad um but uh it was certainly different. So, let's recap um this summer. So, a few months ago, the legislature passed that $700 uh base student allocation increase as well as education policies. The governor vetoed that. So then shortly afterwards, the legislature responded by overriding that policy veto where we had 46 votes to override that veto number one. And then what happened was the governor decided to reduce funding by $200 per student. And I I feel blessed that our legislature came together and voted their conscience on Saturday and 45 legislators provided an additional veto override. Um that truly was historic. So, for context, we have not um been able to pull off
029an override of an appropriation veto since 1987. So, well before any of our students were even born um because it's very difficult to do. Um we're talking about 45 out of 60 legislators. Think about how diverse of those communities that are represented by those legislators because clearly that is not something that just Anchorage can pull off. It's not something that a rural community can pull off by themselves. It happened because across the state, we came together and we said that we need to stabilize our schools and we need to stabilize them now. So, I feel indebted to our legislators that made that happen and I'm very thankful for the board that's allowing us to take action tomorrow morning to start to write this ship. So, um, to make that part short, the original funding has
030been restored and we're going to start deploying the $3 million effective tomorrow and then we're going to come back to the board in a couple of weeks with a plan for how we'll utilize the rest of the funds. I do want the public to be aware that we do have some big headwinds that are still emerging. So that's why I want to recap what happened with the federal government earlier this summer because over the Fourth of July weekend um what happened was the federal government froze $6 billion that was supposed to be deployed to public schools across the country and ASD was one of those districts impacted and we were on track to lose millions of dollars for uh critical services for our students. This again this happened over Fourth of July weekend so it
031was unprecedented. But I want to thank my team that really came together. They some of them were located in different parts of the country where some of us were on vacation but it didn't matter. We put everything aside and we figured out what we can do for our kids. So I feel really um indebted to our staff that worked around the clock for many many days to to do a lot of things. Um in fact I had to get involved too because you might have read that I filed a lawsuit against the federal government. It's called Anchored School District at Tallal versus the US Department of Education. And we're proud of that action and I'm even proud to report that four days after that lawsuit was filed, the funds were dispersed or they announced that
032they will disperse those funds. So, we avoided a very close call because during all of that flurry over Fourth of July weekend, we had to notify dozens of employees. They may not have a job in a few weeks. We literally had to contact people to let them know that they would be laid off in 90 days while they're on cruise ships in the middle of the summer. How devastating is that to the morale of our employees? And what does that say to the institutions that our public has learned to trust over decades? So, we've had some big setbacks. And I would be lying if I said that my trust has been restored after that situation. It is not. Uh, and that lawsuit is still filed, but I'm very thankful that we were able to get
033past that initial hump and those funds will be um set out to where they were supposed to go, which is to our children in public schools across the country. So, uh, that case will be pending. I will keep the public informed as that um situation comes to to to light. But the the point is is that when we stand firmly behind our students, we win. students win and we can improve the quality of our schools. So, thank you to everybody that was involved with that. So, all of that was to say that these victories give our students some stability and hope during a time when I'm sure many of us felt completely hopeless. But as the superintendent of ASD, I'm proud to say that I've seen something that I've known all along, which is that
034ASD is resilient. This wasn't just a coincidence that we got through all of these random crises that happened this summer. I think that our resilience is truly in our DNA as an organization. And the fight is not over. As historic as Saturday was, I don't want the public to forget that 10 years of flat funding and a 30% increase in inflation during that time has taken a toll on schools across the state. So even though things are stabilized for this fiscal year, we still have a structural deficit for FY27. So we do need to make some hard decisions and the situation with the federal government makes me wonder how are we going to ensure there's continuity of services for all those populations even if there is a change in funding from the federal government in
035the future. I can't predict that future, but I will tell you this. I will be prepared for that possibility because I will not forget what happened over Fourth of July weekend. I won't. So, with that said, my call to action to the community is really we need to protect our progress as a school district. And I will say in all of these years that we've been advocating for funding, I I think some of the story of our successes as a district has gotten lost. And my commitment as my fourth year as ASD superintendent is to make sure that that story does not go untold. So tonight I want to start telling some of that story about how despite all of these headwinds, despite all of the obstacles, we truly are moving the needle in all
036the right areas. First off, let's talk about literacy. Does the general public realize that since 2023, we've seen an 11% increase in the number of students that are testing reading proficient, right, based off of our MClass screeners. 11%. I didn't hear any of that during this conversation in the capital these past few months or really these past years. So, because we've put evidence-based practices in our schools, because we've fully embraced the science of reading and put a lot of work, our teachers have put in a lot of work, we were able to move that needle 11% in just two years and it was 10% in one year. So, our team has been working really hard to make that happen for our kids. Let's talk about college career and life readiness. Does the public know that
037today 750 more students are enrolled in advanced placement classes than there were three years before I started? And we did that same measurement. So when you look at the actual students that are enrolled in college bearing courses, I even found out that um we have 42% more students from underserved and vulnerable subopuls who are enrolled in AP courses. 42% more students. some of our most vulnerable populations. They're also taking advantage of these opportunities because of the work that we've put in place over the past three years. Another thing that we put into place recently uh is something you may have heard of called themies of Anchorage. That's not fully implemented yet, but we are in year two of our freshman academy implementation. And I want to report to the public that the initial results indicate
038that we're on the right track. So because of the board's vision for our goals, we've now started measuring the number of ninth, 10th, and 11th graders that are on track to graduate. And after just one year of freshman academy, I'm pleased to report that our percent of 9th graders that are on track to graduate went up five points from just last year alone. So just one year of putting this highquality intervention into all of our high schools, we're on track to meet our ambitious goal of 90% of students graduating in four years in the Anchorage School District. That was a goal that we set out for, you know, five, six years down the line. And we're already making progress right now today. And it's not even just on the academics. If you look at the
039freshman suspension rates, it looks like we've decreased suspensions 15% for our freshmen. So, we've also made huge strides in improving the culture in our schools. And let's not forget about the actual bread and butter of pathways aside from advanced placement, which would be our career and technical education classes. So, we've been closely studying the rates at which students who complete CTE courses in a pathway graduate from high school. So, as a district, about 80% of students graduate from ASD in four years. But for kids that complete a career pathway, that rate is 96%. And when I looked at those demographics of kids, it's reflective of the diversity that makes ASD great. So we're seeing achievement across all of our subops as a result of these big initiatives that we put into place about 3 years
040ago. And like I said, our school climate is going in the right direction. We saw a decrease in suspensions for 9th graders, but I'm pleased to report that they're down 21% overall across our high school students. And I think part of the reason is because we've aggressively expanded our positive behavior interventions and supports, which we've talked about for years, but fast forward three years, now we're at over two dozen schools. So, we've put a lot of thought, a lot of effort, and a lot of energy into doing things despite all of the noise and drama and infighting that I just described earlier in my presentation. And I've not even listed half of the things that we've done. And we're just getting started. So my call to action to the community is one remember that ASD
041is on the move and across all the right metrics we are making a difference but the time to really take our advocacy to the next level is now because if we don't make our story heard all of this progress that we've achieved is in jeopardy. So my call to action to our community is we really need to protect our progress in Anchorage. If we don't tell our story someone else is going to tell a completely different and usually untrue story. So, I will be telling the truth about Anchorage School District moving forward. So, I'm looking forward to my fourth year as the proud superintendent of the largest, most diverse, most incredible school district in the state. Thank you everyone. That concludes my report. Happy first day of school to all of our kiddos that start
042very soon. >> Thank you, Dr. Bryan. Are there questions for our superintendent? >> Member Bellamy. Okay, I don't have a question, but I'll take whatever he's got because it's infectious. Thank you. >> Understood. Agreed. Thank you, Member Bellamy. Thank you, Dr. Brian, for your report. We'll move on to uh Jay, school board administration comments and communications. Um board member comments are first. We'll start with to my left with member Higgins. >> Thank you. Um, let me start by saying thank you to all the staff that we have this year for the for the schools. Uh, it's been a hell of a summer and I know it's been stressful for many not knowing what's going to go forward, how we're going to do it. But, uh, the the teachers, the teacher aids, the people that keep
043the school clean and and functioning, uh, everyone directly involved with it, uh, a thank you because it it's really going to be a success. and we their critical positions. So, I'll start with that. Also say thank you to the legislators that voted to override the veto. The legislature established what is appropriate for the BSA. The governor decided that the state didn't need to fund the leg uh the BSA fully and I don't think that was something he has a right to do it and the legislators managed to pull off a veto override and it has made it will make a difference for students. And so I'm very appreciative of that. We've got a crisis coming next year. We're spending reserves this year. We won't have for next year. We still have the shortage. We have
044the inflationary factors. We've addressed it with one-time funds. Um and the question becomes one whether the legislature intends or can um much of the the the votes to be able to determine how they're going to raise the adequate funds and adequately fund public education. That's their responsibility. they are responsible for determining where the funds are going to come from and creating what they need to do to do that. Uh and then meeting the obligation of adequate funding and that something to be addressed and needs to be addressed in a in a a strong way. And so I appreciate those all the parents and and others who have contacted legislators advocating for public schools. It makes a difference to our students. So my appreciation for that as well. Thank you. Thank you, Member Higgins. Member Donley.
045>> Yeah, along those lines, looking at the projected deficit for next year, um, one thing we could do for no cost would repeal the current National Common Core requirement for all ASD curriculum and replace it with the statutory state of Alaska education standards. That wouldn't cost anything for us to do. And the argument has been that they're very similar. So, why not do it? Uh, I look for anybody on the board to second me and I'd introduce a resolution to do that. Go with the Alaska statutory standards, the Alaska standards versus the national one. Um, so earlier I mentioned um that there were two really important holidays while we've been gone. Um, the uh Junth which acknowledges the uh implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation. And the first sentence of the Emancipation Proclamation is that on
046the first day of January in the year of our Lord 1,863, all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state. The people thereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall in then henceforth and forever be free, and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, and any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. And of course, Independence Day happened uh while we were gone. And when I went to the Anchorage School District, uh we were required to memorize the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. Um but tonight, I'd just like to read the first three sentences
047in honor of Independence Day. um that is mostly attributed to Thomas Jefferson but some of which of these things were modified by other members of the con continental Congress and their meetings on that led to this. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That when any whenever any form of government becomes destructive of those ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them
048shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness. Thank you. >> Thank you, Member Donley. We'll go with Member Wilson. >> So, I wanted to uh recognize a few community events that took place recently. Last Friday, our office of equity and community engagement partnered with the Alaska BIPAC educators to uh host the hugs back to school backpack jam. They provided backpacks and supplies to over 3,400 students. So, I I heard great things about that one. It was amazing. Um, there was also the clothesline project at Clark Middle School that took place on Saturday, August 2nd, and I' I've attended, didn't get a chance to attend this year, but I've attended in the past, and holy cow, there's so many so many clothes, so many donations at that event. Um, always amazing. And our kids
049walk out with garbage bags of clothing uh for school. So, thank you to APD, Cops for Community, and community members, um, all that continue to put in all that work to support our students and families. And I wanted to give a shout out specifically to Banetta Orchet and Steve Brown, two of our um, wonderful employees that put in a tremendous amount of work to make that one happen. Also, the first MEAC meeting is scheduled and it will take place on August 20th. Thank you. >> Thank you, Member Wilson. Member Hullman. >> Um, yeah, along the same lines, I I do feel like a lot of our success legislatively came from parents. Um, I've been to a lot of constituent meetings and community council meetings uh where parents showed up and made it clear to their
050legislators they wanted support for education in Alaska. And anybody that's been engaged in this for some length of time know that schoolboard members and educators and union members have limited impact on our legislature. Um but I think in this case parents really put the pressure to let it be known that they wanted something much closer to what I would call adequate funding. Um they want smaller classrooms. They want the activities that we provide in our schools. uh and a significant number of legislators recognized that and made it so. So so I really do appreciate them turning out. Uh it's not something a lot of people enjoy. Um it's something a lot of people actively avoid. Uh but it is going to be what has to happen. I think uh for people to know the will
051of their constituents. I thank them very much for doing it. >> Thank you member Hullman. Member Bellamy. >> Thank you. So, I'm excited for the new school year and I hope our kids and families are as well. Um, I I do want, you know, there's just so much going on and people are just doing everything they can to get ready for our kids. Uh, I do want to thank Holly uh Zumb Zumbro for spending some time with me this afternoon to to talk about our efforts, our district's efforts to not just um keep our kids in school, but even when they get in trouble in the community, we want to embrace them and get them back in school as soon as possible. And our efforts there were, as I thought, but even better than what
052I thought they were. So, thanks, Holly. Um, Mr. Chair, I just need to take one I I just want to thank the legislators. Uh, I'm calling them the fabulous 45. And I'm going to read each one of their names off tonight for overriding that budget. It won't take me long, Mr. Chair. I promise to be brief. And I'm just going to do last names. That'll save us some time as well. Uh but our fabulous 45 we are recognizing and thanking Burke Binham Carrick Cologne Dybert Edund Aishid Elum Fields Foster Galvin Gray Hall Hanan Himshoot Holland Jimmy Josephson Cop Mirs Mina Nelson. Sound familiar? Ruffage, Sadler, Shraggy, Stamp, Story, Stouts, Borman, Clayman, Krunk, Dunbar, Diesel, Gay, Jackson, Hoffman, Kaufman, Kawasaki. I practice these. Keel, Merrick, Olsen, Steedman, Stevens, Tobin, uh, looks like Willikowski, and Yant. Thank
053you to our fabulous 45. And I also want to thank all of those organizations. Parents were amazing. Um, the Coalition for uh, equity and education was amazing. And all of our professional groups. This is the first time in about 40 years that I've seen this kind of unity when it comes to our kids. And so I thank everybody for standing in the gap for our kids. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you, Madame Vice President. Um I will close our comments just with a a quick reiteration of our appreciation as a board u for our community, our students, our parents, our educators, um support staff, building and district leadership. Um, this summer was not much of a break for so many in the education community and I am apologetic that that happened, but I'm also
054grateful at the work that took place to ensure that the resources that our students deserved uh using current formulas were allocated ultimately. Um I I think I've seen it iterated a couple different times online and in print that for all the work um and all the advocacy, we've effectively seen a a roughly $20 in a literal sense increase to the BSA since that last fiscal year and would that that isn't sufficient to cover inflation since last FY. And so, um, there's a lot to be happy about, um, in terms of what was at stake. Uh, but the conversation truly is just beginning. And I think, um, I'm looking forward to our future communications committee meetings where we can talk about legislative strategy and continue to to harness public input to make sure our legislature understands
055why the conversation must continue um, based on years of non-action. With that said, that completes our agenda tonight. Is there a motion to adjourn? Madam Ch, Mr. Chair, sorry about that. I was thinking of somebody else. President >> President Jacobs, I move to adjourn. >> Second >> made by member Bellamy. Is our second Hollowman. Seeing no objection, we are adjourned at 7:02 p.m. Thank you, everyone.