Why stability, vision, and urgency matter in public education—Anchorage is showing what’s possible when leaders act with purpose.

That special back to school energy is buzzing throughout Alaska. Last week at Kasuun Elementary, I walked into a first-grade classroom where students were eager to show off their reading skills. For the second year in a row, ASD’s first graders have posted double-digit gains on the mCLASS literacy screener. That progress is no accident. It is the result of teachers who believe in their students, families who support them, and a community that invests in the tools to help them succeed.

This is my fourth year leading the Anchorage School District, and I can say with confidence that we have just experienced one of the strongest starts to a school year yet. That outcome was far from certain. Over the summer, Alaska’s schools faced a gauntlet of challenges: multiple vetoes from the Governor, an unprecedented $200-per-student funding cut, and even a federal freeze on $47 million in education funds. But time and again, our community and our legislature stepped up. Vetoes were overridden. Lawsuits were filed. Federal funds were restored. And within 72 hours of the Legislature’s action, the Anchorage School Board approved the hiring of 20 new teachers to reduce class sizes where students needed it most. Those positions are filled, and more are on the way. At ASD, we deliver for students—whatever it takes. That stability is already visible in our schools.

I also visited Eagle River High, where 89 percent of students who took Advanced Placement exams last year earned college credit, up from 76 percent the year before. That number was 55 percent in 2021. Districtwide, 750 more students are enrolled in AP courses than in 2022, including a 42 percent increase among students who’ve historically been underrepresented in AP courses.

At Baxter Elementary, which welcomed students from Nunaka Valley after a deeply emotional school consolidation, stability is taking root in meaningful ways. Enrollment has rebounded from a low of 207 students to 335 today, restoring resources that had once been lost. But the story is more than numbers. As students entered Baxter for the first time, they were greeted not just by new teachers and classmates, but by a legacy wall honoring the history of Nunaka Valley. In the cafeteria, I watched as Baxter students made room at their tables for new friends, a small but powerful sign of what a transition with care looks like. In ASD, we know the hardest decisions must be made with compassion and empathy. And in this case, those choices not only strengthened Baxter, but also opened new doors for east Anchorage families to attend our top-performing STrEAM Academy — a program that has faced long waitlists for years.

At the Alaska Native Cultural Charter School (ANCCS), students were assembled in the cafeteria at their new facility, reflecting on their culture and values alongside family members and teachers, just before diving into academics. This high-demand school’s enrollment is now at a record high, unlocking opportunities in Anchorage’s west side. ANCCS’ focus on belonging creates the confidence students need to thrive. Nearby at West High School, ninth graders were greeted like VIPs on their first day, part of our new staggered start program. The result is that more freshmen are starting high school with a sense of possibility — and last year, the percentage of ASD ninth graders on track to graduate rose by five points.

These are not isolated stories. Together, they show what happens when a community refuses to let instability define its schools. Our early literacy rates are rising. Our advanced coursework is expanding. Our freshmen are succeeding. Our schools are safer, with new secure vestibules and proactive safety measures supported by several successful bond propositions. And our suspension rates are down by more than 20 percent as positive behavior programs take root.

Anchorage School District is not standing still. We are showing the state and the nation what it looks like to move forward with purpose. None of this happens by accident. It happens because educators, families, and leaders believe in public schools and fight to protect them. It happens because this community chooses to invest in its children. And it happens because we are determined to keep building, even when the road is steep.

I know that major fiscal and academic challenges still loom across Alaska, but our trajectory is clear: stability fuels progress, and progress builds confidence. In Anchorage, we are proving that when leaders stay focused on literacy, pathways to college and career, and safe schools, students rise to the occasion.

That lesson is bigger than one district. Urban school systems across the country face the same volatility—budget cliffs, shifting enrollment, uneven outcomes. The difference comes down to leadership and a willingness to act. Anchorage is showing that with clarity of vision, urgency, and courage, a district can withstand disruption and still deliver measurable gains for students.

In this consequential moment, my commitment is to keep building on that momentum: protecting our progress, strengthening our foundations, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed. Anchorage is standing strong. Anchorage is moving forward.