Superintendent Bryantt Aims to Address Enrollment Decline with “Right-Sizing”
by pedro graterol
Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt aims to address ASD’s declining enrollment through “right-sizing,” focusing on improving educational services and repurposing schools.
Since becoming superintendent of the Anchorage School District (ASD) in 2022, Dr. Jharrett Bryantt has taken bold steps to adapt the district to shifting demographics and operational challenges. Now in his third year, and amid controversial discussions about the shape and the future of the school district, Bryantt presented his vision for the future of the district and explained the impact the “right-sizing” measures will have in the functioning of schools in an interview with Sol de Medianoche News.
Bryantt outlined his first years on the job by describing them as phases: His first year “Year one was about really owning the fact that I’m not from here, so I needed to learn what people value here in Alaska,” he explains. During the second year, he identified key priorities, such as adding an hour each week for teachers to engage in professional learning communities, and now for the third year, the plan is to start executing plans to address those priorities, the most important is declining enrollment.
In our interview Bryantt mentioned that ASD is projected to serve under 40,000 students in the next 10 years, down from around 50,000 a decade ago. “In 12 years, if we continue at this rate, we’ll have thousands fewer students,” he points out. Additionally, rising interest in alternative education models like homeschooling has contributed to the enrollment decline. As a response, Bryantt has proposed “right-sizing” the district by closing or repurposing schools. He makes it clear that the primary motivation is not cost savings, but rather “to improve the level of educational service in our schools.” Bryantt explained the goal is to address under-enrollment, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. “I’m seeing too many classrooms, especially in low-income neighborhoods serving students of color, that are splitting classrooms or sharing elective teachers,” he notes.
This, combined with problems with state funding of schools and increasing building maintenance costs, makes changes necessary to ensure the district’s future.
The process has not been one sided. He explained that there have been multiple surveys sent to parents that show support for “right-sizing.” Moreover, while Bryantt acknowledges the emotional difficulty of closing schools, he emphasizes the need to adapt to current realities. “Even though change is difficult—especially when it affects the heartbeat of our communities, which are our schools—I hope people see the potential in this process.” For insurance, the superintendent sees the opportunity to repurpose school buildings to meet community needs; he raised the example of possibly providing early childcare in under-enrolled elementary schools.
On Friday, November 1, the Daily News reported that the school district’s proposal, which will need to be approved by the school board before it can be implemented, calls for staggered closures over the course of three years. The schools identified to be shut down or repurposed in the first year are Bear Valley Elementary, Lake Hood Elementary and Tudor Elementary.
In year two, the district is proposing to close or repurpose Fire Lake Elementary, Nunaka Valley Elementary and Wonder Park Elementary. In the third year, the plan calls for Baxter Elementary to close and be repurposed.
