February 23 JSD budget update: Reorganization/Consolidation

The Juneau School District has launched a special newsletter to keep the community informed of ongoing efforts to address the shortfall in the current FY24 budget and develop a new budget for FY25. The latest update is included below, addressing the school reconfiguration plan adopted at the February 22 special meeting of the Board of Education.

Newsletter updates are available after each budget meeting. To receive these updates as soon as they are available, download the free Juneau Borough Schools App from the App Store or Google Play and follow “District”. You can also visit the Juneau School District website and click on the 2024 Budget Information tile to read the newsletter as a PDF.

February 23 JSD Budget Update

Reorganization/consolidation process

The Board of Education adopted a plan for school reconfiguration last night, Thursday, February 22. Thank you to all who provided input in person, online, and in writing.

The board voted to adopt the following reorganization plan for the next school year:

Elementary: K-6 grades at neighborhood schools

Middle School: 7-8 grades @ Thunder Mountain

High School: 9-12 grades @ Juneau Douglas

Alternative/Optional programs:

• Montessori Borealis, Juneau Community Charter School,  Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi at Dzantik’i Heeni
• Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy  @ Harborview
• HomeBRIDGE @ Thunder Mountain
• District Office @ Thunder Mountain, Harborview, or Dzantik’i Heeni

Close 3 facilities:

• Close Marie Drake and release back to CBJ
• Close FDMS and release back to CBJ
• Close district office and release back to CBJ

Reconfiguration is intended to maintain as much support, opportunity, and programming for students as possible. Declining enrollment, reflecting statewide demographic changes; rising costs; and relatively flat state funding have been tightening the school district budget for years. Juneau has reached the point where school reorganization is necessary, even if there weren’t a budget crisis.

Next steps

• Present a FY24 winter budget revision

The Board of Education must take action to revise the current budget, and that budget must balance.

• Develop a balanced budget for FY25

The board must develop and approve a budget for next year to be submitted to the CBJ Assembly by April 4, 2024.

Upcoming meetings

Board of Education Special Meeting – FY24 and FY25 Budget Discussion

Tuesday, February 27, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kale Library

Zoom: https://juneauschools-org.zoom.us/j/83428958356?pwd=Vmo3TStVRlRtWnlxakZ5OUJTN2ZHdz09