Expect theBest

Anchorage School District

Highest grad rate ever

2015 Report to the Community

Highest graduation rate ever!

Performance90 percent of students will be proficient in language arts and math and will achieve at least one year’s academic growth each year.

2015 2020

39% 90% English/language arts

36% 90% MathStudents were examined on new standards through the state’s new assessment Alaska Measures of Progress.

Graduation90 percent of students will graduate high school.

2015 2020

80% 90%

Student & staff safety100 percent of students and staff will be safe at school.

2015 2020

72% 100% Students

86% 100% Staff

Student attendanceEvery student will attend school at least 90 percent of the time.

2015 2020

80% 90%

Parent recommendation90 percent of parents will recommend their child’s school to others.

2015 2020

88% 90%

Effective and efficient operations

100 percent of departments will rank in the top quartile for operational efficiency.

Key Performance Indicators for various departments are available on the district’s website.

Goals

All data is rounded. Detailed information is available in the Profile of Performance, available on the district’s website.

Why attendance matters A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. There is a direct correlation between students who attend school regularly and higher achievement levels. As attendance drops, so does the number of students proficient in reading, writing and math.

Approximately one-quarter of students missed at least 10 percent of school days last year. This is a serious concern because regular school attendance is essential for students to be successful learners. We expect students to attend school on time every day.

The district’s goal is for students to attend school at least 90 percent of the time – that’s less than two absences per month.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

83.7%

85.4%

87.5%

87.8%

88.7%

88.6%

85.3%

80.5%

78.6%

78.0%

72.7%

66.1%

59.6%Grade 12

Grade 11

Grade 10

Grade 9

Grade 8

Grade 7

Grade 6

Grade 5

Grade 4

Grade 3

Grade 2

Grade 1

Kindergarten

ASD student attendance by grade

This graph shows the percentage of students in each grade level who attended school at least 90 percent of the school year. For example, only 59.6 percent of high school seniors made the attendance goal, the remaining 40 percent missed more than 17 days of school last year (10 percent of the year).

››› Ethan FalanikoBartlett High School Senior Ethan Falaniko is a standout student in school and on the football field. He was named the Gatorade Alaska Football Player of the Year while maintaining a 3.94 grade point average and excelling in his Advanced Placement courses. In addition to football, Ethan plans to study mechanical engineering and mathematics in college. He said BHS staff, friends and sports help make him a better student.

Photo © Loren Holmes Alaska Dispatch News

Our Framework for Success is built around four strategies: focusing on students, investing in staff, engaging the community and strengthening our services. By concentrating on these strategies, we are building momentum and moving closer to our goals outlined in Destination 2020. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the skill and commitment of our staff, and the support of our community, we are confident we’ll get there.

Students thrive when they have high-quality educational opportunities. Wonderful things happen for students when students are provided with

interesting, hands-on activities.

In order to provide them the best education possible, we are individualizing our instruction in every classroom. In simple terms, this means we are providing the right instruction at the right time to each one of our students.

We must focus on all of our students collectively and still meet the needs of each of them individually. Achieving that balance will be challenging but it’s what we owe our students, their parents and our community.

ASD is nationally recognized for expanding access to Advanced Placement courses for students and increasing the percentage of students who score highly on AP exams.

We have excellent educators in our district who are dedicated and hard working. From staff in the classroom to those who provide support behind the scenes, ASD is filled with outstanding

employees who routinely go above and beyond for our students and our community.

Successful leaders create and sustain a culture of learning. That’s why we are strategically investing in staff so they receive continuous professional growth to further develop their skills and practices. Teachers and staff can best support students when they receive the tools and professional development they need to be at their best.

Anita Stevens – National Distinguished Principal of the Year for AKChinook Elementary School Principal Anita Stevens emphasizes high standards, consistent involvement and positive attitudes. She has improved the school’s climate by implementing schoolwide expectations for positive and responsible behavior. Principal Stevens holds professional development and data meetings to ensure that teachers can adjust their practices based on student progress. She believes it is necessary to lead by example in order to create a productive environment.

Anchorage is a great city with much to offer those of us who choose to live, work, play and raise families here. Our

community supports public education and sees the value it provides to our society.

More than 600 community partners generously offer their support to our teachers and our schools. These partners are made up of large corporations, family-owned businesses, nonprofit organizations and military units. Within each of them are the individuals who give their time and forge personal connections in our schools.

We welcome and encourage parents to take an active role in their child’s education. There is no role more important or critical in society than that of a parent. Parents shoulder huge responsibilities, from addressing a child’s immediate needs to instilling in them the importance of

education and being their most important advocate.

By engaging parents and the community, we are working together to make a positive impact on public education in our community.

›››

Wells Fargo Alaska recently honored ASD Teacher John Bruce on its ATM machines statewide. This is one of many efforts by the school business partner to support ASD students and staff.

›››

Destination 2020 is the driving factor in all of our decision-making processes. We are targeting our services and managing our resources in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

In order to benefit all students and increase academic achievement, we must strengthen our services in the classroom and in support of the classroom. To do this, we will use Destination 2020 to guide us in long- and short-term planning and decision-making. It drives how we prioritize our budgetary, staffing and physical resources.

We are making smart use of district resources so funds can be directed toward the classroom. Our students are the priority and we cannot forget that.

››› Airport Heights Elementary School (pictured) is undergoing a schoolwide renovation this year, as are Mountain View and Rabbit Creek elementary schools, thanks to voter-approved bonds. Gladys Wood and Turnagain elementary schools will receive schoolwide improvements next year.

Developing the 2016-17 budgetThe district is building a funding proposal that closes an estimated $10 – $13 million budget gap for next year. The proposal will be designed to meet the needs of the community based on Destination 2020 goals, research, best practices and community feedback. Please stay engaged in this process that will have a direct impact on public education.

Learn more at www.asdk12.org/budget.

ASD has cut 241 positions from the budget since the 2012-13 school year. The biggest reduction proportionally was made in central administration while there was an overall increase in direct classroom instruction.

Staff salary & benefits–89%Other–11%

Purchased services (8%)Supplies & materials (2%)Capital outlay (0.3%)Insurance (0.5%)

FY 2015-16

How ASD spends its money

Staffing levels—current school year

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 2750

Central support services

Building leadership & administration

Ancillary services & building support

Instructional support

Direct classroom instructionClassroom teachersSupport teachers (PE, music, art, health)Librarians

Principals & assistant principalsSchool office staff

Administration (businessmanagement, human resources, curriculum and instruction, communications, building operations)

CounselorsNursesELL & gifted support teachersOther support staff

CustodiansMaintenanceSafety & security staffNoon duties

Full time equivalent positions

General Fund full time equivalent positions for FY 2015-16

Changes in staffing levels since 2012–13

2% increase

8% decrease

2% decrease

9% decrease

22% decrease

1 in 4 ASD students do not

complete the year at the same school in which

they started

100% Fully licensed

teachers

5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd. | Anchorage, AK 99504-3135 | (907) 742-4000 | www.asdk12.org

The board is committed to an environment of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, economic status, union affiliation, disability and other human differences. No person shall be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, any academic or extracurricular program or educational opportunity or service offered by the district. The district will comply with the applicable statutes, regulations, and executive orders adopted by federal, state and municipal agencies. The district notes the concurrent applicability of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the relevant disability provisions of Alaska law. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the district’s Equal Employment Opportunity Executive Director, who also serves as the Title IX and ADA/ADAAA Coordinator, ASD Education Center, 5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99504-3135 (907) 742-4132, or to any of the following external agencies: Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Director of the Office for Civil Rights-U.S. Department of Education or Office of Civil Rights-U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Revised 8/2012, 8/2013

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AnchorageSchoolDistrict @ASD_Info

@ASD_Closures AnchorageSchoolDistrict AnchorageSD

Anchorage School BoardKameron Perez-Verdia, president

Kathleen Plunkett, vice presidentTam Agosti-Gisler, clerk Bettye Davis, treasurer

Eric Croft, memberPat Higgins, member

Elisa Snelling, memberSuperintendent

Ed Graff

The Anchorage School District…educates

48,500students

encompasses

2,000square miles

has more than

130schools

and programs

1 2 3 the 3 most diverse

high schools in the U.S.

6 of th

e Top10most diverse

middle schools in the U.S.

Diversity in our schools:

most diverse elementary schools in the U.S.

19 of th

e Top 20

of ASD families’ primary language is not English. The top languages spoken

by these families are: Spanish, Hmong, Samoan, Filipino and Yup’ik.

21%Information provided by a University of Alaska researcher.