PoliticsAlaska · January 20, 2026
New school makes no sense
Anchorage School District is moving forward with a brand new Inlet View Elementary even as enrollment continues to decline across Anchorage.
Daily Alaska staff · January 20, 2026
Anchorage School District is building a new Inlet View Elementary School even as citywide student enrollment keeps falling, replacing the existing building despite voters rejecting a bond for the project in 2022.
The district funded the project using about $26 million from a state grant intended to lower property taxes, and total project costs have climbed toward $50 million, leaving Anchorage homeowners facing higher tax bills instead of relief.
Over the past 15 years, the district has already closed five schools due to declining enrollment, raising questions about why a new building is moving forward now.
Classrooms across Anchorage are sitting underused, and budget shortfalls keep surfacing in public meetings as the district faces further levies and tax proposals.
The decision has drawn scrutiny from homeowners and families questioning why shrinking enrollment is being met with new construction rather than consolidation.
In this story
Questions people ask
Why build new school if enrollment is falling?
The story doesn't explain the reasoning, only that the Anchorage School District moved forward despite closing five schools over 15 years and voters rejecting a bond for this project in 2022.
How much will new Inlet View Elementary cost?
Total project costs have climbed toward $50 million, which will raise homeowner tax bills.
Did voters approve this project?
No, voters rejected a bond for this school in 2022, but the district found funding another way.
How is the project funded?
The district used about $26 million from a state grant that was originally meant to lower property taxes.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Anchorage School District is building a new Inlet View Elementary despite falling citywide enrollment. · source
- Voters rejected a bond for the Inlet View Elementary project in 2022. · source
- The district used about $26 million from a state grant meant to lower property taxes to fund the project. · source
- Total project costs for the new Inlet View Elementary have climbed toward $50 million. · source
- Anchorage School District has closed five schools over the past 15 years due to declining enrollment. · source
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