School board allocates funds to revamp language arts curriculum; update furniture, equipment

District budget add-backs finalized for 2026 fiscal year, with an emphasis on current and deferred needs 

The Juneau Board of Education discusses fiscal year 2026 budget add-backs during a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Independent)

By Ellie Ruel

Juneau Independent

Using $3.3 million of unspent funds for a language arts curriculum and equipment upgrade, and pushing an audit of a special education program targeted with complaints to the next fiscal year, was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Juneau Board of Education.

The add-back total is based on fluctuating budget numbers over the course of the year and how much of their reserves the district has to spend to ensure the carryover funds do not exceed the statutory cap of 10%.

“It's just constantly trying to monitor budget to actuals, and as we're looking at staff changes, because that's the biggest percentage of our budget,” said Nicole Herbert, chief financial officer for the district.

Board members edited a list of budget items compiled and sorted by Herbert based on an anonymous survey of board members. It included top items of updating language arts curriculum for grades 7-12, an iPad refresh for elementary schools, a special education audit, laptops for the high schools, laptop carts for Thunder Mountain Middle School, mobility equipment, and sixth grade music instruments. 

The special education audit was removed from the list since it would not be completed within the fiscal year. 

“Special education audit is a priority,”  Herbert said. “But we know that we are not going to be able to accomplish that in the next month and a half, so that's still on there, still ranked high, but it'll be something that we will do in 2027.”

The program has received numerous complaints including a failure to provide some students occupational therapy in the 2024-25 school year. A March report by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development found the district violated special education program requirements during an incident where an autistic student was not properly supervised and went missing from a playground. 

The parent of the child, Christine Johnson, testified at the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting. 

“Despite repeated concerns, formal state findings, and six months of meetings, there has been little visible evidence of meaningful systemic change on the district level or public transparency regarding how special education funds are being used,” Johnson said. “Families living inside this process can assume where those resources go. They go into repeated meetings, shifting decisions, and preventable disputes rather than directly to students. As you make decisions about new cabinet leadership, I urge you to prioritize individuals who understand that special education is not merely a compliance obligation.”

At the suggestion of Elizabeth Siddon, the board’s vice president,  the audit was moved off the approved list to avoid future budgeting confusion.

Siddon noted that professional development for student services should be prioritized.

“I think we have a lot of needs in this district, and a lot of turnover in that department, and having additional funds for professional development to support our students would maybe be a better use of $50,000 than setting aside $440,000 for FY28 food services.”

The original list included a $440,000 boost to the nutrition services fund to combat future deficits in fiscal year 2028. That number was decreased to $384,000 to accommodate the student services professional development item.

Also added to the original list was funding for new furniture for schools. The ask initially came from Harborview Elementary School, but was expanded to meet needs and accommodate shuffling between stored and new items.

“There is some stuff in storage, and so trying to play ‘Who gets the used stuff versus who gets to order new stuff’ was becoming difficult to try to prepare to come back to the board with the recommendation of ‘We've placed all of the used stuff, now here's who gets to order new stuff,’” Herbert explained. “So giving each school a chance to have a set amount to buy was the recommendation provided and that's why it's now at 240,000 total versus just listing a specific school.”

Board member Amber Frommherz added the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gym curtain to the list, citing that it’s not something that could easily be pulled from storage. Funds for buying 20 projects for JDHS were also approved.

Board member Steve Whitney said the idea of decreasing forward-funding amounts raised “heartburn” for him.

“The future budgets concern me and I get nervous about not putting any funding for forward funding when we have the opportunity,” he said. “At the same time, it's hard to say no to the stuff we need.”

Other members said costs like the curtain and furniture have been deferred, and should be funded with this year’s budget.

“We have deferred on maintenance on several of these things,” board member Melissa Cullum said. “We're gonna have to pay for it sooner or later, and so if we have the funds now, I will.” 

The amended list passed without opposition, and all remaining funds possibly over the 10% carryover cap will go towards the district’s transportation budget. Remaining funds will be finalized by June 30.

• Contact Ellie Ruel at ellie.ruel@juneauindependent.com.