Facing a $90 million budget deficit, the Anchorage (Ala.) School District announced a series of cuts, mostly to athletics, to save money in fiscal year 2027.
According to Alaska News, the sports that are most likely to be cut include all middle school sponsored sports teams, high school tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, swimming and diving, eSports, hockey, wrestling, Nordic skiing, soccer and riflery.
Sports such as football, basketball, track and field, cross country and cheerleading are projected to maintain funding in fiscal year 2027.
“Our leadership team has spent months reviewing every budget line. As a result, we are proposing deep non-classroom reductions to preserve as many school services as possible,” said Anchorage School District superintendent Jharret Brayntt. “We know these changes will be felt in classrooms and school communities. Larger class sizes and reduced staffing mean educators will be asked to do more at a time when student needs are increasing. These are real impacts on people, and they weigh heavily as decisions are made.”
High school student activities are noted in the FY2027 Preliminary Budget as having received $1,816,460 in the 2026 fiscal year, but that number drops to just $649,154 for the projected 2027 fiscal year. Likewise, middle school student activities was noted as receiving $209,954 in the 2026 fiscal year, but that line item has been left blank for fiscal year 2027.
“I coach football so that’s not one of the cuts, but it does kind of suck,” said Dimond High School assistant football coach Delvin Afusia. “I don’t understand how they don’t have the budget to keep those things afloat.”
Student-athletes and parents expressed similar feelings to Alaska News, and they reflected on the importance of the sports on the chopping block. For some student-athletes, these teams were a way to make friends, motivation to keep up their grades, and opportunities to pursue college careers.
