Font ResizeBut at a time when the school district is considering budget cuts due to its $13-million shortfall, could some of the students in this "growing population" lose the services they need?
Diversity in the Anchorage school district has been growing for the past decade and at the same time the Caucasian population has been steadily decreasing.
Just 30 years ago, students from an ethnic background made up 17 percent of the student population in the Anchorage School District. But today, the minorities are now the majority, according to the 2009- 2010 Ethnicity Report.
"It means we are more like the world and we have a lot of different opportunities for students to learn about a lot of different cultures," said Anchorage School Board member, Jeff Friedman.
The report says 52-percent of the student population is ethnically diverse in the Anchorage School District, compared to 48-percent of Caucasian students. The trend continues when compared to last year minorities have grown one percent while the white population dropped one percent.
"Last year we saw a large infusion of Asian Pacific Islanders from the Lower 48 we also certainly saw the growth from rural Alaska, mostly Alaska Natives," said Anchorage Superintendent, Carol Comeau.
In fact, the Asian or Pacific Islander population was the only
According to school officials, there are some challenges with the growing population. "A large number are coming in who either don't speak English at all or don't speak it fluently," said Friedman.
"We want to do everything we can to help learn English as quickly as possible but also being sensitive to them not losing their cultural traditions," said Comeau.
Some school board members say the growing population is costing the district more money. "It definitely costs more money because we are hiring bilingual tutors and teachers to help serve these children help them quickly gain the English language skills that they need," said Friedman.
But at a time all school departments are being asked to consider 4-percent cuts to help offset next year's $13 million budget shortfall, this is one area board members say they will not compromise. "We will also look at the population they need to serve if that number is going up than we have to adjust for that and it's not a choice we need to do this," said Friedman.
The school district is still asking the public's suggestions for next year's budget. The next public comment period on the budget will be on November 30th at Greuning Middle School from 7pm to 9pm. The last one will take place at Wendler Middle School, December 2nd also from 7pm to 9pm.
To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.
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