District overview
Skagway School District
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How Skagway School is paid for
Skagway School District runs one K-12 school, Skagway School, with roughly 115-125 students. A five-member elected school board sets policy and the budget and hires Superintendent Dr. Joshua Coughran. Money comes from two main places: the Municipality of Skagway, which the district says funds the school at the most state law allows, and Alaska's Foundation Program, which pays by student count. Because enrollment has fallen from about 150 to about 115, state aid and the budget are under pressure, and the 2026-27 budget cut staff and still plans to dip into savings.
The town pays more than half
The 2026-27 budget counts on $2,148,021 from the Municipality and $1,017,813 in state Foundation aid, out of $3,584,794 in general-fund revenue.
Spending is bigger than income
The 2026-27 working budget shows $4,101,689 in spending, a $516,895 gap. A one-time $164,070 health insurance surplus covers part of it.
Staff were cut for 2026-27
The budget removes one elementary teacher, so some grades are combined, and leaves the librarian/distance-education job empty. The Close Up trip is paused for a year.
Next year's ask is smaller
For 2027-28 the district plans to ask the town for $1,976,220, 8% less, and expects state Foundation aid to rise to $1,298,649.
The district says it is the highest-scoring district in Alaska on state tests, and its FY2025 audit found no problems. The cuts reflect fewer students and tight state funding, not a finding of mismanagement.
Where the district stands
Down from $3,848,369 in the amended 2025-26 budget
Down from $4,597,208 in the amended 2025-26 budget
FY28 request: $1,976,220 (-8%)
Down from $1,437,922 in 2025-26; FY28 projection $1,298,649
Adopted budget assumed 123
Context: $4,101,689 divided by about 120 students. Excludes community recreation and welfare funds the district also runs for the town.
Major projects
Skagway School Rehabilitation Phase 1 (bathrooms, locker rooms, doors)
in progressThe Municipality of Skagway, which owns the building, is paying to rebuild school bathrooms and locker rooms and to install ADA, keyless-entry doors. Dawson Construction was the apparent low bidder at $1,364,509. In late August 2026 the superintendent said the summer remodel was still not quite finished.
- Bids opened; Dawson Construction apparent low bidder
- Ad Hoc Capital Projects Committee bid review
- Board asks for a completion update before school starts
Funding
Municipality of Skagway
New homeschool/correspondence program
startingThe board approved Skagway's first homeschool/correspondence program in April 2026 and named teacher Amanda Mixon coordinator in June. Each enrolled student also counts toward the district's state-funded enrollment.
- Discussed at community forum
- Program and handbook approved
- Coordinator hired
Funding
State Foundation aid for enrolled correspondence students; extra-duty contract for the coordinator
Preschool for 3-year-olds
operatingAfter a plan to partner with the Skagway Childcare Council fell through in fall 2025, the school runs 3-year-old preschool on site. The board bought the Amplify preschool reading curriculum in April 2026 and hired a part-time 3-year-old preschool aide in October 2026.
- Amplify preschool reading curriculum approved
- 3-year-old preschool aide hired
Funding
District general fund
Filling the vacant school board seat
underwayChad MacPherson resigned in September 2026. Under Board Policy 9223 the board must fill the seat within 30 days by public interview and appointment; the appointee serves until the term ends in 2027.
- Resignation accepted
- New members sworn in; seat still vacant
- Interviews and appointment on the agenda
Funding
None
Recent news
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Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →All agendas, packets, posted minutes, committee summaries and audio recordings (machine-transcribed) for the Skagway School Board, its Education, Finance, Policy, Public Relations and Ad Hoc Capital Projects committees, special meetings and the community forum from November 2025 through October 2026, taken from the district's public Google Drive meeting folders linked on skagwayschool.org.
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