We, the undersigned voters of the Anchorage Independent School District, respectfully petition the Anchorage Public School Board to approve a Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) plan for the current school year.

While we fully support and value the Board’s commitment to prioritizing in-person learning as the preferred and best practice, the absence of an NTI option, for implementation during narrowly defined emergency-only scenarios, leaves the district unprepared for circumstances beyond its control.

With significant winter storms forecasted for the coming week and the continued possibility of extreme weather events throughout the season, it is both prudent and responsible to implement an instructional alternative, successfully used by neighboring districts, immediately.

Without an NTI framework, instructional days lost to weather will require extending the school year into June, a period when student attendance, engagement, and academic effectiveness historically decline. Implementing an NTI plan would allow the district to maintain instructional continuity, minimize disruption for staff and families, and uphold its commitment to student learning while still reserving in-person instruction as the primary model whenever conditions safely allow.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this plea from your constituents.