Школа Pearl Creek откладывает открытие до осени 2027 года из-за спора с школьным округом

Pearl Creek STEAM charter school delays opening to fall 2027 FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - Pearl Creek STEAM Charter School will not open for the 2026–27 school year, with founding parents now targeting fall 2027, according to an announcement from the school’s organizing committee. How the dispute began The conflict traces back to early 2025, when the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District closed three neighborhood schools — including Pearl Creek Elementary — to address a $16 million budget deficit. An Academic Policy Committee formed within days, with more than 200 parents, teachers and community members organizing to reopen the building as a charter school. The school board unanimously denied the APC’s charter application after which the APC appealed to the state. In January, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development overturned the denial, finding the board’s reasons were in many cases “contrary to law.” The State Board of Education formally approved the charter in April. State threatens funding, district pushes back Following state approval, DEED Commissioner Deena Bishop sent the district a letter on June 10 warning that if Pearl Creek is not opened, “state funds may not be paid,” citing Alaska Statute 14.07.070. School board president Bobby Burgess called it an attempt at intimidation. “I don’t understand how basically shutting down a school district by withholding their funding should solve those problems,” Burgess said. Judge declines to force opening A Fairbanks superior court judge declined to force the immediate opening of Pearl Creek STEAM on June 17. Superior Court Judge Kirk Schwalm denied the injunction, finding the financial harm to the district — approximately $2 million — was real and could not be offset, and that the legal questions in the case are genuinely novel. The school had accepted 352 students through a lottery for the coming fall, contingent on the court’s ruling. Case goes to Alaska Supreme Court The state of Alaska and Pearl Creek’s organizing committee filed a petition asking the Alaska Supreme Court to review and reverse Schwalm’s order. At the heart of the case is a question Alaska courts had not previously addressed: when the state approves a charter school over a local school board’s objection, can the district simply refuse to open it. Founding parent April Monroe said the community’s response to the delay has been one of resolve. “We just get emails back from people saying, ‘What can I do? I’m not going to put up with this anymore. These are our children. This is our community,’” Monroe said. Borough approves conditional lease The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly voted 6-2 on July 1 to authorize a below-market-value lease of the former Pearl Creek Elementary building to the charter school, contingent on the school first receiving a signed contract to operate. District’s position Superintendent Luke Meinert said the district is allowing the appeals process to play out. “Our current stance is really challenging the state’s position in terms of their legal authority to impose a school within the school district,” Meinert said. “Our local school board voted unanimously on the charter application — and so we feel strongly in local control of our locally elected board.” The board’s unanimous vote was to deny the charter application. What’s next Monroe said the path forward depends on the courts. “The law is very clear. It just simply says when the state approves a charter, the local district shall operate it,” she said. But a decision from the Alaska Supreme Court has yet to determine the future of the school and the relationship between the State Board of Education and school districts. Pearl Creek’s founding parents said they plan to stay connected with enrolled families through school and community activities during the coming year while the case works through the Alaska Supreme Court, according to the school’s official announcement. The group said it remains committed to opening in fall 2027. See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to [email protected] Copyright 2026 KTUU. All rights reserved.