Where: Z.J. Loussac Public Library, 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage

When: 12-1 p.m., Saturday, March 29, 2014

Speakers:

• Rally begins at noon with West High School ROTC Color Guard and the National Anthem by a 6^th Grader from Denali Montessori School.
• The program includes members of Great Alaska Schools, Anchorage School District and UAA Students, Dimond Cheer, and Brave New Alaskan Voices.
• NEW: Flash Mob Emailing! Bring a phone or device to call or email legislators and Gov. Parnell during the rally.
• Performances include Dixieland Jazz by West High School and Romig Middle School musicians, the Service High School Choir and Bartlett High School’s Polynesian Dancers.

Come rally in support of Alaska’s public schools, email or call legislators during the “Flash Mob Emailing,” and listen to Anchorage students who are the most affected by declining school funding. With just 25 days left in the Alaska legislative session, supporters of Alaska’s public schools are pushing hard on the governor and state legislators, urging them to adequately fund Alaska’s public schools through a three-year increase to per pupil funding. Great Alaska Schools, the nonpartisan group of public school supporters who planned the rally, is calling for a $400 per pupil increase for Fiscal Year 2015, $125 for FY16, and $125 for FY17. The state’s per pupil funding has not increased since 2011. A funding increase is needed to allow schools to catch up with inflation and rising operational costs and to help maintain reasonable class sizes by preventing additional staff and teacher layoffs.

This is the second rally this year for Great Alaska Schools; over 500 school supporters came out on Feb. 22 to support increased funding for Alaska’s public schools. Unless the per pupil funding is increased, the Anchorage School District will have to cut over 200 additional staff positions in 2014-15, including over 140 teachers.