Anchorage Teachers Union Ratifies 3-Year Contract

New deal includes pay raises and increased health care contributions from the school district.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:15pm

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The Anchorage Education Association, the union representing teachers in the Anchorage School District, has voted to ratify a new three-year contract. The contract provides significant pay increases and higher health care contributions from the district for the union's approximately 2,800 members.

Why it matters

The new contract helps address concerns from Anchorage teachers about low pay and high workloads, which had led to a mass exodus of about half the union's membership over the previous four years. The agreement aims to retain high-quality teachers and support students in the classroom.

The details

The contract includes a 3% retroactive pay raise effective last July, when the previous contract expired. It also provides 5% pay increases in each of the first two years, and a 4% increase in the third year. The district's contribution to employee health care will also increase by $200 per month this school year and $100 per month in each of the following three years.

  • The previous contract expired in July 2025.
  • Negotiations for a new contract began in November 2024.
  • The tentative agreement was signed on January 16, 2026.
  • The Anchorage School Board is set to vote on approving the contract at its Tuesday meeting.

The players

Anchorage Education Association

The union representing teachers in the Anchorage School District.

Anchorage School District

The school district that reached the tentative agreement with the Anchorage Education Association.

Christi Sitz

President of the Anchorage Education Association.

Jharrett Bryantt

Superintendent of the Anchorage School District.

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What they’re saying

“Throughout this lengthy negotiation AEA members have stood up for a contract that represents the hard work and dedication they devote to Anchorage students every day. Ratification will allow us to move forward while acknowledging there's still work to do at the state level to adequately resource our public schools and provide true stability for our public education workforce.”

— Christi Sitz, President, Anchorage Education Association

“I'm encouraged by the support educators showed for this agreement, which reflects our shared commitment to retaining our community's high-quality teachers and supporting our students in the classroom.”

— Jharrett Bryantt, Superintendent, Anchorage School District

What’s next

The Anchorage School Board is set to vote on whether to approve the contract at its Tuesday meeting.

The takeaway

The new contract with the Anchorage teachers union aims to address longstanding concerns about low pay and high workloads that had led to a significant exodus of teachers from the district. By providing substantial pay increases and improved health care benefits, the agreement seeks to retain high-quality educators and support students in the classroom.