I graduated from East High in 1967 and went thru the Anchorage School system way back then. I went through Anchorages growing when East double shifted with Dimond with a junior and senior in our house we went at different times one to East one to Dimond.  I have a few comments for you from another state. Currently live in NW Minnesota, have grandchildren of which one is in first grade. Don't know what or who is teaching, but here they come out of kindergarten reading. Over the summer this now first grader read a lot. She was tested last week, the second week of school, she's now reading at third grade level. So to hear that you have first graders that can't read?? Sounds like you are behind times. First graders here are doing math problems that have triple digits in addition and subtraction and most know multiplications, yes at the beginning of first grade.