Best Public Schools in Anchorage, AK

The Anchorage School District in Alaska encompasses 78 schools, including 50 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, 11 high schools, and 8 alternative schools. The district serves students in the Anchorage area, which is the largest city in Alaska. Overall, the district's performance is slightly above the state average, but there is significant variation in the quality of schools within the district.

Some of the standout schools in the Anchorage School District include Bear Valley Elementary, which is ranked 3rd out of 173 Alaska elementary schools, and Aquarian Charter School, which is ranked 5th. These high-performing schools have over 65% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and over 70% proficient or better in science. In contrast, some lower-performing schools like Chinook Elementary and North Star Elementary have significantly lower proficiency rates.

The Anchorage School District as a whole is ranked 14th out of 24 districts in Alaska and is rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger. The district's average student-teacher ratio is 20.6, and spending per student averaged $15,215 in the 2018-2019 school year. However, there is a wide range in student-teacher ratios and spending across individual schools, suggesting that resources may not be equitably distributed. Additionally, the high free and reduced lunch rates at many schools highlight the significant economic challenges faced by families in the Anchorage area.