Summary:
The city of Barrow, Alaska is home to 4 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all operated by the North Slope Borough School District. While the schools have relatively low student-teacher ratios and high per-student funding, they are consistently underperforming compared to state averages, with all schools ranking in the bottom 10-15% of their respective school types in Alaska.
The academic struggles are evident across the board, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, math, and science falling far below state standards. For example, at Fred Ipalook Elementary, only 11.26% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 31.5%. The other schools, including Barrow High School and Eben Hopson Middle School, show similarly dismal academic performance.
The student populations at these schools are predominantly Native American, ranging from 64-83% across the different campuses, and have high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic disadvantages. These demographic factors, combined with the consistently low test scores and rankings, suggest that the Barrow community may be facing unique challenges that are impacting the schools' ability to effectively serve their students. Addressing these underlying issues will be crucial to improving educational outcomes in the area.
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