Summary:
The city of Bethel, Alaska is home to 9 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all part of the Lower Kuskokwim School District. While the district as a whole is ranked 22 out of 24 in the state and rated 1 star by SchoolDigger, a few standout schools emerge from the data.
Bethel Regional High School is the largest high school with 494 students and the highest test scores in the district, with 18.88% of students proficient or better in science and 14.55% in math. However, its statewide ranking is quite low at 59th out of 63 Alaska high schools. In contrast, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, a public charter elementary school, performs relatively well with the highest science proficiency rates at 20% and above-average math and English language arts scores.
The data also reveals stark disparities, with the Bethel schools significantly underperforming the state averages on test scores. This is likely tied to the high poverty levels, with free and reduced lunch rates ranging from 65.27% to 100%. The alternative schools, such as Kuskokwim Learning Academy, have higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratios, suggesting they serve students with unique needs requiring more specialized support. Overall, the Bethel schools face significant challenges, but there are opportunities to learn from the higher-performing schools and improve outcomes for students.
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