Best Public Schools in Fairbanks, AK

The Fairbanks, Alaska area is home to 27 schools serving elementary, middle, high, and alternative students, all part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. While the district as a whole is ranked 13th out of 24 in the state, there is significant variation in the quality and performance of individual schools, with some standouts and others struggling.

The top-performing school in the area is Watershed Charter School, a 5-star elementary/middle charter school that ranks 7th out of 173 elementary schools statewide. It boasts impressive proficiency rates of 84.78% in science and 71.43% in math. In contrast, Effie Kokrine Charter School, a high school with a majority Native American student population, ranks 58th out of 62 high schools and has proficiency rates of just 12.5% in science and 5.45% in math. Other standouts include Boreal Sun Charter School, which has shown steady improvement, and Two Rivers School, a high-performing K-8 school.

Across the district, there are significant disparities in student demographics and academic performance. Schools with higher percentages of minority and low-income students tend to have lower proficiency rates, suggesting inequities in educational opportunities and resources. While per-student spending and student-teacher ratios vary widely, these factors do not always translate to better outcomes. Addressing these systemic issues should be a priority for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and policymakers to ensure all students in the Fairbanks area receive a high-quality education.