Summary:
The city of Metlakatla, Alaska is home to 3 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all operated by the Annette Island School District. These schools face significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, high poverty rates, and a student population that is over 93% Native American.
The largest school in Metlakatla is Richard Johnson Elementary, with 137 students. It has the lowest statewide ranking of the 3 schools, landing in the bottom quartile. All 3 schools struggle with very low proficiency rates on state assessments, often 10-20 percentage points below the state average. Despite high per-student spending ranging from $28,000 to $38,000, and low student-teacher ratios of under 10 students per teacher, the schools have been unable to translate these resources into strong academic outcomes.
The high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 74% to 95%, suggest significant socioeconomic challenges in the Metlakatla community that may be contributing to the academic struggles. Addressing the root causes of the low performance and developing effective improvement plans will be critical for supporting the success of students at Metlakatla High School and Charles R. Leask Senior Middle School.
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