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Chugach Optional Elementary

Summary:

Chugach Optional Elementary is a top-performing public magnet elementary school in Anchorage, Alaska, serving grades PK-6 and consistently ranking among the best schools in the state. With its exceptional academic achievements, Chugach Optional Elementary stands out as a shining example in the Anchorage School District.

Chugach Optional Elementary's academic excellence is undeniable. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school had significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the Anchorage School District and the state of Alaska. For instance, 53.52% of Chugach students were proficient or better in STAR/English Language Arts, compared to 35.51% for the district and 31.5% for the state. Similarly, 59.15% of Chugach students were proficient or better in STAR/Mathematics, compared to 35.52% for the district and 31.11% for the state. This consistent academic performance has earned Chugach Optional Elementary a ranking as high as 4th out of 227 Alaska elementary schools in the past and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 school year.

While Chugach Optional Elementary's academic achievements are impressive, the school's student demographic composition raises questions about accessibility and equity. The school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with a majority (73.93%) of students identifying as White and only 10.68% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. This contrasts with nearby schools like Aquarian Charter School and Rogers Park Elementary, which, while also highly ranked, have more diverse student populations and higher percentages of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This suggests that Chugach Optional Elementary may need to address issues of accessibility and equity to ensure that its exceptional educational opportunities are available to a wider range of students.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-6

 1205 E St
       Anchorage, AK  99501-4499

(907) 742-3730

District: Anchorage School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
19th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,193 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  234

Racial breakdown:

White:
73.9%
Two or more races:
12.8%
Hispanic:
7.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  10.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Chugach Optional Elementary ranks better than 89% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 11th among 62 ranked elementary schools in the Anchorage School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.35. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (73.9%), two or more races (12.8%), Hispanic (7.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 10.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Chugach Optional Elementary is 16.4. 34 elementary schools in the Anchorage School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Chugach Optional Elementary employs 14.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Chugach Optional Elementary is $12,193. 58 elementary schools in the Anchorage School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Chugach Optional Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Chugach Optional Elementary 19th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Chugach Optional Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Anchorage School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Anchorage School District 14th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Chugach Optional Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Chugach Optional Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 87.03 6th 213 97.2%
2008 87.89 2nd 219 99.1%
2009 87.96 5th 226 97.8%
2010 92.07 1st 229 99.6%
2011 88.73 3rd 223 98.7%
2012 87.86 4th 227 98.2%
2014 85.84 6th 218 97.2%
2015 94.74 5th 246 98.0%
2017 91.15 9th 180 95.0%
2018 89.15 12th 186 93.5%
2019 84.41 18th 185 90.3%
2021 91.23 7th 173 96.0%
2022 84.48 17th 171 90.1%
2023 88.88 9th 176 94.9%
2024 81.35 19th 173 89.0%
See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Chugach Optional Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 66.45 36th 122 70.5%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Chugach Optional Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 81.35 22nd 159 86.2%
2021 77.51 21st 141 85.1%
2022 73.54 28th 143 80.4%
2023 88.76 7th 152 95.4%
2024 77.25 22nd 142 84.5%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Chugach Optional Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 82.81 18th 159 88.7%
2021 89.35 6th 142 95.8%
2022 81.70 11th 148 92.6%
2023 82.56 12th 148 91.9%
2024 71.40 33rd 150 78.0%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Chugach Optional Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 78.83 18th 147 87.8%
2021 76.36 21st 127 83.5%
2022 73.39 22nd 137 83.9%
2023 85.24 8th 138 94.2%
2024 69.30 29th 133 78.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Chugach Optional Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Chugach Optional Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 194 5 3 1 8 n/a n/a 0 211
1990 228 6 2 3 5 n/a n/a 0 244
1991 239 4 5 3 7 n/a n/a 0 258
1992 226 4 6 2 6 n/a n/a 0 244
1993 222 3 5 2 12 n/a n/a 0 244
1994 226 5 7 2 13 n/a n/a 0 253
1995 224 8 10 6 24 n/a n/a 0 272
1996 224 8 10 6 24 n/a n/a 0 272
1997 218 7 10 2 34 n/a n/a 0 271
1998 203 10 15 0 26 n/a n/a 0 254
1999 199 10 16 1 31 n/a n/a 0 257
2000 197 9 16 1 27 n/a n/a 0 250
2001 198 7 10 2 28 n/a n/a 0 245
2002 189 5 15 3 27 n/a n/a 0 239
2003 189 5 15 3 27 n/a n/a 0 239
2004 189 5 16 3 22 n/a n/a 0 235
2005 193 7 18 3 25 n/a n/a 0 246
2006 201 7 19 2 22 n/a n/a 0 251
2007 212 4 19 2 20 n/a n/a 0 257
2008 200 2 13 10 6 n/a n/a 21 252
2009 208 2 12 9 4 0 21 0 256
2010 211 2 9 10 3 0 22 0 257
2011 208 1 9 12 4 0 20 0 254
2012 205 2 7 13 6 1 22 0 256
2013 200 0 8 17 6 1 25 0 257
2014 197 2 7 17 6 0 26 0 255
2015 207 0 7 17 6 0 21 0 258
2016 211 0 9 19 7 0 19 0 265
2017 200 1 7 22 6 0 22 0 258
2018 191 1 9 20 7 0 29 0 257
2019 198 4 8 20 8 0 33 0 271
2020 187 7 7 17 6 0 38 0 262
2021 171 6 8 16 5 0 35 0 241
2022 165 3 7 19 4 0 29 0 227
2023 173 4 6 18 3 0 30 0 234

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Chugach Optional Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 211 10.0 21.1 4.7
1990 244 11.0 22.1 3.3
1991 258 12.0 21.5 3.1
1992 244 12.0 20.3 1.6
1993 244 12.0 20.3 1.6
1994 253 12.0 21.1 1.6
1995 272 13.5 20.1 0.7
1996 272 13.5 20.1 0.7
1997 271 13.5 20.1 3.3
1998 254 10.0 25.4 5.1
1999 257 12.0 21.4 4.3
2000 250 11.7 21.4 4
2001 245 11.0 22.3 3.3
2002 239 12.8 18.7 3.3
2003 239 12.8 18.7 3.3
2004 235 15.2 15.5 2.6
2005 246 12.0 20.5 2
2006 251 14.3 17.6 5.2
2007 257 13.9 18.5 5.1
2008 252 13.8 18.3 4.8
2009 256 14.2 18.0 4.3
2010 257 15.1 17.0 4.7
2011 254 14.1 18.0 3.9
2012 256 13.5 18.9 3.9
2013 257 13.8 18.5 5.8
2014 255 13.9 18.3 12.2
2015 258 15.0 17.2 6.2
2016 265 15.0 17.6 5.7
2017 258 13.1 19.5 2.7
2018 257 14.2 18.0 5.1
2019 271 16.4 16.4 n/a
2020 262 15.7 16.6 10.3
2021 241 15.1 15.9 n/a
2022 227 14.1 16.0 n/a
2023 234 14.2 16.4 10.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Chugach Optional Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 211 10.0 21.1 4.7
1990 244 11.0 22.1 3.3
1991 258 12.0 21.5 3.1
1992 244 12.0 20.3 1.6
1993 244 12.0 20.3 1.6
1994 253 12.0 21.1 1.6
1995 272 13.5 20.1 0.7
1996 272 13.5 20.1 0.7
1997 271 13.5 20.1 3.3
1998 254 10.0 25.4 5.1
1999 257 12.0 21.4 4.3
2000 250 11.7 21.4 4
2001 245 11.0 22.3 3.3
2002 239 12.8 18.7 3.3
2003 239 12.8 18.7 3.3
2004 235 15.2 15.5 2.6
2005 246 12.0 20.5 2
2006 251 14.3 17.6 5.2
2007 257 13.9 18.5 5.1
2008 252 13.8 18.3 4.8
2009 256 14.2 18.0 4.3
2010 257 15.1 17.0 4.7
2011 254 14.1 18.0 3.9
2012 256 13.5 18.9 3.9
2013 257 13.8 18.5 5.8
2014 255 13.9 18.3 12.2
2015 258 15.0 17.2 6.2
2016 265 15.0 17.6 5.7
2017 258 13.1 19.5 2.7
2018 257 14.2 18.0 5.1
2019 271 16.4 16.4 n/a
2020 262 15.7 16.6 10.3
2021 241 15.1 15.9 n/a
2022 227 14.1 16.0 n/a
2023 234 14.2 16.4 10.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Chugach Optional Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $673 (5.5%) $11,519 (94.5%) $12,193

Data source: Alaska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Chugach Optional Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 18th of 185 Elementary schoolsRanks 9th of 176 Elementary schools
 4.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
All Grades Science (Chugach Optional Elementary)69.165.7
 3.3%
   All Grades Science (Anchorage School District)46.639.4
 7.2%
   All Grades Science (Alaska)44.736.9
 7.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students271234
 13.7%
African American44
American Indian83
 62.5%
Asian86
 25%
Hispanic2018
 10%
Pacific Islander00
White198173
 12.6%
Two or More Races3330
 9.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Chugach Optional Elementary

Students at Chugach Optional Elementary are 74% White, 13% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

Chugach Optional Elementary ranks 19th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 234 students attended Chugach Optional Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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