Ptarmigan Elementary is a public elementary school in Anchorage, Alaska, serving 341 students in grades PK-6. The school stands out for its highly diverse student population, consistently low academic performance, and high concentration of socioeconomically disadvantaged students.
Ptarmigan Elementary has a significantly more diverse student body than nearby schools, with a racial makeup of 17.01% White, 10.26% African American, 15.54% Hispanic, 12.32% Asian, 12.9% Native American, 16.13% Pacific Islander, and 15.84% two or more races. However, this diversity is not reflected in the school's academic performance, which consistently ranks in the bottom quarter of Anchorage School District elementary schools. Ptarmigan's proficiency rates in STAR/English Language Arts and STAR/Mathematics are significantly lower than the district and state averages, as well as the nearby schools like Nunaka Valley Elementary and Susitna Elementary.
Further compounding the challenges at Ptarmigan Elementary is the high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 79.18% in the 2022-2023 school year. This is significantly higher than the nearby schools, indicating a higher concentration of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's student-teacher ratio is also relatively high, ranging from 13.2 to 17.1 over the past three school years, which may contribute to the academic struggles. Overall, Ptarmigan Elementary faces significant hurdles in addressing the unique needs of its diverse student population and improving academic outcomes.
In the 2023-24 school year, 393 students attended Ptarmigan Elementary.
Anchorage School District
Students at Ptarmigan Elementary are 17% Asian, 16% Pacific Islander, 16% White, 16% Two or more races, 15% Hispanic, 14% American Indian, 6% African American.
Ptarmigan Elementary ranks in the bottom 12.1% of Alaska elementary schools.
Students who attend Ptarmigan Elementary usually go on to attend:Middle : Clark Middle SchoolAlternative : Bartlett High School