Nikiski North Star Elementary

Q: Is Nikiski North Star Elementary a good school?

Nikiski North Star Elementary ranks 113 th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Nikiski North Star Elementary is a public elementary school in Kenai, Alaska, serving 242 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, which is ranked 10th out of 24 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

While Nikiski North Star Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (74.38%) compared to the state average, it has lower percentages of minority students. The school's performance has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Alaska elementary schools, with a 1-2 star rating on the SchoolDigger scale, indicating below-average performance. Its proficiency rates in English Language Arts (25.22%) and Mathematics (32.74%) are lower than the district and state averages. The school's performance is particularly low for female students, male students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with White students ranking in the bottom 10% of Alaska elementary schools.

In contrast, nearby schools like Soldotna Elementary and Aurora Borealis Charter School have higher rankings and better academic performance. Nikiski North Star Elementary also has a high percentage of students (51.65%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively large population of students from low-income families. These factors suggest that the school faces significant challenges and may require targeted interventions to improve its academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

45600 Holt Lamplight Rd
Kenai, AK 99611

(907) 776-2600

District: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
113^th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Students who attend Nikiski North Star Elementary usually attend:

High:

Nikiski Middle/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 252

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.0%

Two or more races:

15.1%

American Indian:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.6%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Nikiski North Star Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Nikiski North Star Elementary ranks worse than 65.3% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 11^th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.49. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (73%), two or more races (15.1%), American Indian (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nikiski North Star Elementary is 14.4. 8 elementary schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Nikiski North Star Elementary employs 17.4 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Nikiski North Star Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Nikiski North Star Elementary 113^th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Nikiski North Star Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Kenai Peninsula Borough School District 10^th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Nikiski North Star Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	54.07	122^nd	213	42.7%
2006	65.76	92^nd	218	57.8%
2007	76.39	40^th	212	81.1%
2008	76.01	40^th	219	81.7%
2009	75.65	45^th	226	80.1%
2010	79.08	34^th	229	85.2%
2011	72.60	57^th	223	74.4%
2012	69.34	67^th	227	70.5%
2013	66.66	80^th	223	64.1%
2014	62.70	92^nd	218	57.8%
2015	51.95	111^th	246	54.9%
2017	40.30	112^th	180	37.8%
2018	28.37	145^th	186	22.0%
2019	38.85	117^th	185	36.8%
2021	34.06	120^th	173	30.6%
2022	20.53	140^th	171	18.1%
2023	39.65	108^th	176	38.6%
2024	36.49	113^th	173	34.7%

See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	59.09	23^rd	73	68.5%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	42.74	88^th	147	40.1%
2021	40.81	62^nd	110	43.6%
2023	45.61	64^th	119	46.2%
2024	40.27	79^th	122	35.2%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	41.78	99^th	159	37.7%
2021	34.41	92^nd	141	34.8%
2022	26.61	112^th	143	21.7%
2023	49.67	72^nd	152	52.6%
2024	30.28	102^nd	142	28.2%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	33.49	110^th	159	30.8%
2021	26.41	111^th	142	21.8%
2022	22.43	120^th	148	18.9%
2023	42.53	91^st	148	38.5%
2024	41.22	91^st	150	39.3%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Nikiski North Star Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	26.88	118^th	147	19.7%
2021	18.06	121^st	127	4.7%
2022	7.94	135^th	137	1.5%
2023	24.72	115^th	138	16.7%
2024	17.56	123^rd	133	7.5%

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.

Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Nikiski North Star Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	272	1	3	3	15	n/a	n/a	0	294
1990	295	1	4	3	18	n/a	n/a	0	321
1991	291	1	7	4	21	n/a	n/a	0	324
1992	309	0	6	5	26	n/a	n/a	0	346
1993	274	1	5	7	32	n/a	n/a	0	319
1994	263	1	5	5	30	n/a	n/a	0	304
1995	283	0	0	19	33	n/a	n/a	0	335
1996	283	0	0	19	33	n/a	n/a	0	335
1997	290	0	7	8	31	n/a	n/a	0	336
1998	293	1	4	6	42	n/a	n/a	0	346
1999	280	0	4	5	37	n/a	n/a	0	326
2000	264	0	3	5	33	n/a	n/a	0	305
2001	240	0	1	3	34	n/a	n/a	0	278
2002	218	0	6	6	42	n/a	n/a	0	272
2003	218	0	6	6	42	n/a	n/a	0	272
2004	181	0	5	4	35	n/a	n/a	0	225
2005	300	3	14	6	70	n/a	n/a	0	393
2006	306	2	12	9	66	n/a	n/a	0	395
2007	320	2	15	10	61	n/a	n/a	0	408
2008	307	1	15	11	62	n/a	n/a	16	412
2009	303	2	11	8	51	1	17	0	393
2010	325	2	9	9	48	3	19	0	415
2011	326	2	9	8	50	4	22	0	421
2012	282	0	6	13	33	1	31	0	366
2013	282	0	6	14	31	1	31	0	365
2014	279	1	3	14	29	2	36	0	364
2015	276	2	2	10	33	1	44	0	368
2016	265	4	3	15	29	0	55	0	371
2017	270	3	4	10	39	1	54	0	381
2018	260	1	4	15	36	1	51	0	368
2019	241	1	4	10	35	2	42	0	335
2020	246	0	3	12	30	2	43	0	336
2021	151	2	4	4	14	2	21	0	198
2022	198	2	4	6	15	2	24	0	251
2023	180	2	2	7	15	2	34	0	242
2024	184	1	3	11	13	2	38	0	252

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 Nikiski North Star Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	294	15.5	18.9	13.3
1990	321	17.0	18.8	15.6
1991	324	18.0	18.0	14.8
1992	346	18.0	19.2	17.9
1993	319	18.0	17.7	19.4
1994	304	18.0	16.9	20.4
1995	335	15.8	21.2	17.9
1996	335	15.8	21.2	17.9
1997	336	15.8	21.3	26.5
1998	346	16.8	20.6	24.9
1999	326	16.0	20.4	31.9
2000	305	15.2	20.1	31.1
2001	278	14.8	18.8	31.7
2002	272	14.5	18.8	34.9
2003	272	14.5	18.8	34.9
2004	225	12.5	18.0	33.3
2005	393	25.5	15.4	44.3
2006	395	23.5	16.8	49.4
2007	408	23.6	17.3	49.5
2008	412	23.7	17.4	50.5
2009	393	25.6	15.4	43.8
2010	415	25.2	16.4	47.7
2011	421	27.8	15.1	55.8
2012	366	26.4	13.8	58.7
2013	365	25.5	14.3	55.3
2014	364	25.5	14.2	52.2
2015	368	26.0	14.1	47.6
2016	371	27.0	13.7	46.6
2017	381	24.0	15.8	51.4
2018	368	25.1	14.6	50.5
2019	335	23.5	14.2	51.9
2020	336	22.5	14.9	49.1
2021	198	20.5	9.6	n/a
2022	251	19.6	12.7	n/a
2023	242	18.6	13.0	51.7
2024	252	17.4	14.4	47.6

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 Nikiski North Star Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	294	15.5	18.9	13.3
1990	321	17.0	18.8	15.6
1991	324	18.0	18.0	14.8
1992	346	18.0	19.2	17.9
1993	319	18.0	17.7	19.4
1994	304	18.0	16.9	20.4
1995	335	15.8	21.2	17.9
1996	335	15.8	21.2	17.9
1997	336	15.8	21.3	26.5
1998	346	16.8	20.6	24.9
1999	326	16.0	20.4	31.9
2000	305	15.2	20.1	31.1
2001	278	14.8	18.8	31.7
2002	272	14.5	18.8	34.9
2003	272	14.5	18.8	34.9
2004	225	12.5	18.0	33.3
2005	393	25.5	15.4	44.3
2006	395	23.5	16.8	49.4
2007	408	23.6	17.3	49.5
2008	412	23.7	17.4	50.5
2009	393	25.6	15.4	43.8
2010	415	25.2	16.4	47.7
2011	421	27.8	15.1	55.8
2012	366	26.4	13.8	58.7
2013	365	25.5	14.3	55.3
2014	364	25.5	14.2	52.2
2015	368	26.0	14.1	47.6
2016	371	27.0	13.7	46.6
2017	381	24.0	15.8	51.4
2018	368	25.1	14.6	50.5
2019	335	23.5	14.2	51.9
2020	336	22.5	14.9	49.1
2021	198	20.5	9.6	n/a
2022	251	19.6	12.7	n/a
2023	242	18.6	13.0	51.7
2024	252	17.4	14.4	47.6

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nikiski North Star 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 117^th of 185 Elementary schools	Ranks 108^th of 176 Elementary schools	1.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Science (Nikiski North Star Elementary)	32.7	50	17.3%
All Grades Science (Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)	55	43.6	11.4%
All Grades Science (Alaska)	44.7	36.9	7.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	335	242	27.8%
African American	1	2	100%
American Indian	35	15	57.1%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	10	7	30%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	241	180	25.3%
Two or More Races	42	34	19%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.9%	51.7%	0.3%

Schools Near Nikiski North Star Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAR English Language Arts (2024)							STAR Mathematics (2024)					ASA Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	STAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	STAR English Language Arts All Grades	STAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 5th Grade	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Total
Nikiski North Star Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45600 Holt Lamplight Rd	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 776-2600	252	17	14.4	47.6%	184 (73.0%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.4%)	3 (1.2%)	13 (5.2%)	2 (0.8%)	38 (15.1%)	36.5	113^th of 173 public elementary schools	34.7%		39.6	108^th of 176 public elementary schools	38.6%	5	38.9	22.2	16.3				25.2	38.2	50.0	14.0		32.7	46.5		46.5
Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science	Public, Charter	K-5	549 N Forest Dr	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 283-0804	200	14	14.2	35.0%	120 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.5%)	4 (2.0%)	22 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (19.5%)	10	161^st of 173 public elementary schools	6.9%		13.4	161^st of 176 public elementary schools	8.5%		12.9	17.7					13.3	16.1	14.7			13.3	22.2		22.2
Aurora Borealis Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	705 Frontage Rd Ste A	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 283-0292	193	12	16.0		148 (76.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.2%)	2 (1.0%)	12 (6.2%)	2 (1.0%)	19 (9.8%)	90.7	9^th of 173 public elementary schools	94.8%		94.4	5^th of 176 public elementary schools	97.2%	4		39.1	75.0	65.0	70.6	81.3	69.8	87.0	87.0		85.0	89.9		50.0	77.8
Mt. View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Swires Rd	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 283-8600	411	28	14.6	50.9%	239 (58.2%)	2 (0.5%)	27 (6.6%)	2 (0.5%)	47 (11.4%)	3 (0.7%)	91 (22.1%)	29.8	126^th of 173 public elementary schools	27.2%		35.2	118^th of 176 public elementary schools	33.0%	8	22.7	21.3	35.5				26.5	30.3	29.5	21.0		27.0	51.6		51.6
Kalifornsky Beach Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1049 E Poppy Lane	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 260-1300	412	28	14.8	36.7%	269 (65.3%)	2 (0.5%)	34 (8.3%)	5 (1.2%)	31 (7.5%)	1 (0.2%)	70 (17.0%)	54.2	85^th of 173 public elementary schools	50.9%		36.5	114^th of 176 public elementary schools	35.2%	29	23.5	23.2	60.0	45.7			39.0	29.4	26.8	50.8	52.2	39.9	69.2		69.2
Redoubt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	486 W Redoubt Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 260-4300	347	23	15.1	40.6%	219 (63.1%)	5 (1.4%)	22 (6.3%)	8 (2.3%)	31 (8.9%)	1 (0.3%)	61 (17.6%)	47.3	97^th of 173 public elementary schools	43.9%		46.8	94^th of 176 public elementary schools	46.6%	3	28.9	40.5	40.0	45.5			39.0	40.0	29.7	36.4	32.7	34.8	56.8		56.8
Soldotna Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	K-6	158 E Park Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 260-9221	164	10	15.8	19.5%	131 (79.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.3%)	1 (0.6%)	8 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (10.4%)								(n/a)
Soldotna Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	162 E Park Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 260-5100	253	21	12.1	34.4%	165 (65.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.7%)	2 (0.8%)	21 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (17.0%)	66	55^th of 173 public elementary schools	68.2%		68.2	47^th of 176 public elementary schools	73.3%	8	28.1	29.7	57.6	74.2			46.6	37.5	32.4	63.6	61.3	48.1	69.7		69.7
Sterling Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	35096 Sterling Hwy	Sterling	99672	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 262-4944	124	11	11.1	46.8%	88 (71.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (16.1%)	43.4	101^st of 173 public elementary schools	41.6%		16	153^rd of 176 public elementary schools	13.1%	52		14.3	37.5	42.9			25.7			37.5	42.9	24.3	62.5		62.5

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikiski North Star Elementary

Is Nikiski North Star Elementary a good school?

Nikiski North Star Elementary ranks 113^th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Nikiski North Star Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 252 students attended Nikiski North Star Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Nikiski North Star Elementary?

Students at Nikiski North Star Elementary are 73% White, 15% Two or more races, 5% American Indian, 4% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What district is Nikiski North Star Elementary in?

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

What schools do graduates of Nikiski North Star Elementary attend?

Students who attend Nikiski North Star Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Nikiski Middle/Senior High School

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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.