John Shaw Elementary

Summary:

John Shaw Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in Wasilla, Alaska, serving 533 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which is ranked 8th out of 24 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

John Shaw Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Alaska, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In the 2023-2024 school year, 78.02% of students were proficient or better in ASA/Science, compared to 46.93% for the district and 36.94% for the state. The school also outperforms the district and state in English Language Arts and Mathematics. John Shaw's student population has a higher percentage of White students (73.55%) compared to the district and state averages, and the school ranks exceptionally well for various student subgroups, including special education and low socio-economic status students.

When compared to nearby schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, Colony Middle School, Iditarod Elementary, and others, John Shaw Elementary consistently outperforms them in academic measures, such as proficiency rates in ASA/Science, STAR/English Language Arts, and STAR/Mathematics. The school's higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratio may contribute to its exceptional performance and support for diverse student populations.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3750 E Paradise Ln
Wasilla, AK 99654

(907) 352-0500

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
15^th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,883

Student/teacher ratio: 18.3

Number of students: 533

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.5%

Two or more races:

9.9%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details John Shaw Elementary ranks better than 91.3% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 3^rd among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.42. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (73.5%), two or more races (9.9%), Hispanic (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at John Shaw Elementary is 18.3. 21 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare John Shaw Elementary employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at John Shaw Elementary is $13,883. 23 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

John Shaw Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks John Shaw Elementary 15^th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See John Shaw Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Migrant students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District 8^th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for John Shaw Elementary

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Rank History for all students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2007	73.65	54^th	212	74.5%
2008	63.63	94^th	219	57.1%
2009	64.87	95^th	226	58.0%
2010	66.99	87^th	229	62.0%
2011	73.81	55^th	223	75.3%
2012	73.79	52^nd	227	77.1%
2013	79.02	30^th	223	86.5%
2014	79.92	26^th	218	88.1%
2015	66.51	67^th	246	72.8%
2017	75.87	32^nd	180	82.2%
2018	79.60	32^nd	186	82.8%
2019	75.38	34^th	185	81.6%
2021	74.11	39^th	173	77.5%
2022	59.12	64^th	171	62.6%
2023	70.53	42^nd	176	76.1%
2024	85.42	15^th	173	91.3%

See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	43.14	37^th	58	36.2%
2023	69.70	21^st	74	71.6%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2021	49.11	4^th	10	60.0%
2023	42.01	8^th	16	50.0%
2024	77.99	3^rd	27	88.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	78.93	20^th	147	86.4%
2021	59.20	39^th	110	64.5%
2022	55.59	38^th	104	63.5%
2023	65.17	37^th	119	68.9%
2024	87.05	6^th	122	95.1%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2022	41.06	9^th	15	40.0%
2023	45.22	18^th	30	40.0%
2024	82.36	2^nd	28	92.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	70.36	45^th	159	71.7%
2021	63.00	45^th	141	68.1%
2022	45.00	73^rd	143	49.0%
2023	69.52	36^th	152	76.3%
2024	83.77	12^th	142	91.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	78.76	25^th	159	84.3%
2021	76.12	23^rd	142	83.8%
2022	63.12	45^th	148	69.6%
2023	65.09	44^th	148	70.3%
2024	79.67	14^th	150	90.7%

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

Rank History for Native American students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	64.01	16^th	50	68.0%

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

Rank History for White students at John Shaw Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	68.63	35^th	147	76.2%
2021	58.10	47^th	127	63.0%
2022	42.56	83^rd	137	39.4%
2023	53.51	62^nd	138	55.1%
2024	76.91	21^st	133	84.2%

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.

Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for John Shaw Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	288	2	2	2	39	n/a	n/a	0	333
2008	309	4	4	4	38	n/a	n/a	10	369
2009	326	2	4	5	43	0	10	0	390
2010	324	2	7	5	34	0	5	0	377
2011	321	2	4	4	46	3	7	0	387
2012	291	10	6	11	53	5	0	0	376
2013	338	14	7	12	72	8	0	0	451
2014	327	9	9	14	77	6	0	0	442
2015	332	8	14	10	66	2	0	0	432
2016	345	4	8	7	51	3	33	0	451
2017	327	6	5	9	38	1	30	0	416
2018	351	5	4	12	50	2	23	0	447
2019	367	4	3	12	56	4	22	0	468
2020	392	2	1	34	45	2	54	0	530
2021	317	2	4	24	37	2	52	0	438
2022	408	4	5	28	35	2	57	0	539
2023	392	5	7	39	35	2	53	0	533

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 John Shaw Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	333	23.5	14.2	38.4
2008	369	20.0	18.5	40.9
2009	390	27.5	14.2	36.4
2010	377	26.6	14.1	38.7
2011	387	26.0	14.8	42.4
2012	376	22.4	16.7	41.8
2013	451	17.0	26.5	41.5
2014	442	23.9	18.4	41.2
2015	432	24.0	18.0	38.2
2016	451	28.0	16.1	41.2
2017	416	24.9	16.6	42.1
2018	447	24.9	17.9	40.9
2019	468	25.1	18.6	43.8
2020	530	28.8	18.3	35.7
2021	438	29.3	14.9	n/a
2022	539	30.9	17.3	n/a
2023	533	29.0	18.3	40

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 John Shaw Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	333	23.5	14.2	38.4
2008	369	20.0	18.5	40.9
2009	390	27.5	14.2	36.4
2010	377	26.6	14.1	38.7
2011	387	26.0	14.8	42.4
2012	376	22.4	16.7	41.8
2013	451	17.0	26.5	41.5
2014	442	23.9	18.4	41.2
2015	432	24.0	18.0	38.2
2016	451	28.0	16.1	41.2
2017	416	24.9	16.6	42.1
2018	447	24.9	17.9	40.9
2019	468	25.1	18.6	43.8
2020	530	28.8	18.3	35.7
2021	438	29.3	14.9	n/a
2022	539	30.9	17.3	n/a
2023	533	29.0	18.3	40

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 John Shaw Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$843 (6.1%)	$13,040 (93.9%)	$13,883

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on John Shaw 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 34^th of 185 Elementary schools	Ranks 42^nd of 176 Elementary schools	5.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Science (John Shaw Elementary)	66.7	56.5	10.2%
All Grades Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)	51	46.5	4.5%
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	468	533	13.9%
African American	4	5	25%
American Indian	56	35	37.5%
Asian	3	7	133.3%
Hispanic	12	39	225%
Pacific Islander	4	2	50%
White	367	392	6.8%
Two or More Races	22	53	140.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.8%	40%	3.8%

Schools Near John Shaw 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 7th Grade	STAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 5th Grade	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
John Shaw Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3750 E Paradise Ln	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-0500	533	29	18.3	40.0%	392 (73.5%)	5 (0.9%)	39 (7.3%)	7 (1.3%)	35 (6.6%)	2 (0.4%)	53 (9.9%)	85.4	15^th of 173 public elementary schools	91.3%		70.5	42^nd of 176 public elementary schools	76.1%	27	48.6	41.1	62.2				51.5	66.2	46.5	72.2				62.5	78.0		78.0	$13,883	$843	$13,040
Teeland Middle School	Public	PK, KG-8	2788 N Seward Meridian Pkwy	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 352-7500	719	37	19.4	40.6%	494 (68.7%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (7.4%)	14 (1.9%)	56 (7.8%)	4 (0.6%)	97 (13.5%)								(n/a)				41.8	37.6	30.2	36.8				47.4	40.0	42.0	43.2		39.1	39.1	$13,334	$1,054	$12,280
Larson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2722 E Seldon Rd	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-2300	369	24	15.3	42.3%	228 (61.8%)	3 (0.8%)	34 (9.2%)	3 (0.8%)	47 (12.7%)	4 (1.1%)	50 (13.6%)	78	25^th of 173 public elementary schools	85.5%		74.7	31^st of 176 public elementary schools	82.4%	6	38.3	48.4	62.7				50.6	48.9	46.8	64.4				53.6	63.3		63.3	$17,109	$2,245	$14,863
Fronteras Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	2315 N Seward Meridian Pky	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 376-2223	326	18	18.1	0.9%	197 (60.4%)	2 (0.6%)	73 (22.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	3 (0.9%)	42 (12.9%)	58.9	75^th of 173 public elementary schools	56.6%		68.8	44^th of 176 public elementary schools	75.0%	31	31.8	46.0	50.0	48.3	46.2	33.3	42.8	27.9	42.1	42.9	46.4	50.0	46.7	41.2	67.7	60.0	65.3	$14,531	$114	$14,417
Finger Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5981 Eek St	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-2200	425	25	17.0	42.8%	281 (66.1%)	6 (1.4%)	34 (8.0%)	3 (0.7%)	30 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (16.7%)	47.8	96^th of 173 public elementary schools	44.5%		55.5	75^th of 176 public elementary schools	57.4%	21	24.6	29.9	53.6				36.3	33.9	30.9	46.4				37.1	53.5		53.5	$13,619	$1,424	$12,195
Cottonwood Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	800 N Seward Meridian	Wasilla	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-2100	468	27	17.3	44.2%	317 (67.7%)	2 (0.4%)	29 (6.2%)	5 (1.1%)	23 (4.9%)	2 (0.4%)	90 (19.2%)	63.6	61^st of 173 public elementary schools	64.7%		63.3	55^th of 176 public elementary schools	68.8%	6	35.4	43.5	42.4				40.5	40.9	49.3	51.5				47.3	57.4		57.4	$14,532	$972	$13,560
Tanaina Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2550 Lucille St	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-9400	385	24	16.0	56.6%	233 (60.5%)	2 (0.5%)	35 (9.1%)	3 (0.8%)	38 (9.9%)	2 (0.5%)	72 (18.7%)	45.8	99^th of 173 public elementary schools	42.8%		39	110^th of 176 public elementary schools	37.5%	11	27.6	32.1	46.5				36.3	36.2	32.1	35.2				34.6	54.1		54.1	$16,334	$1,666	$14,668
Birchtree Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	1675 N Nadina St.	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 745-1831	407	24	16.8	0.7%	296 (72.7%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.9%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (15.5%)	67.9	50^th of 173 public elementary schools	71.1%		63.2	56^th of 176 public elementary schools	68.2%	6	37.0	28.6	61.2	55.3	67.9	45.8	48.5	56.5	34.2	57.1	39.5	75.0	62.5	52.7	68.8	56.0	64.4	$16,733	$116	$16,617
Iditarod Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	455 E Carpenter Cir	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-9100	437	26	16.8	58.1%	272 (62.2%)	2 (0.5%)	46 (10.5%)	5 (1.1%)	29 (6.6%)	1 (0.2%)	82 (18.8%)	35.9	115^th of 173 public elementary schools	33.5%		30.1	128^th of 176 public elementary schools	27.3%	13	17.6	20.7	42.4				26.2	29.7	21.1	48.3				32.8	55.9		55.9	$17,072	$3,548	$13,525
Pioneer Peak Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1959 N Stringfield Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 861-5700	513	28	18.3	34.5%	371 (72.3%)	2 (0.4%)	42 (8.2%)	2 (0.4%)	26 (5.1%)	5 (1.0%)	65 (12.7%)	75	30^th of 173 public elementary schools	82.7%		72.6	36^th of 176 public elementary schools	79.5%	6	46.3	35.9	53.8				44.9	46.3	52.2	60.0				52.4	70.0		70.0	$14,640	$838	$13,801

Frequently Asked Questions about John Shaw Elementary

Is John Shaw Elementary a good school?

Yes. John Shaw Elementary ranks in the top 8.7% of Alaska elementary schools.

What district is John Shaw Elementary in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

What is the racial makeup of John Shaw Elementary?

Students at John Shaw Elementary are 74% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 7% American Indian, 1% Asian.

How many students attend John Shaw Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 533 students attended John Shaw 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.