Willow Elementary

Q: Is Willow Elementary a good school?

Willow Elementary ranks 46 th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Willow Elementary is a public elementary school in Willow, Alaska, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 135 students. The school is part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which is ranked 8th out of 24 districts in Alaska and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Willow Elementary consistently performs above the state and district averages in various academic assessments, including ASA/Science, STAR/English Language Arts, and STAR/Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 62.5% of Willow Elementary students were proficient or better in ASA/Science, compared to the district's 46.93% and the state's 36.94%. The school also outperforms the district and state in STAR/English Language Arts and STAR/Mathematics across all grades. Willow Elementary has strong performance across different student subgroups, including female students, male students, white students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with many rankings in the top 30-40 schools in Alaska.

Willow Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with a higher percentage of non-white students compared to the nearby schools like Goose Bay Elementary, Knik Elementary School, Meadow Lakes Elementary, and Midnight Sun Family Learning Center. Additionally, Willow Elementary has a lower student-teacher ratio of 13.5 compared to the nearby schools. These factors, combined with the school's consistent high performance and support for diverse student populations, make Willow Elementary a standout elementary school within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

31706 W Parks Hwy
Willow, AK 99688

(907) 495-9300

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
46^th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,751

Students who attend Willow Elementary usually attend:

High:

Susitna Valley High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 135

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.3%

Two or more races:

12.6%

Hispanic:

5.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.2%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Willow Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Willow Elementary ranks better than 73.4% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 8^th among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.99. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.3%), two or more races (12.6%), Hispanic (5.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willow Elementary is 13.5, which is the 3^rd best among 23 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Willow Elementary employs 10 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willow Elementary is $18,751, which is the 5^th highest among 23 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Willow Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Willow Elementary 46^th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Willow Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status 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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Your rating for Willow Elementary?

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Rank History for Willow Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Willow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	57.82	111^th	213	47.9%
2006	54.61	123^rd	218	43.6%
2007	60.67	104^th	212	50.9%
2008	68.98	81^st	219	63.0%
2009	50.59	126^th	226	44.2%
2010	68.04	82^nd	229	64.2%
2011	63.78	94^th	223	57.8%
2012	61.47	97^th	227	57.3%
2013	61.42	93^rd	223	58.3%
2014	61.57	94^th	218	56.9%
2015	68.03	62^nd	246	74.8%
2017	62.85	59^th	180	67.2%
2018	76.56	36^th	186	80.6%
2019	70.51	48^th	185	74.1%
2021	76.89	32^nd	173	81.5%
2022	74.85	35^th	171	79.5%
2023	51.61	87^th	176	50.6%
2024	68.99	46^th	173	73.4%

See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Willow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	77.56	22^nd	147	85.0%
2023	70.84	23^rd	119	80.7%
2024	69.16	30^th	122	75.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Willow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	76.78	30^th	159	81.1%
2022	80.49	17^th	143	88.1%
2023	77.44	23^rd	152	84.9%
2024	70.22	34^th	142	76.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Willow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	66.46	49^th	159	69.2%
2021	86.97	9^th	142	93.7%
2022	69.24	34^th	148	77.0%
2023	35.54	100^th	148	32.4%
2024	51.33	73^rd	150	51.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Willow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	62.61	47^th	147	68.0%
2021	50.59	64^th	127	49.6%
2022	63.54	41^st	137	70.1%
2023	30.83	106^th	138	23.2%
2024	63.66	42^nd	133	68.4%

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 Willow Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	119	0	0	0	8	n/a	n/a	0	127
1993	137	0	0	1	16	n/a	n/a	0	154
1994	142	1	1	0	22	n/a	n/a	0	166
1995	178	3	0	0	28	n/a	n/a	0	209
1996	178	3	0	0	28	n/a	n/a	0	209
1997	192	1	0	2	29	n/a	n/a	0	224
1998	188	1	0	0	29	n/a	n/a	0	218
1999	184	0	1	0	33	n/a	n/a	0	218
2000	163	0	3	1	39	n/a	n/a	0	206
2001	163	1	2	1	33	n/a	n/a	0	200
2002	130	1	1	3	27	n/a	n/a	0	162
2003	130	1	1	3	27	n/a	n/a	0	162
2004	119	2	2	2	18	n/a	n/a	0	143
2005	110	2	1	1	15	n/a	n/a	0	129
2006	107	1	3	5	20	n/a	n/a	0	136
2007	119	0	2	0	19	n/a	n/a	0	140
2008	101	0	3	0	16	n/a	n/a	4	124
2009	96	3	0	0	17	1	0	0	117
2010	110	3	0	0	16	0	1	0	130
2011	108	2	0	0	18	1	1	0	130
2012	110	8	0	0	21	0	0	0	139
2013	102	4	0	2	20	1	0	0	129
2014	105	3	3	1	16	2	0	0	130
2015	128	2	2	0	21	2	0	0	155
2016	119	0	0	1	25	0	8	0	153
2017	105	0	0	1	24	0	4	0	134
2018	120	0	1	0	30	0	4	0	155
2019	108	0	1	0	32	0	5	0	146
2020	113	0	0	4	22	0	15	0	154
2021	81	1	0	0	16	0	17	0	115
2022	95	1	0	7	12	0	25	0	140
2023	103	1	0	8	6	0	17	0	135

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 Willow Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	127	9.5	13.3	n/a
1993	154	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	166	10.5	15.8	n/a
1995	209	12.5	16.7	44.5
1996	209	12.5	16.7	44.5
1997	224	12.5	17.9	48.2
1998	218	12.5	17.4	55
1999	218	12.0	18.2	58.7
2000	206	14.0	14.7	47.1
2001	200	14.5	13.8	57
2002	162	14.5	11.2	52.5
2003	162	14.5	11.2	52.5
2004	143	13.5	10.6	53.8
2005	129	9.5	13.6	96.9
2006	136	11.5	11.8	66.9
2007	140	9.6	14.6	52.9
2008	124	8.5	14.6	57.5
2009	117	9.0	13.0	56.4
2010	130	10.5	12.3	63.1
2011	130	11.4	11.3	57.7
2012	139	7.5	18.5	58.3
2013	129	5.3	24.2	59.7
2014	130	9.9	13.0	46.9
2015	155	10.0	15.5	45.2
2016	153	10.0	15.3	47.7
2017	134	9.9	13.4	54.5
2018	155	10.5	14.7	62.6
2019	146	9.8	14.7	54.1
2020	154	9.0	17.1	54.5
2021	115	9.8	11.6	n/a
2022	140	11.0	12.7	n/a
2023	135	10.0	13.5	65.2

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 Willow Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	127	9.5	13.3	n/a
1993	154	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	166	10.5	15.8	n/a
1995	209	12.5	16.7	44.5
1996	209	12.5	16.7	44.5
1997	224	12.5	17.9	48.2
1998	218	12.5	17.4	55
1999	218	12.0	18.2	58.7
2000	206	14.0	14.7	47.1
2001	200	14.5	13.8	57
2002	162	14.5	11.2	52.5
2003	162	14.5	11.2	52.5
2004	143	13.5	10.6	53.8
2005	129	9.5	13.6	96.9
2006	136	11.5	11.8	66.9
2007	140	9.6	14.6	52.9
2008	124	8.5	14.6	57.5
2009	117	9.0	13.0	56.4
2010	130	10.5	12.3	63.1
2011	130	11.4	11.3	57.7
2012	139	7.5	18.5	58.3
2013	129	5.3	24.2	59.7
2014	130	9.9	13.0	46.9
2015	155	10.0	15.5	45.2
2016	153	10.0	15.3	47.7
2017	134	9.9	13.4	54.5
2018	155	10.5	14.7	62.6
2019	146	9.8	14.7	54.1
2020	154	9.0	17.1	54.5
2021	115	9.8	11.6	n/a
2022	140	11.0	12.7	n/a
2023	135	10.0	13.5	65.2

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 Willow Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,867 (10.0%)	$16,884 (90.0%)	$18,751

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Willow 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 48^th of 185 Elementary schools	Ranks 87^th of 176 Elementary schools	23.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Science (Willow Elementary)	50	50
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	146	135	7.5%
African American	0	1
American Indian	32	6	81.3%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	0	8
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	108	103	4.6%
Two or More Races	5	17	240%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.1%	65.2%	11.1%

Schools Near Willow 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 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
Willow Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	31706 W Parks Hwy	Willow	99688	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 495-9300	135	10	13.5	65.2%	103 (76.3%)	1 (0.7%)	8 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (12.6%)	69	46^th of 173 public elementary schools	73.4%		51.6	87^th of 176 public elementary schools	50.6%	41	38.1	37.5	60.9				45.6	42.9	37.5	65.2			48.5	62.5		62.5	$18,751	$1,867	$16,884
Big Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	Mile 4.5 South Big Lake Rd	Big Lake	99652	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 892-9700	382	22	17.3	74.1%	234 (61.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.9%)	3 (0.8%)	56 (14.7%)	9 (2.4%)	65 (17.0%)	48.2	94^th of 173 public elementary schools	45.7%		27.3	132^nd of 176 public elementary schools	25.0%	38	28.3	30.8	36.1				31.3	45.7	35.3	40.0			40.2	60.0		60.0	$15,634	$2,351	$13,283
Meadow Lakes Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1741 Pittman Rd	Wasilla	99687	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-6100	297	20	14.8	50.2%	172 (57.9%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (5.7%)	4 (1.3%)	40 (13.5%)	1 (0.3%)	62 (20.9%)	13.6	149^th of 173 public elementary schools	13.9%		20.2	141^st of 176 public elementary schools	19.9%	8	11.5	20.0	22.7				17.6	11.3	11.4	22.7			15.2	43.2		43.2	$18,303	$2,517	$15,787
Midnight Sun Family Learning Center	Public, Charter	K-8	7275 W Midnight Sun Cir	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 357-6786	188	8	23.5	1.6%	146 (77.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.9%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (9.6%)	76.4	27^th of 173 public elementary schools	84.4%		77.8	27^th of 176 public elementary schools	84.7%		50.0	47.4	43.8	53.9	27.3	60.0	48.3	47.1	63.2	43.8	57.7	50.0	49.1	64.7	66.7	65.4	$20,311	$100	$20,211
Goose Bay Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	6400 Hollywood Blvd	Wasilla	99687	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-6400	336	20	16.8	41.7%	204 (60.7%)	1 (0.3%)	28 (8.3%)	2 (0.6%)	26 (7.7%)	3 (0.9%)	72 (21.4%)								(n/a)																	$17,882	$1,993	$15,889
Knik Elementary School	Public	K-5	6350 W Hollywood	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-0300	245	19	12.8	45.7%	157 (64.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.4%)	4 (1.6%)	23 (9.4%)	3 (1.2%)	35 (14.3%)	51.6	88^th of 173 public elementary schools	49.1%		47.8	93^rd of 176 public elementary schools	47.2%	5	32.4	41.6	41.6				38.1	46.1	39.0	28.1			38.1	52.2		52.2	$14,106	$925	$13,181

Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Elementary

Is Willow Elementary a good school?

Willow Elementary ranks 46^th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Willow Elementary attend?

Students who attend Willow Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Susitna Valley High

What district is Willow Elementary in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

How many students attend Willow Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 135 students attended Willow Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Willow Elementary?

Students at Willow Elementary are 76% White, 13% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 4% American Indian.

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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.