Dena'ina Elementary School

Q: Is Dena'ina Elementary School a good school?

Dena'ina Elementary School ranks 95 th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dena'ina Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Wasilla, Alaska, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 435. 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.

Dena'ina Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of non-White students, including 9.66% Hispanic, 8.28% Native American, and 24.14% two or more races. However, the school has shown mixed academic performance, outperforming the district and state in science proficiency but underperforming in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, Dena'ina Elementary has a higher student-teacher ratio of 17.4 and a high percentage of students (73.56%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Dena'ina Elementary's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 66th out of 173 schools in 2020-2021 to 95th out of 173 schools in 2023-2024, with a consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, and it generally underperforms compared to nearby schools like Tanaina Elementary, Iditarod Elementary, and Snowshoe Elementary, which have higher academic proficiency rates and better statewide rankings.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

7068 S Knik Knack Mud Shack Ro
Wasilla, AK 99623

(907) 864-5600

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
95^th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,640

Students who attend Dena'ina Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Joe Redington Senior Junior/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 435

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.1%

Two or more races:

24.1%

Hispanic:

9.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.6%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Dena'ina Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dena'ina Elementary School ranks worse than 54.9% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 19^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 47.89. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.1%), two or more races (24.1%), Hispanic (9.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dena'ina Elementary School is 17.4. 16 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Dena'ina Elementary School employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dena'ina Elementary School is $15,640. 13 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dena'ina Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Dena'ina Elementary School 95^th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Dena'ina Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

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 Dena'ina Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	30.31	137^th	185	25.9%
2021	63.46	66^th	173	61.8%
2022	34.21	119^th	171	30.4%
2023	39.50	109^th	176	38.1%
2024	47.89	95^th	173	45.1%

See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2021	62.67	19^th	45	57.8%
2022	49.76	31^st	58	46.6%
2023	18.48	69^th	74	6.8%
2024	40.23	45^th	68	33.8%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	61.38	11^th	41	73.2%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2021	42.07	7^th	10	30.0%
2023	40.85	10^th	16	37.5%
2024	25.65	22^nd	27	18.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	31.43	103^rd	147	29.9%
2021	80.51	15^th	110	86.4%
2022	51.95	45^th	104	56.7%
2023	32.02	83^rd	119	30.3%
2024	39.07	82^nd	122	32.8%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	32.05	18^th	24	25.0%
2022	62.77	8^th	15	46.7%
2024	67.33	9^th	28	67.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	25.25	131^st	159	17.6%
2021	63.11	44^th	141	68.8%
2022	44.80	75^th	143	47.6%
2023	29.37	110^th	152	27.6%
2024	44.45	81^st	142	43.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	34.30	108^th	159	32.1%
2021	54.29	63^rd	142	55.6%
2022	30.90	104^th	148	29.7%
2023	44.19	90^th	148	39.2%
2024	42.37	89^th	150	40.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	22.15	130^th	147	11.6%
2021	45.24	75^th	127	40.9%
2022	26.38	112^th	137	18.2%
2023	34.28	100^th	138	27.5%
2024	31.99	99^th	133	25.6%

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 Dena'ina Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	298	4	13	11	66	5	14	411
2018	285	6	5	13	64	10	21	404
2019	253	6	6	13	52	9	33	372
2020	227	3	3	24	42	4	66	369
2021	218	1	3	25	25	4	83	359
2022	248	0	1	41	34	3	93	420
2023	244	1	3	42	36	4	105	435

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 Dena'ina Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	411	23.0	17.8	47.4
2018	404	23.3	17.2	43.3
2019	372	22.0	16.8	54.8
2020	369	22.0	16.7	58.3
2021	359	25.0	14.3	n/a
2022	420	21.8	19.2	n/a
2023	435	25.0	17.4	73.6

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 Dena'ina Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	411	23.0	17.8	47.4
2018	404	23.3	17.2	43.3
2019	372	22.0	16.8	54.8
2020	369	22.0	16.7	58.3
2021	359	25.0	14.3	n/a
2022	420	21.8	19.2	n/a
2023	435	25.0	17.4	73.6

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dena'ina Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,631 (10.4%)	$14,010 (89.6%)	$15,640

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dena'ina Elementary School

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 137^th of 185 Elementary schools	Ranks 109^th of 176 Elementary schools	12.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Science (Dena'ina Elementary School)	29.4	38.1	8.7%
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	372	435	16.9%
African American	6	1	83.3%
American Indian	52	36	30.8%
Asian	6	3	50%
Hispanic	13	42	223.1%
Pacific Islander	9	4	55.6%
White	253	244	3.6%
Two or More Races	33	105	218.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.8%	73.6%	18.7%

Schools Near Dena'ina Elementary School

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
Dena'ina Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7068 S Knik Knack Mud Shack Ro	Wasilla	99623	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-5600	435	25	17.4	73.6%	244 (56.1%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (9.7%)	3 (0.7%)	36 (8.3%)	4 (0.9%)	105 (24.1%)	47.9	95^th of 173 public elementary schools	45.1%		39.5	109^th of 176 public elementary schools	38.1%	14	39.6	29.5	31.9				33.3	41.5	31.7	46.4			40.1	52.2		52.2	$15,640	$1,631	$14,010
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
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
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
Snowshoe Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2001 W Fairview Loop	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-9500	340	22	15.4	46.2%	213 (62.6%)	2 (0.6%)	26 (7.6%)	2 (0.6%)	24 (7.1%)	6 (1.8%)	67 (19.7%)	74.5	31^st of 173 public elementary schools	82.1%		62.4	59^th of 176 public elementary schools	66.5%	28	49.1	44.7	47.7				47.3	56.1	52.1	49.2			52.4	61.5		61.5	$15,447	$1,323	$14,125
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
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
Birchwood ABC Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	17010 Birchtree St	Eagle River	99567	Anchorage Municipality	Anchorage School District	No	Yes	No	No	(907) 742-3450	205	16	13.1	18.5%	142 (69.3%)	1 (0.5%)	18 (8.8%)	3 (1.5%)	12 (5.9%)	1 (0.5%)	28 (13.7%)	69.8	45^th of 173 public elementary schools	74.0%		85.9	12^th of 176 public elementary schools	93.2%	33	30.0	30.0	64.1				42.2	37.5	56.7	74.4			56.0	69.2		69.2	$16,061	$1,073	$14,987
Chugiak Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	19932 Old Glenn Hwy	Chugiak	99567	Anchorage Municipality	Anchorage School District	No	Yes	No	No	(907) 742-3400	448	26	17.4	16.7%	313 (69.9%)	3 (0.7%)	52 (11.6%)	8 (1.8%)	20 (4.5%)	5 (1.1%)	47 (10.5%)	74.3	32^nd of 173 public elementary schools	81.5%		77.8	26^th of 176 public elementary schools	85.2%	6	42.0	42.9	59.5				48.2	44.4	44.1	53.6			47.4	73.2		73.2	$12,355	$779	$11,576
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Dena'ina Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Dena'ina Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dena'ina Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Joe Redington Senior Junior/Senior High School

Is Dena'ina Elementary School a good school?

Dena'ina Elementary School ranks 95^th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Dena'ina Elementary School in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

What is the racial makeup of Dena'ina Elementary School?

Students at Dena'ina Elementary School are 56% White, 24% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic, 8% American Indian.

How many students attend Dena'ina Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 435 students attended Dena'ina Elementary School.

Rate Dena'ina Elementary 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.