Is Tanana Middle School a good school?

Tanana Middle School ranks 65 th of 91 Alaska middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Tanana Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 545 students attended Tanana Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Tanana Middle School?

Students at Tanana Middle School are 52% White, 16% Two or more races, 15% Hispanic, 7% African American, 5% American Indian, 3% Pacific Islander, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Tanana Middle School attend?

Students who attend Tanana Middle School usually go on to attend Lathrop High School

Tanana Middle School

Summary:

Tanana Middle School is a public middle school in Fairbanks, Alaska, serving 545 students in grades 6-8. While the school has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, it faces challenges in academic performance, with proficiency rates below the district and state averages.

Tanana Middle School's student body is more racially diverse than the surrounding schools, with a makeup of 52.29% White, 6.79% African American, 15.23% Hispanic, 2.39% Asian, 5.14% Native American, 2.57% Pacific Islander, and 15.6% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and Alaska state averages. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Asian students performing well but Hispanic and White students lagging behind.

Tanana Middle School also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 39.63%, which is higher than the nearby North Pole Middle School and Randy Smith Middle School. The school's student-teacher ratio of 20.4 is also higher than the nearby schools, which may impact the level of individualized attention and support available to students. These factors, combined with the school's declining statewide ranking, suggest that Tanana Middle School may need to focus on addressing achievement gaps and providing targeted support for underperforming student groups.

Detail:

Public 6-8

600 Trainor Gate Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99701-3243

(907) 452-8145

District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
65^th of 91 Alaska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,797

Students who attend Tanana Middle School usually attend:

High:

Lathrop High School

Feeder schools for Tanana Middle School:

Elementary:	Arctic Light Elementary
	Ladd Elementary
	Weller Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 20.4

Number of students: 545

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.3%

Two or more races:

15.6%

Hispanic:

15.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.6%

See top rated Alaska middle schools

Compare Tanana Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Tanana Middle School ranks worse than 71.4% of middle schools in Alaska. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked middle schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.86. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Tanana Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Student population at Tanana Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (52.3%), two or more races (15.6%), Hispanic (15.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tanana Middle School is 20.4, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District! (See more...)

Compare Tanana Middle School employs 26.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tanana Middle School is $17,797. 2 middle schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Tanana Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tanana Middle School 65^th of 91 Alaska public middle schools. (See Tanana Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Fairbanks North Star Borough School District 13^th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Tanana Middle School.

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Your rating for Tanana Middle School?

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Rank History for Tanana Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	80.65	18^th	138	87.0%
2006	76.80	29^th	132	78.0%
2007	78.35	25^th	128	80.5%
2008	75.79	29^th	132	78.0%
2009	73.26	29^th	131	77.9%
2010	77.67	23^rd	136	83.1%
2011	74.32	30^th	133	77.4%
2012	73.84	40^th	135	70.4%
2013	73.33	41^st	136	69.9%
2014	75.95	31^st	138	77.5%
2015	51.40	74^th	151	51.0%
2017	39.88	56^th	88	36.4%
2018	40.87	62^nd	96	35.4%
2019	23.29	81^st	99	18.2%
2021	30.85	58^th	84	31.0%
2022	31.38	68^th	95	28.4%
2023	34.61	59^th	92	35.9%
2024	30.86	65^th	91	28.6%

See the entire list of Alaska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	24.76	26^th	34	23.5%
2021	39.89	17^th	30	43.3%
2022	23.45	24^th	28	14.3%
2023	42.47	18^th	31	41.9%
2024	49.51	11^th	31	64.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	29.57	45^th	64	29.7%
2021	36.04	26^th	43	39.5%
2022	22.20	33^rd	43	23.3%
2023	22.78	43^rd	55	21.8%
2024	24.47	42^nd	54	22.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	24.76	57^th	74	23.0%
2021	38.01	35^th	57	38.6%
2022	33.60	46^th	66	30.3%
2023	31.73	47^th	66	28.8%
2024	27.76	53^rd	69	23.2%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	11.24	20^th	20	0.0%
2021	44.89	8^th	14	42.9%
2022	20.36	15^th	17	11.8%
2023	21.35	16^th	17	5.9%
2024	16.22	13^th	14	7.1%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	16.62	64^th	73	12.3%
2021	32.47	46^th	62	25.8%
2022	33.13	47^th	68	30.9%
2023	39.55	45^th	72	37.5%
2024	31.44	49^th	72	31.9%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	49.12	11^th	22	50.0%
2023	59.92	7^th	19	63.2%
2024	57.61	6^th	16	62.5%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	56.91	7^th	19	63.2%
2021	41.11	10^th	15	33.3%
2022	49.72	6^th	19	68.4%
2023	37.13	11^th	21	47.6%
2024	14.46	22^nd	26	15.4%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Tanana Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	12.09	68^th	72	5.6%
2021	28.82	47^th	58	19.0%
2022	40.65	44^th	69	36.2%
2023	30.05	53^rd	75	29.3%
2024	25.69	59^th	74	20.3%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Saturday, February 6, 2021

I went to this school for my 7th grade, and overall I was disgusted. This school lacked to prepare students to lead the way, every day. But although, I did like the small atmosphere for I thought it was easy to know everyone plus finding my way around was also pretty easy, but as I attended this school I never felt safe for students brought and did drugs along with alcohol numerous times. I witnessed teachers repetitively search in students' lockers to find any possessive drugs or any other "inappropriate things". I also heard educators actually cussing in front of their students! This is not the kind of behavior you would expect to see from a Middle School. And according to news and previous issues, this school had to deal with students posing racial threats that brought immense tension throughout the school. This staff really needs to focus on helping students' health, safety, and their characters in interacting with each other. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Tanana Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	392	32	13	17	37	n/a	n/a	491
1990	478	57	21	16	42	n/a	n/a	614
1991	544	77	25	18	44	n/a	n/a	708
1992	570	82	23	22	39	n/a	n/a	736
1993	579	104	27	24	58	n/a	n/a	792
1994	584	102	23	36	56	n/a	n/a	801
1995	524	80	26	26	67	n/a	n/a	723
1996	524	80	26	26	67	n/a	n/a	723
1997	553	74	27	28	62	n/a	n/a	744
1998	599	86	33	28	90	n/a	n/a	836
1999	660	85	30	28	83	n/a	n/a	886
2000	496	51	29	17	57	n/a	n/a	650
2001	420	59	26	24	65	n/a	n/a	594
2002	401	57	21	28	62	n/a	n/a	569
2003	401	57	21	28	62	n/a	n/a	569
2004	390	49	16	37	77	n/a	n/a	569
2005	395	65	18	41	82	n/a	n/a	601
2006	366	62	17	43	72	n/a	n/a	560
2007	337	54	19	38	66	n/a	n/a	514
2008	307	46	28	30	62	n/a	n/a	473
2009	299	44	14	47	44	8	46	502
2010	331	66	17	52	47	14	0	527
2011	295	68	11	60	31	5	44	514
2012	296	58	10	52	40	4	44	504
2013	296	54	15	51	47	5	45	513
2014	273	32	16	60	49	7	37	474
2015	251	48	4	66	38	8	48	463
2016	255	42	11	65	32	9	60	474
2017	253	39	8	48	28	7	48	431
2018	224	29	5	42	27	8	50	385
2019	237	27	12	39	25	10	50	400
2020	184	23	10	41	29	11	45	343
2021	132	25	7	36	22	8	52	282
2022	144	29	8	32	21	7	59	300
2023	285	37	13	83	28	14	85	545

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 Tanana Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	491	28.0	17.5	9.2
1990	614	32.5	18.8	9.4
1991	708	43.0	16.4	11.3
1992	736	43.0	17.1	8.7
1993	792	43.0	18.4	8.1
1994	801	43.0	18.6	8
1995	723	44.7	16.2	11.2
1996	723	44.7	16.2	11.2
1997	744	44.7	16.6	13.4
1998	836	50.5	16.6	17.1
1999	886	55.0	16.1	20.2
2000	650	41.0	15.9	14
2001	594	36.0	16.5	19.7
2002	569	34.0	16.7	19
2003	569	34.0	16.7	19
2004	569	34.5	16.5	24.4
2005	601	31.6	19.0	25.6
2006	560	30.9	18.1	28.8
2007	514	29.0	17.7	26.5
2008	473	26.0	18.2	23.7
2009	502	28.3	17.7	27.3
2010	527	31.0	17.0	28.8
2011	514	34.5	14.8	32.7
2012	504	34.5	14.6	31.7
2013	513	33.0	15.5	39.8
2014	474	30.0	15.8	38.2
2015	463	26.0	17.8	41.7
2016	474	27.0	17.5	36.3
2017	431	25.0	17.2	30.2
2018	385	22.7	16.9	36.1
2019	400	19.0	21.0	36.8
2020	343	20.0	17.1	38.5
2021	282	15.0	18.8	n/a
2022	300	17.0	17.6	n/a
2023	545	26.6	20.4	39.6

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 Tanana Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	491	28.0	17.5	9.2
1990	614	32.5	18.8	9.4
1991	708	43.0	16.4	11.3
1992	736	43.0	17.1	8.7
1993	792	43.0	18.4	8.1
1994	801	43.0	18.6	8
1995	723	44.7	16.2	11.2
1996	723	44.7	16.2	11.2
1997	744	44.7	16.6	13.4
1998	836	50.5	16.6	17.1
1999	886	55.0	16.1	20.2
2000	650	41.0	15.9	14
2001	594	36.0	16.5	19.7
2002	569	34.0	16.7	19
2003	569	34.0	16.7	19
2004	569	34.5	16.5	24.4
2005	601	31.6	19.0	25.6
2006	560	30.9	18.1	28.8
2007	514	29.0	17.7	26.5
2008	473	26.0	18.2	23.7
2009	502	28.3	17.7	27.3
2010	527	31.0	17.0	28.8
2011	514	34.5	14.8	32.7
2012	504	34.5	14.6	31.7
2013	513	33.0	15.5	39.8
2014	474	30.0	15.8	38.2
2015	463	26.0	17.8	41.7
2016	474	27.0	17.5	36.3
2017	431	25.0	17.2	30.2
2018	385	22.7	16.9	36.1
2019	400	19.0	21.0	36.8
2020	343	20.0	17.1	38.5
2021	282	15.0	18.8	n/a
2022	300	17.0	17.6	n/a
2023	545	26.6	20.4	39.6

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 Tanana Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,144 (6.4%)	$16,653 (93.6%)	$17,797

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tanana Middle 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 81^st of 99 Middle schools	Ranks 59^th of 92 Middle schools	17.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade Science (Tanana Middle School)	41.8	42.2	0.4%
8th Grade Science (Fairbanks North Star Borough School District)	50.3	40.1	10.2%
8th Grade Science (Alaska)	43.1	34.5	8.6%
All Grades Science (Tanana Middle School)	41.8	42.2	0.4%
All Grades Science (Fairbanks North Star Borough School District)	51.2	42.8	8.4%
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	400	545	36.3%
African American	27	37	37%
American Indian	25	28	12%
Asian	12	13	8.3%
Hispanic	39	83	112.8%
Pacific Islander	10	14	40%
White	237	285	20.3%
Two or More Races	50	85	70%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.8%	39.6%	2.9%

Schools Near Tanana Middle 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 6th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	STAR English Language Arts All Grades	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Tanana Middle School	Public	6-8	600 Trainor Gate Rd	Fairbanks	99701	Fairbanks North Star Borough	Fairbanks North Star Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 452-8145	545	27	20.4	39.6%	285 (52.3%)	37 (6.8%)	83 (15.2%)	13 (2.4%)	28 (5.1%)	14 (2.6%)	85 (15.6%)	30.9	65^th of 91 public middle schools	28.6%		34.6	59^th of 92 public middle schools	35.9%	6	37.7	28.1	35.8	33.7	31.8	21.8	35.4	29.4	35.2	35.2	$17,797	$1,144	$16,653
Ryan Middle School	Public	6-8	1450 Cowles	Fairbanks	99701	Fairbanks North Star Borough	Fairbanks North Star Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 452-4751	543	30	18.0	46.6%	237 (43.6%)	24 (4.4%)	54 (9.9%)	12 (2.2%)	70 (12.9%)	5 (0.9%)	141 (26.0%)	13	81^st of 91 public middle schools	11.0%		14.9	83^rd of 92 public middle schools	9.8%	2	21.8	19.9	24.4	22.0	17.0	13.9	27.2	19.2	24.6	24.6	$19,157	$1,342	$17,814
Randy Smith Middle School	Public	6-8	1401 Bainbridge Blvd	Fairbanks	99701	Fairbanks North Star Borough	Fairbanks North Star Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 458-7600	407	22	18.3	28.0%	254 (62.4%)	2 (0.5%)	27 (6.6%)	8 (2.0%)	40 (9.8%)	3 (0.7%)	73 (17.9%)	50.3	49^th of 91 public middle schools	46.2%		38.5	54^th of 92 public middle schools	41.3%	5	35.9	37.8	46.2	39.7	34.4	41.1	46.2	40.4	49.6	49.6	$20,887	$1,166	$19,720
North Pole Middle School	Public	6-8	300 East 8th Ave	North Pole	99705	Fairbanks North Star Borough	Fairbanks North Star Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 488-2271	531	28	19.0	39.0%	338 (63.7%)	5 (0.9%)	36 (6.8%)	8 (1.5%)	36 (6.8%)	5 (0.9%)	103 (19.4%)	28.2	67^th of 91 public middle schools	26.4%		20.9	75^th of 92 public middle schools	18.5%	8	27.7	30.0	33.9	30.3	22.8	30.7	38.5	30.0	35.2	35.2	$17,336	$1,020	$16,316

Tanana Middle School

Tanana Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Tanana Middle School

Rank History for all students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Asian students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Tanana Middle School

Rank History for White students at Tanana Middle School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Tanana Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Tanana Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Tanana Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Tanana Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Tanana Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Tanana Middle School