Anchorage School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Anchorage, Alaska - 95 schools

An equity score of 21/100 ranks Anchorage School District #37 of 40 districts in Alaska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,200 per pupil, Anchorage School District ranks #46 of 54 Alaska districts by per-pupil spending (Alaska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

43,727
Total Enrollment
95
Schools
$17,200
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Anchorage School District operates 95 public schools serving 43,727 students, placing it among the largest districts in Alaska. The school portfolio breaks down into 69 combined, 11 high, 11 middle, 4 elementary schools, giving families in a major system a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a large portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Anchorage Municipality.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,200 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 54 Alaska districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alaska compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.8% local, 54.1% state, and 18.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 21/100, ranked #37 of 40 in Alaska against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 15 of 95 schools offering Advanced Placement (274 AP courses district-wide), a 354.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 53.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 39.0% White, 12.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School, with a diversity index of 85.0/100.

Its largest campus is West High School, enrolling 1,702 students (4% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Alaska State School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, at 25 students, a 68x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Anchorage School District school enrollment varies 68× across entities

Anchorage School District school enrollment ranges from 25 students (lowest) to 1,702 students (highest), a spread of 1,677 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Anchorage School District student-counselor ratio is 354:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Anchorage School District chronic absenteeism rate is 53.7% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.1%
Federal
54.1%
State
27.8%
Local

Funding Equity

21
Equity Score
37 / 40
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 95 schools in Anchorage School District.

White 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
African American 4.5%
Asian 8.8%
Multiracial 16.1%
Other 19.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 70.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Anchorage School District's schools, above the Alaska average of 43.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School 85.0
  2. 2 Bartlett High School 85.0
  3. 3 Willow Crest Elementary 84.9
  4. 4 Creekside Park Elementary 84.8
  5. 5 Ptarmigan Elementary 84.7

Programs & Resources

15 / 95
Schools with AP
274 AP courses total
354.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
53.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Anchorage School District

School Enrollment
West High School
1,702
Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
1,636
Service High School
1,518
Bartlett High School
1,431
Dimond High School
1,373
South Anchorage High School
1,239
Romig Middle School
1,138
Family Partnership Charter School
Charter
1,008
Chugiak High School
928
Nicholas J. Begich Middle School
830
Hanshew Middle School
822
Gruening Middle School
797
Eagle River High School
771
Mears Middle School
733
Clark Middle School
713
Frontier Charter School
Charter
689
Goldenview Middle School
626
Wendler Middle School
602
Northern Lights Abc K-8 School
582
Mirror Lake Middle School
571
Central Middle School of Science
545
Bowman Elementary
536
Rilke Schule Charter School
Charter
485
Polaris K-12 School
483
Chugiak Elementary
439
Government Hill Elementary
424
Orion Elementary School
423
Muldoon Elementary
417
Creekside Park Elementary
399
Susitna Elementary
394
Ptarmigan Elementary
392
Scenic Park Elementary
386
Sand Lake Elementary
367
Ravenwood Elementary
367
Chinook Elementary
365
Aquarian Charter School
Charter
365
Trailside Elementary
364
College Gate Elementary
363
Denali Montessori Elementary
361
Aurora Elementary
359
Alaska Native Cultural Charter School
Charter
357
Rogers Park Elementary
354
William Tyson Elementary
353
O'malley Elementary
350
Kasuun Elementary
343
Bayshore Elementary
338
Dr. Etheldra Davis - Fairview Elementary School
337
Campbell Stem Elementary
323
Kincaid Elementary
322
North Star Elementary
317
Bear Valley Elementary
316
Williwaw Elementary
315
Steller Secondary School
305
Tudor Elementary
303
Whaley School
298
Ursa Minor Elementary
294
Willow Crest Elementary
294
Klatt Elementary
294
Spring Hill Elementary
291
Rabbit Creek Elementary
288
Wonder Park Elementary
287
Ocean View Elementary
285
Paideia Cooperative School
283
Alpenglow Elementary
278
Chugach Optional Elementary
275
Benson Secondary/S.E.a.R.C.H.
275
Alaska Middle College School
272
Huffman Elementary
268
Gladys Wood Elementary
267
Eagle River Elementary
266
Lake Otis Elementary
264
Winterberry School
Charter
264
Taku Elementary
258
Northwood Abc
255
Homestead Elementary
255
Russian Jack Elementary
254
Abbott Loop Elementary
248
Turnagain Elementary
247
Birchwood Abc Elementary
246
Airport Heights Elementary
240
Baxter Elementary
239
Mountain View Elementary
230
Eagle Academy Charter School
Charter
205
Highland Academy Charter
Charter
200
Fire Lake Elementary
195
Nunaka Valley Elementary
193
Chester Valley Elementary
191
Inlet View Elementary
190
Lake Hood Elementary
185
Anchorage Stream Academy
Charter
183
Girdwood School
179
S.a.V.E. High School
156
Martin Luther King Jr. Technical High School
124
Mclaughlin Secondary School
77
Alaska State School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
25

How Anchorage School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alaska districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Smaller Higher spending Similar funding mix
Galena City School District Smaller Lower spending Less locally funded
Juneau Borough School District Smaller Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Anchorage School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Alaska

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Anchorage School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Anchorage School District?

Anchorage School District has 95 schools, including 11 high, 11 middle, 69 combined, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 43,727 students.

How much does Anchorage School District spend per student?

Anchorage School District spends $17,200 per student. The district has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #37 in Alaska.

What is the demographic composition of Anchorage School District?

Anchorage School District students are 39.0% White, 12.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 4.5% African American, averaged across 95 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Anchorage School District?

Anchorage School District has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #37 out of 40 districts in Alaska.