Best Public Schools in Ketchikan, AK

The Ketchikan, Alaska school district consists of 9 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district faces some challenges, with significant performance gaps between the highest and lowest-performing schools, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Among the standout schools in the district are Point Higgins School and Fawn Mountain Elementary, both of which consistently perform above the district and state averages on standardized tests and have earned 3-star ratings from SchoolDigger. In contrast, the two public charter schools in the district, Ketchikan Charter School and Tongass School of Arts and Sciences, have struggled to meet the academic needs of their students, underperforming compared to the traditional public schools.

The data also reveals significant socioeconomic disparities within the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District, with free and reduced-price lunch rates ranging from 25% at Point Higgins School to over 58% at Revilla Junior/Senior High and Houghtaling Elementary. This likely contributes to the performance gaps observed between schools, and raises questions about how resources are being distributed across the district.