Best Public Schools in Talkeetna, AK

Schools in the city of Talkeetna, Alaska, are served by two public schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, a 4-star district ranked 6th out of 23 Alaska districts: Susitna Valley High, which covers grades 6 through 12 with 233 students, and Talkeetna Elementary, which serves grades PK through 5 with 121 students. Talkeetna Elementary is the strongest-performing school in the local data, standing out especially in science (61.11% proficient, far above the state's 37.81% average) and math (42.00%, essentially matching the district's 41.97%). It achieves these results while serving a higher-poverty population, with 62.81% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Susitna Valley High is the area's biggest improver, jumping from the 10th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 55th percentile in 2025–2026.

Science is a clear shared strength: both schools exceed the state science average and both posted large year-over-year gains. However, math tells a different story. Susitna Valley High's math proficiency is just 26.98%—about 15 points below the district average and 5 points below the state average—and its ELA proficiency (37.30%) also trails the district. Talkeetna Elementary leads in every subject comparison, beating Susitna Valley High by roughly 15 points in math and 13 points in science. The high school's graduation rate of 81.4% sits slightly below the district's 84.2%. Both schools enjoy low student-teacher ratios and high per-pupil spending, though this resource data comes from 2018–2019.

Several insights matter for parents. Talkeetna Elementary shows an early-grade math bright spot—3rd-grade math proficiency is 53.33%, well above the state average—but 5th-grade math drops below district levels, suggesting a transition challenge. Susitna Valley High has uneven grade-level results: 7th grade is strong, while 6th-grade math proficiency is just 16.67%, far below the district's 37.91%. Because this school spans grades 6–12, its rankings reflect high school methodology while its test scores include middle grades, making direct comparisons difficult. Given small enrollments, year-to-year rankings fluctuate considerably at both schools, so families should weigh multi-year trends over any single-year rating.