Best Public Schools in Wasilla, AK

The city of Wasilla, Alaska is home to 26 schools that are part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which serves students from elementary through high school. The district has a mix of traditional public schools, charter schools, and alternative schools, providing a diverse range of educational options for families in the area.

Among the standout schools in Wasilla are John Shaw Elementary, which ranks 8th out of 175 Alaska elementary schools and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, as well as Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School and Midnight Sun Family Learning Center, both of which are ranked in the top 30 elementary schools in the state. These schools excel in science and math proficiency, outperforming the district and state averages. On the other hand, some schools like Meadow Lakes Elementary struggle with proficiency rates below 30%.

The Wasilla schools also exhibit a wide range in terms of student-teacher ratios, spending per student, and free/reduced lunch rates, suggesting significant diversity in the student population and resource allocation across the district. The alternative and specialized schools, such as Mat-Su Career & Technical Educational High School and Mat-Su Day School, tend to have higher spending per student and lower student-teacher ratios, which may contribute to their stronger academic performance compared to the traditional public schools in the area.