Delta/Greely School District

The Delta/Greely School District in rural Alaska includes five public schools — one elementary, one middle, one high school, and two alternative programs — serving approximately 971 students from preschool through 12th grade.

For parents, the standout is Delta Junction Elementary, which is among Alaska’s best elementary schools, ranking #8 of 166 statewide with 5 stars. Its math proficiency rate (77.3%) is more than double the state average, and it also leads the district in ELA and science. By contrast, Delta Junction Junior High School is the district’s weakest link: it ranks in the 36th percentile statewide, and its math proficiency fell from 53.3% to 36.4% in one year — with 8th graders specifically falling below the Alaska average. Delta Junction Senior High School is solid overall (ranked #19 of 62, 4 stars) but shows a similar drop in 9th-grade math, with only 24.3% proficient. The two alternative schools — Alaska Homeschool, the district’s largest program at 378 students, and the much smaller Gerstle River School — serve over 40% of the district’s students combined. Their test scores trail the traditional schools, and math is especially low: 20% proficient at Alaska Homeschool and 27.8% at Gerstle River. Gerstle River also has the district’s lowest graduation rate at 33.3%, though its small enrollment means that number is less reliable.

A key theme is that math achievement falls sharply after elementary school. While Delta Junction Elementary thrives even with the highest free/reduced lunch rate among traditional schools, the junior high, senior high, and alternative schools all struggle with math and saw steep one-year declines in 2025-2026. Graduation rates are uneven as well: Alaska Homeschool graduates students at a 75.6% rate, slightly beating the district’s 73.0% average, while Delta Junction Senior High School sits at 73.9%. The district as a whole still outperforms Alaska state averages in every subject, but the path forward clearly lies in supporting the secondary math pipeline and ensuring alternative programs receive the academic support their large share of students requires.