Juneau Borough School District

The Juneau Borough School District in Alaska serves roughly 4,085 students across 13 schools—eight elementary schools, one middle school, three high schools, and one alternative school—covering grades PK–12. Districtwide proficiency averages sit slightly above Alaska state averages in science, English language arts, and math, but that overall strength comes mostly from elementary schools; the district's largest high school and only traditional middle school trail state averages in several areas.

For parents, a few schools clearly stand out. Sayeik: Gastineau Community School is the biggest success story: it's the district's only 4-star elementary school, with the highest ELA proficiency (51.8%) and a dramatic two-year jump from the 33rd to the 69th percentile, all while serving a population with above-average free/reduced-price lunch. Auke Bay Elementary leads the district in math at 45.6% proficient. Montessori Borealis Public Alternative School has the highest science score in the district (65.8%) and excellent middle-school ELA and math results, though its lower elementary math drags down its ranking. Sit Eeti Shaanax – Glacier Valley School is another solid 3-star elementary option. On the other end, Kax_dig_oowu Heen Elementary School remains persistently low-performing, and Mendenhall River Community School shows a troubling red flag with 5th-grade math at just 10.7% proficiency versus a 38.1% district average.

Among secondary schools, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kale graduates 96.0% of students but posts very low 9th-grade math proficiency (16.7%), highlighting a sharp drop from elementary and middle school scores. Thunder Mountain Middle School is below district averages in ELA and science. Alternative programs like Yaakoosge Daakahidi Alternative High School serve high-need populations with lower graduation rates and higher per-student costs, while HomeBRIDGE posts strong ELA results despite a very high student-teacher ratio. Science is a district-wide strength at several schools, including Harborview Elementary and Juneau Community Charter School. The clearest takeaway for parents: elementary schools vary widely, high school math needs attention, and schools like Sayeik show that meaningful improvement is possible.