Unalakleet School

Unalakleet School is a small public school in Unalakleet, AK, serving 173 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a remote, mostly rural region. Within the Bering Strait School District, where proficiency rates often sit in the single digits, Unalakleet stands out as a consistent bright spot. For the 2025–2026 school year, the school posted English Language Arts proficiency of 23.4% compared to the district’s 6.4%, math proficiency of 16.9% versus 6.0%, and science proficiency of 17.7% versus 8.2% — meaning students are achieving at roughly two to four times the rate of peers in surrounding schools. This pattern has held for several years, and in some recent grade levels, Unalakleet students have even matched or exceeded the statewide average, including 4th grade reading and 3rd and 7th grade math.

Graduation rates are another area of strength. Over the past five years, Unalakleet has posted rates between 81.8% and 100%, with the most recent year at 100%. That compares favorably to district graduation rates that hovered around 69% to 83% during the same period, averaging roughly 94% versus 77% district-wide. While the school’s overall proficiency still trails the Alaska state average, these results are especially notable given that about two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common indicator of economic disadvantage. The school appears to be mitigating some of the challenges associated with poverty, at least compared to nearby schools.

Part of the explanation may lie in resources and class size. Unalakleet spends about $36,000 per student, which is high by national standards but typical for remote Alaska schools, and it maintains a low student-teacher ratio near 10:1 — small enough to support individualized attention. Families should keep in mind that with only 173 students spread across 13 grade levels, year-to-year proficiency rates can swing sharply with just a few students, and performance varies by subject and grade. Still, the school’s consistent advantage over the district across multiple subjects and years suggests that Unalakleet is doing something right for its students.