Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Summary:

Northern Lights ABC K-8 School is a public magnet school in Anchorage, Alaska, serving 569 students from prekindergarten through 8th grade. This exceptional institution consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, boasting a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and exceptional academic performance.

One of the school's key strengths is its racial diversity, with a student population that includes 35.68% White, 7.56% African American, 11.6% Hispanic, 24.78% Asian, 3.16% Native American, 1.05% Pacific Islander, and 16.17% two or more races. This diversity is significantly higher than the nearby schools, such as Lake Otis Elementary, Rogers Park Elementary, and Spring Hill Elementary. The school's diverse student population provides a rich learning environment that fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Northern Lights ABC K-8 School's academic excellence is further demonstrated by its consistently high standardized test scores, which outperform the Anchorage School District and the state of Alaska across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 63.11% of the school's students were proficient or better in ASA/Science, compared to 38.66% for the Anchorage School District and 36.94% for the state. This exceptional performance extends to various student subgroups, including female students, male students, Asian students, Hispanic students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, further highlighting the school's ability to provide a high-quality education to all its students.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-8

 2424 East Dowling Rd
       Anchorage, AK  99507-1972


(907) 742-7500

District: Anchorage School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
12th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,121 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  18.9 Help
Number of students:  569

Racial breakdown:

White:
35.7%
Asian:
24.8%
Two or more races:
16.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  25.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Northern Lights ABC K-8 School ranks better than 93.1% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 7th among 62 ranked elementary schools in the Anchorage School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.93. (See more...)
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Compare Details Northern Lights ABC K-8 School ranks better than 93.4% of middle schools in Alaska. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.75. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Northern Lights ABC K-8 School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Anchorage School District. Student population at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (35.7%), Asian (24.8%), two or more races (16.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 25.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School is 18.9. 56 elementary schools in the Anchorage School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Northern Lights ABC K-8 School employs 29.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School is $11,121, which is the lowest among 62 elementary schools in the Anchorage School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northern Lights ABC K-8 School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern Lights ABC K-8 School 12th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Northern Lights ABC K-8 School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern Lights ABC K-8 School 6th of 91 Alaska public middle schools. (See Northern Lights ABC K-8 School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Anchorage School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Anchorage School District 14th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 90.79 1st 213 99.5%
2006 91.05 1st 218 99.5%
2007 89.41 1st 212 99.5%
2008 90.94 1st 219 99.5%
2009 85.23 12th 226 94.7%
2010 91.73 2nd 229 99.1%
2011 90.19 1st 223 99.6%
2012 90.48 1st 227 99.6%
2013 91.87 1st 223 99.6%
2014 92.13 1st 218 99.5%
2015 93.79 8th 246 96.7%
2017 95.80 2nd 180 98.9%
2018 96.00 3rd 186 98.4%
2019 88.67 12th 185 93.5%
2021 93.48 5th 173 97.1%
2022 89.44 9th 171 94.7%
2023 95.31 3rd 176 98.3%
2024 87.93 12th 173 93.1%
See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 82.86 3rd 73 95.9%
2021 82.75 4th 45 91.1%
2022 80.12 8th 58 86.2%
2023 78.73 7th 74 90.5%
2024 84.72 6th 68 91.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 90.85 2nd 41 95.1%
2021 95.85 1st 22 95.5%
2022 59.86 6th 20 70.0%
2023 82.73 2nd 14 85.7%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 84.81 8th 147 94.6%
2021 91.81 2nd 110 98.2%
2022 83.66 8th 104 92.3%
2023 92.79 1st 119 99.2%
2024 83.19 9th 122 92.6%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Migrant students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 49.80 5th 10 50.0%
2022 74.76 3rd 15 80.0%
2023 57.63 11th 30 63.3%
2024 72.60 5th 28 82.1%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 89.25 3rd 159 98.1%
2021 93.83 4th 141 97.2%
2022 89.22 5th 143 96.5%
2023 96.36 2nd 152 98.7%
2024 86.09 11th 142 92.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 86.54 11th 159 93.1%
2021 89.36 5th 142 96.5%
2022 84.56 7th 148 95.3%
2023 91.64 3rd 148 98.0%
2024 83.07 10th 150 93.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 93.70 2nd 41 95.1%
2021 98.13 1st 25 96.0%
2022 89.29 1st 26 96.2%
2023 98.51 1st 36 97.2%
2024 91.93 2nd 33 93.9%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 77.13 3rd 30 90.0%
2021 60.11 4th 16 75.0%
2022 78.07 1st 26 96.2%
2024 71.60 8th 27 70.4%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.51 9th 147 93.9%
2021 83.76 11th 127 91.3%
2022 78.26 16th 137 88.3%
2023 91.58 4th 138 97.1%
2024 80.28 17th 133 87.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 95.99 1st 138 99.3%
2007 91.78 1st 128 99.2%
2008 91.21 2nd 132 98.5%
2009 90.33 2nd 131 98.5%
2010 92.76 1st 136 99.3%
2011 94.02 1st 133 99.2%
2012 92.64 1st 135 99.3%
2013 91.57 3rd 136 97.8%
2014 91.91 2nd 138 98.6%
2015 94.25 4th 151 97.4%
2017 89.49 4th 88 95.5%
2018 86.62 5th 96 94.8%
2019 91.69 4th 99 96.0%
2021 92.12 3rd 84 96.4%
2022 82.86 11th 95 88.4%
2023 95.73 3rd 92 96.7%
2024 88.75 6th 91 93.4%
See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.51 3rd 34 91.2%
2021 89.02 1st 30 96.7%
2023 95.88 1st 31 96.8%
2024 88.44 1st 31 96.8%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.41 1st 5 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 96.57 1st 64 98.4%
2021 86.06 2nd 43 95.3%
2022 88.32 2nd 43 95.3%
2023 96.28 1st 55 98.2%
2024 94.07 1st 54 98.1%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Migrant students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 80.39 2nd 20 90.0%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.67 6th 74 91.9%
2021 91.33 1st 57 98.2%
2022 85.27 5th 66 92.4%
2023 95.70 1st 66 98.5%
2024 92.26 2nd 69 97.1%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 94.27 3rd 73 95.9%
2021 92.59 3rd 62 95.2%
2022 86.28 5th 68 92.6%
2023 97.12 1st 72 98.6%
2024 78.91 12th 72 83.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Asian students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 95.35 1st 22 95.5%
2021 96.42 1st 13 92.3%
2022 93.16 1st 15 93.3%
2023 99.06 1st 19 94.7%
2024 98.07 1st 16 93.8%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 85.68 1st 15 93.3%
2022 92.51 1st 19 94.7%
2024 95.85 1st 26 96.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.67 5th 72 93.1%
2021 79.03 9th 58 84.5%
2022 77.15 11th 69 84.1%
2023 90.81 2nd 75 97.3%
2024 85.08 5th 74 93.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Northern Lights ABC K-8 School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 283 18 23 6 18 n/a n/a -6 342
1990 279 19 27 6 10 n/a n/a 0 341
1991 290 25 25 11 10 n/a n/a 0 361
1992 260 19 31 8 8 n/a n/a 0 326
1993 261 16 28 8 5 n/a n/a 0 318
1994 270 14 27 10 8 n/a n/a 0 329
1995 272 19 38 10 18 n/a n/a 0 357
1996 272 19 38 10 18 n/a n/a 0 357
1997 271 20 47 11 16 n/a n/a 0 365
1998 319 26 66 13 20 n/a n/a 0 444
1999 351 34 85 17 25 n/a n/a 0 512
2000 335 51 82 16 33 n/a n/a 0 517
2001 412 50 99 16 35 n/a n/a 0 612
2002 397 53 112 22 37 n/a n/a 0 621
2003 397 53 112 22 37 n/a n/a 0 621
2004 377 48 126 20 42 n/a n/a 0 613
2005 389 41 130 22 43 n/a n/a 0 625
2006 395 31 139 22 47 n/a n/a 0 634
2007 394 33 144 20 49 n/a n/a 0 640
2008 344 27 116 37 30 n/a n/a 79 633
2009 313 25 117 45 29 10 68 0 607
2010 310 26 128 52 28 9 71 0 624
2011 304 22 131 49 21 8 82 0 617
2012 293 17 140 51 18 10 98 0 627
2013 272 17 148 52 16 8 100 0 613
2014 262 19 144 56 16 9 99 0 605
2015 281 11 147 46 19 8 97 0 609
2016 285 9 152 51 16 8 107 0 628
2017 296 11 148 52 21 8 104 0 640
2018 269 17 143 59 22 9 109 0 628
2019 270 19 147 62 21 9 106 0 634
2020 251 26 155 63 20 6 99 0 620
2021 191 28 158 67 22 5 95 0 566
2022 191 42 148 68 21 8 89 0 567
2023 203 43 141 66 18 6 92 0 569

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 342 15.0 22.8 3.5
1990 341 15.0 22.7 2.3
1991 361 15.0 24.0 3.6
1992 326 15.0 21.7 4.6
1993 318 15.0 21.2 4.7
1994 329 15.0 21.9 4.6
1995 357 15.0 23.8 4.2
1996 357 15.0 23.8 4.2
1997 365 15.0 24.3 3.8
1998 444 17.5 25.4 5.6
1999 512 20.5 25.0 3.5
2000 517 23.5 22.0 5
2001 612 25.5 24.0 3.6
2002 621 26.7 23.3 6.9
2003 621 26.7 23.3 6.9
2004 613 27.5 22.3 5.1
2005 625 25.0 25.0 5.3
2006 634 28.4 22.3 11
2007 640 29.3 21.8 10.8
2008 633 28.6 22.1 15.3
2009 607 28.2 21.5 15.3
2010 624 27.2 22.9 15.5
2011 617 28.6 21.5 16.5
2012 627 29.0 21.5 18.2
2013 613 28.3 21.6 18.4
2014 605 29.4 20.5 22.5
2015 609 29.0 21.0 20
2016 628 29.0 21.6 19.1
2017 640 30.2 21.1 18.4
2018 628 29.5 21.2 20.2
2019 634 28.0 22.6 n/a
2020 620 29.8 20.7 21
2021 566 32.9 17.1 n/a
2022 567 31.5 17.9 n/a
2023 569 29.9 18.9 25.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 342 15.0 22.8 3.5
1990 341 15.0 22.7 2.3
1991 361 15.0 24.0 3.6
1992 326 15.0 21.7 4.6
1993 318 15.0 21.2 4.7
1994 329 15.0 21.9 4.6
1995 357 15.0 23.8 4.2
1996 357 15.0 23.8 4.2
1997 365 15.0 24.3 3.8
1998 444 17.5 25.4 5.6
1999 512 20.5 25.0 3.5
2000 517 23.5 22.0 5
2001 612 25.5 24.0 3.6
2002 621 26.7 23.3 6.9
2003 621 26.7 23.3 6.9
2004 613 27.5 22.3 5.1
2005 625 25.0 25.0 5.3
2006 634 28.4 22.3 11
2007 640 29.3 21.8 10.8
2008 633 28.6 22.1 15.3
2009 607 28.2 21.5 15.3
2010 624 27.2 22.9 15.5
2011 617 28.6 21.5 16.5
2012 627 29.0 21.5 18.2
2013 613 28.3 21.6 18.4
2014 605 29.4 20.5 22.5
2015 609 29.0 21.0 20
2016 628 29.0 21.6 19.1
2017 640 30.2 21.1 18.4
2018 628 29.5 21.2 20.2
2019 634 28.0 22.6 n/a
2020 620 29.8 20.7 21
2021 566 32.9 17.1 n/a
2022 567 31.5 17.9 n/a
2023 569 29.9 18.9 25.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $687 (6.2%) $10,434 (93.8%) $11,121

Data source: Alaska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 12th of 185 Elementary schoolsRanks 3rd of 176 Elementary schools
 4.8%
Ranks 4th of 99 Middle schoolsRanks 3rd of 92 Middle schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
8th Grade Science (Northern Lights ABC K-8 School)75.563
 12.5%
   8th Grade Science (Anchorage School District)45.237.3
 8%
   8th Grade Science (Alaska)43.134.5
 8.6%
All Grades Science (Northern Lights ABC K-8 School)74.469.2
 5.2%
   All Grades Science (Anchorage School District)46.639.4
 7.2%
   All Grades Science (Alaska)44.736.9
 7.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students634569
 10.3%
African American1943
 126.3%
American Indian2118
 14.3%
Asian147141
 4.1%
Hispanic6266
 6.5%
Pacific Islander96
 33.3%
White270203
 24.8%
Two or More Races10692
 13.2%


Schools Near Northern Lights ABC K-8 School









Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

Yes. Northern Lights ABC K-8 School ranks in the top 6.9% of Alaska elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 569 students attended Northern Lights ABC K-8 School.

Students at Northern Lights ABC K-8 School are 36% White, 25% Asian, 16% Two or more races, 12% Hispanic, 8% African American, 3% American Indian, 1% Pacific Islander.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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