Williwaw Elementary

Williwaw Elementary is a Pre-K–6 school in the Anchorage School District serving 315 students in Anchorage, AK, but it ranks near the very bottom of Alaska elementary schools—163rd out of 166 statewide in 2025–26, placing it in the 2nd percentile with a 0-star rating. Nearly the entire student body comes from economically disadvantaged households (free/reduced-price lunch eligibility is around 101%), and proficiency rates are far below both district and state levels. Only 10.2% of students are proficient in English Language Arts (compared to 36.0% district-wide and 32.9% statewide), while math proficiency is 8.5% versus 35.7% district and 32.2% statewide. Science proficiency is also very low at 11.9%.

What makes Williwaw particularly notable is how it compares with nearby schools serving similar populations. Russian Jack Elementary, just 0.72 miles away, posts more than double Williwaw's ELA proficiency (21.8% vs. 10.2%) and more than triple its math proficiency (29.0% vs. 8.5%). Wonder Park Elementary (0.71 miles) achieves 18.1% ELA and 24.4% math, and Alaska Native Cultural Charter School (0.79 miles) reaches 19.2% ELA and 16.4% math—all while spending far less per student than Williwaw.

In fact, Williwaw's per-student spending of more than $26,000 is the highest in the surrounding area, yet the investment is not translating into academic gains. Winterberry School spends roughly $12,959 per student and achieves 32.9% ELA proficiency—more than triple Williwaw's rate. Progress has been flat or declining: ELA proficiency dropped from 13.0% in 2022–23 to 10.2% in 2025–26, and math fell from 11.6% to 8.5%. Grade-level data show deficits are already visible by 3rd grade, where just 10.9% of students are proficient in reading. For parents, this is a school with significant resources that are not currently producing meaningful academic outcomes.