Hanshew Middle School

Hanshew Middle School is a public school in southern Anchorage, Alaska, serving approximately 822 students in grades 6–8 as part of the Anchorage School District. It is one of the larger middle schools in its area, similar in size to Gruening Middle School and Nicholas J. Begich Middle School. In 2025–2026, Hanshew ranked 73rd of 90 Alaska middle schools, placing it in the 19th percentile with a 1-star rating. That ranking reflects a long-term pattern: over the past decade, the school has mostly ranked between the 11th and 27th percentiles, with its best result coming in 2014–2015 when it reached the 59th percentile.

Academically, Hanshew falls below both Anchorage School District and statewide averages in every tested subject. In 2025–2026, English language arts proficiency was 25.5% versus 36.0% district-wide and 32.9% statewide, while math reached 29.9% and science 26.6%—about 12 points below the district average. Mathematics stands out as the relative strength, coming within roughly two points of the state average, and grade-level results suggest real progress over time. By 8th grade, 37.4% of Hanshew students met math proficiency standards, above the statewide average of 33.3%. English language arts also trends upward across grade levels, though less dramatically. Science is a persistent weakness, which matters because the test is administered in 8th grade, just as students should be preparing for the rigors of high school.

Perhaps the most striking insight is the gap between Hanshew's student demographics and its outcomes. With a free/reduced-price lunch rate of 39.2%, Hanshew closely mirrors Romig Middle School's economic profile—yet Romig ranks 31st statewide with 48.4% ELA proficiency, while Hanshew ranks 73rd with 25.5% ELA proficiency. Hanshew does outperform higher-poverty schools such as Clark Middle School, Wendler Middle School, and Central Middle School of Science, but only by a narrow margin. Another concern is the reported student–teacher ratio of 33.1:1, dramatically higher than Gruening Middle School's 28.2:1 or Romig Middle School's 20.9:1, and far above Hanshew's own recent ratios. The bottom line: Hanshew has genuine momentum in math, but the broader pattern points to a school with significant capacity that has yet to be fully realized.