Blatchley Middle School

Blatchley Middle School is a grades 6–8 middle school in Sitka, Alaska, serving 241 students, and belongs to the Sitka School District, which is rated the #1 district in the state. Blatchley is ranked 19th out of 90 Alaska middle schools, placing it in the 79th percentile with a 4-star review — a strong standing, though a step back from its top-10, 5-star ranking in 2024–2025. The school has a low student-teacher ratio of 13.4 to 1, and about 31% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch, down from about 39% three years ago.

Academically, Blatchley is well above Alaska state averages across the board. In 2025–2026, 52.3% of students were proficient in English language arts and 51.5% in math, compared to roughly 33% statewide in both subjects, while 50.0% were proficient in science, well above the state's 37.8%. Math is the school's most consistent strength — proficiency has exceeded the district every year for the past four years, often by wide margins. The school also stands out for equitable results among student groups that historically underperform statewide: Blatchley is ranked #1 out of 15 Alaska middle schools for special education students and #2 out of 26 for both low-income and migrant students. Since no other schools lie within 20 miles, comparisons are drawn primarily to district and state averages rather than nearby schools.

There are a few emerging patterns worth watching. Female students rank in the 92nd percentile statewide, while male students have fallen to the 58th percentile, a notable drop from the prior year. Additionally, 7th grade proficiency dips well below 6th and 8th grade in both math and ELA, suggesting a possible grade-level challenge or cohort effect. Blatchley's overall trajectory over the past decade has been strongly upward, and with a top-ranked district and small class sizes, the school has a solid foundation for addressing these patterns.