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Nikiski North Star Elementary

Q: Is Nikiski North Star Elementary a good school?

Nikiski North Star Elementary ranks 95 th of 175 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

95^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 175 Alaska Elementary Schools

Better than 46% of Alaska elementary schools

Summary

Nikiski North Star Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Kenai, Alaska, with an enrollment of 252 students. The school is part of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, which is ranked 12th out of 24 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Nikiski North Star Elementary has consistently ranked in the middle to lower range of Alaska elementary schools over the past several years, typically ranking between 92-145 out of 180-246 schools. The school's performance on standardized tests is generally below the district and state averages, with proficiency rates of 32.73% in ELA and 43.64% in Math, compared to the district averages of 37.35% and 38.78%, respectively. Compared to nearby schools, Nikiski North Star Elementary's academic performance is generally lower than Soldotna Montessori Charter School and Aurora Borealis Charter School, which are both top-performing schools in the state, but it performs better than Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science, which has struggled academically.

Nikiski North Star Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 47.62% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2023-2024. The school's student-teacher ratio of 14.4 in 2023-2024 is slightly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 11.1 to 16.0 students per teacher. While Nikiski North Star Elementary faces significant challenges, the school's consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger indicates that there may be opportunities for improvement through identifying and addressing the root causes of the school's underperformance.

214

Students ?

12.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

49.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

45600 Holt Lamplight Rd
Kenai, AK 99611

(907) 776-2600

District: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Students who attend Nikiski North Star Elementary usually attend:

High:

Nikiski Middle/Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.8%

Two or more races:

19.2%

American Indian:

7.9%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Nikiski North Star Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 18th percentile in 2022 → 46th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Alaska average (38% vs 33% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 46th (2025) from a 18th-percentile low (2022)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg39%

Alaska avg33%

95^th of 175

Alaska public elementary schools ?

Bottom 46%▼ down 9 pts since 2015

From top 45% (2015) to bottom 46% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Alaska Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 15Elementary Schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

12^th of 24Kenai Peninsula Borough School District among Alaska districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2025	45.1	95 of 175	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.5	113 of 173	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.6	108 of 176	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.5	140 of 171	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	34.1	120 of 173	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.9	117 of 185	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.4	145 of 186	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	40.3	112 of 180	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	52.0	111 of 246	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	62.7	92 of 218	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	66.7	80 of 223	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	69.3	67 of 227	70.5%	★★★★☆
2011	72.6	57 of 223	74.4%	★★★★☆
2010	79.1	34 of 229	85.2%	★★★★☆
2009	75.7	45 of 226	80.1%	★★★★☆
2008	76.0	40 of 219	81.7%	★★★★☆
2007	76.4	40 of 212	81.1%	★★★★☆
2006	65.8	92 of 218	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	54.1	122 of 213	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2025	38.4	101 of 154	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.3	102 of 142	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	49.7	72 of 152	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	26.6	112 of 143	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	34.4	92 of 141	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.8	99 of 159	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2025	61.3	48 of 125	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.3	79 of 122	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.6	64 of 119	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.8	62 of 110	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.7	88 of 147	40.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2025	49.8	76 of 149	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.2	91 of 150	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.5	91 of 148	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	22.4	120 of 148	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.4	111 of 142	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.5	110 of 159	30.8%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2019	59.1	23 of 73	68.5%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2025	34.2	101 of 139	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.6	123 of 133	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	24.7	115 of 138	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	7.9	135 of 137	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	18.1	121 of 127	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.9	118 of 147	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Multi-racial (2019)68th percentile+32 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)62nd percentile+16 vs school

Male (2025)49th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)34th percentile-11 vs school

White (2025)27th percentile-18 vs school

By subject vs Alaska (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics44%+11 vs state

Science39%~ state avg

English Language Arts33%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Nikiski North Star Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				STAR English Language Arts (2025)							STAR Mathematics (2025)					ASA Science (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	STAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	STAR English Language Arts All Grades	STAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 5th Grade	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Total
Nikiski North Star Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45600 Holt Lamplight Rd	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 776-2600	214	18	12.1	49.1%	143 (66.8%)	1 (0.5%)	9 (4.2%)	2 (0.9%)	17 (7.9%)	1 (0.5%)	41 (19.2%)	45.1	95^th of 175 public elementary schools	45.7%		36.5	113^th of 173 public elementary schools	34.7%	18	39.5	22.9	35.1				32.7	55.3	40.0	35.1		43.6	39.5		39.5
Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science	Public, Charter	K-5	549 N Forest Dr	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 283-0804	205	15	13.5	38.5%	126 (61.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.3%)	4 (2.0%)	23 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (18.0%)	15.7	153^rd of 175 public elementary schools	12.6%		10	161^st of 173 public elementary schools	6.9%	8	24.3	15.6	14.3				18.3	25.0	31.3	16.7		24.0	22.2		22.2
Aurora Borealis Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	705 Frontage Rd Ste A	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 283-0292	199	12	16.4		156 (78.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.0%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.5%)	3 (1.5%)	18 (9.0%)	99.4	1^st of 175 public elementary schools	99.4%		90.7	9^th of 173 public elementary schools	94.8%	8	73.9	72.7		82.4	55.6	85.0	77.4	87.0	86.4			91.1		70.0	81.8
Mt. View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Swires Rd	Kenai	99611	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 283-8600	449	32	14.1	57.5%	249 (55.5%)	3 (0.7%)	34 (7.6%)	1 (0.2%)	61 (13.6%)	3 (0.7%)	98 (21.8%)	22.6	138^th of 175 public elementary schools	21.1%		29.8	126^th of 173 public elementary schools	27.2%	12	20.5	21.9	27.0				23.0	27.7	16.4	41.9		28.7	33.8		33.8
Kalifornsky Beach Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1049 E Poppy Lane	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 260-1300	384	25	15.5	45.1%	252 (65.6%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (8.1%)	5 (1.3%)	37 (9.6%)	2 (0.5%)	55 (14.3%)	45	96^th of 175 public elementary schools	45.1%		54.2	85^th of 173 public elementary schools	50.9%	11	21.3	30.2	32.2	55.1			33.8	36.1	43.4	44.1	46.9	42.3	42.4		42.4
Redoubt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	486 W Redoubt Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 260-4300	321	22	14.6	50.5%	208 (64.8%)	4 (1.2%)	23 (7.2%)	7 (2.2%)	27 (8.4%)	1 (0.3%)	51 (15.9%)	55	78^th of 175 public elementary schools	55.4%		47.3	97^th of 173 public elementary schools	43.9%	19	36.4	42.9	54.6	45.3			44.1	40.9	46.9	42.4	34.0	40.8	42.4		42.4
Soldotna Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	162 E Park Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 260-5100	266	20	13.5	44.0%	172 (64.7%)	2 (0.8%)	24 (9.0%)	2 (0.8%)	21 (7.9%)	1 (0.4%)	44 (16.5%)	41.6	106^th of 175 public elementary schools	39.4%		66	55^th of 173 public elementary schools	68.2%	51	20.5	12.1	34.2	69.0			32.4	33.3	30.3	42.1	55.2	39.6	44.7		44.7
Soldotna Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	K-6	158 E Park Ave	Soldotna	99669	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 260-9221	164	10	15.8	24.4%	137 (83.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.3%)	1 (0.6%)	5 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (8.5%)	77.8	28^th of 175 public elementary schools	84.0%					(n/a)	25.0	54.2	73.9	60.9			53.2	37.5	54.2	73.9	60.9	56.4	78.3		78.3
Sterling Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	35096 Sterling Hwy	Sterling	99672	Kenai Peninsula Borough	Kenai Peninsula Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 262-4944	114	10	11.2	38.6%	84 (73.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (14.9%)	43.2	100^th of 175 public elementary schools	42.9%		43.4	101^st of 173 public elementary schools	41.6%	1	26.7		23.5	35.0			23.5	53.3	25.0	35.3	55.0	42.7	47.1		47.1

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikiski North Star Elementary

Is Nikiski North Star Elementary a good school?

Nikiski North Star Elementary ranks 95^th of 175 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Nikiski North Star Elementary?

Students at Nikiski North Star Elementary are 67% White, 19% Two or more races, 8% American Indian, 4% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Nikiski North Star Elementary attend?

Students who attend Nikiski North Star Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Nikiski Middle/Senior High School

What district is Nikiski North Star Elementary in?

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

How many students attend Nikiski North Star Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 214 students attended Nikiski North Star Elementary.

Rate Nikiski North Star Elementary!

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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.