Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99503

Schools in zip code 99503 (Anchorage, AK) include six schools in the Anchorage School District, covering elementary through high school as well as alternative programs, with a total enrollment of 3,751 students. The district ranks 11th out of 23 Alaska districts (52nd percentile, 3 stars). The zip code contains a striking mix: Romig Middle School is the largest school with 1,138 students, while the two alternative schools (Family Partnership Correspondence School and Frontier Charter School) enroll about 45% of all students, likely drawing from far beyond the immediate neighborhood.

Academic performance varies dramatically between schools. Steller Secondary School is the clear leader: ranked #2 of 62 Alaska high schools in 2025–26, it has a 100% graduation rate and the highest proficiency rates in the area (66.1% science, 60.1% ELA, 47.5% math). Romig Middle also stands out as solidly above district and state averages, with a 66th percentile rank among Alaska middle schools and relatively low poverty indicators. Among the alternative schools, Family Partnership outperforms Frontier Charter in ELA and math, though both show strong science scores. The two traditional elementary schools lag behind: Willow Crest Elementary is improving (rising from the 9th to 21st percentile since 2023–24) but remains below district averages, while North Star Elementary is the lowest-ranked school in the zip code, sitting in the 11th percentile with test scores roughly half the district average.

One of the most surprising findings is that spending does not correlate with outcomes: North Star and Willow Crest each spend about $20,000 per student, nearly double what Family Partnership spends, yet they have the lowest scores. Science is a relative strength across most schools, while math and ELA are the bigger challenges, especially at the elementary and Frontier Charter. Rankings for smaller schools can be noisy, as seen with Steller’s jump from #2 to #13 and back to #2 over three years, so families should look at multi-year trends rather than any single year. Overall, this zip code offers two very different school worlds: high-achieving secondary and alternative programs alongside struggling elementary schools that may serve more vulnerable populations.