Summary:
ZIP code 99504, located in Anchorage, Alaska, contains a single high school, Highland Academy Charter, which serves grades 6 through 12 within the Anchorage School District. This small charter school enrolls 200 students and stands out most for its strong 91.6% graduation rate, which is 8.4 points above the district’s 83.2%. It also carries a wide grade span that combines middle and high school, a factor that shapes its test-score profile. However, its state ranking has plummeted: after sitting at the 53rd percentile in 2024–2025, the school fell to the 19th percentile in 2025–2026, dropping from a 3-star to a 1-star rating.
Academically, the picture is mixed. Between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, Highland Academy Charter improved its all-grades proficiency in English language arts (from 30% to 33.9%) and math (from 23.4% to 27.3%), but science proficiency fell sharply from 47.3% to 36.4%. In the latest year, the school trails the district in all three core subjects, though it is close to the state average in ELA and math. Its relative strengths are in middle grades: 6th grade ELA proficiency (45.5%) and 8th grade science (45.2%) both exceed district and state averages. Weaknesses emerge later, especially 9th grade math (17.2% proficient) and 10th grade science (25%), both well below district and state levels.
The most notable takeaway is the dichotomy between a high graduation rate and declining test-based rankings. While students appear to persist and complete high school, academic proficiency—particularly in high school math and science—remains a concern. Because the school is small, single-year swings in cohort performance can have an outsized effect on its state rank, which may explain the sudden drop. Still, the combination of a 2018–2019 per-pupil expenditure of $15,386, charter status, and a grade 6–12 structure suggests a unique educational model that prioritizes graduation and middle-grade support over high-stakes test performance in upper grades.
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