Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99505

ZIP code 99505, home to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in the Anchorage area, contains only one school: Ursa Minor Elementary, a public PK–6 school serving 294 students in the Anchorage School District.

With no other schools in this ZIP code, families evaluating options will focus entirely on Ursa Minor Elementary, which is a bright spot in the region. On the most recent 2025–2026 state tests, the school exceeded both district and Alaska averages in all three subjects: ELA proficiency reached 43.08% (versus 35.97% district and 32.89% state), math reached 40.77% (versus 35.66% and 32.20%), and science reached 44.44% (versus 39.06% and 37.81%). Its strongest classroom result is 4th grade reading, where 60.87% of students met proficiency—about 26 points above both district and state. Fifth grade math (48.65%) and science (44.44%) are also competitive. Meanwhile, 3rd grade ELA (27.66%) is the clearest weak spot, trailing district and state averages. Year-over-year, the school improved sharply in math, jumping 8.5 percentage points from 32.26% to 40.77% while the state stayed flat; science dipped by about 4 points. State ranking history shows some fluctuation, from #74 (57th percentile, 3 stars) in 2023–2024 to #102 (42nd percentile, 2 stars) in 2024–2025, then back to #82 (51st percentile, 3 stars) in 2025–2026.

Families should note that this is a military-connected school on JBER, where high student mobility from frequent relocations can influence year-to-year test scores and aggregates. The free/reduced-price lunch rate of 37.76% is moderate, and the student-teacher ratio is 18.1. Since no middle or high schools exist in the ZIP code, older students will attend campuses elsewhere in the Anchorage district. The most recent per-student spending figure ($12,371) dates from 2018–2019, so current resource levels are unclear. Overall, Ursa Minor Elementary provides a solid academic foundation, with particularly strong 4th grade reading and promising recent math gains, while early literacy in 3rd grade remains an area to watch.