Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99517

ZIP code 99517 in Anchorage, Alaska, is served by four schools in the Anchorage School District: one high school, two traditional elementary schools, one charter elementary school, and no middle school, with a combined enrollment of about 2,569 students. The area’s schools vary widely in size and performance, from West High School (the largest with 1,702 students) to the three much smaller elementary schools that feed into it.

The standout in this ZIP code is Aquarian Charter School, which ranks in the 92nd percentile statewide (5 stars) and posts proficiency rates of roughly 62% in ELA, math, and science—about double the district and state averages. In contrast, Northwood ABC sits in the 14th percentile (1 star), with proficiency rates between 17% and 22% and a high-need population where nearly 80% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Notably, Northwood spends far more per student ($23,348) and has smaller classes than Aquarian, yet dramatically lower test scores, showing that extra resources alone have not closed the achievement gap. West High School is a solid, improving performer, ranking in the 61st percentile with a 85.6% graduation rate, but its math proficiency (25.93%) significantly lags its ELA and science results. Turnagain Elementary is the middle-of-the-pack school, though it slipped from the 53rd to 36th percentile in one year.

Parents looking at this area should consider the stark contrasts within the same district and neighborhood. Aquarian demonstrates consistent, top-tier academics year after year, while Northwood illustrates how poverty and other factors can strongly affect school outcomes despite higher funding and lower student-teacher ratios. West High is strong in reading and science but has a notable math weakness that families may want to monitor. Turnagain’s recent drop could be a cohort effect, but its decline in multiple subjects is worth watching. Finally, with no middle school in the ZIP code, students face a likely transition to a school outside the immediate area, an important logistical consideration for families planning through the upper grades.