Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99610

Schools in zip code 99610 (Kasilof, Alaska) are represented by a single public elementary school, Tustumena Elementary, which serves grades PK–6 and enrolls 155 students within the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Tustumena Elementary is the only school in this ZIP code, so it serves as the primary educational hub for the community; families seeking middle or high school options must look outside the area. With a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio and 56.77% of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch, the school balances meaningful economic challenges with notable academic results.

For the 2025–2026 school year, Tustumena Elementary outperformed both its district and Alaska statewide averages in every core subject at the “all grades” level: English language arts (40.98% proficient vs. 37.67% district and 32.89% state), mathematics (42.62% vs. 38.40% and 32.20%), and science (46.15% vs. 43.93% and 37.81%). The school’s most dramatic standout is 5th grade math, where 69.23% of students were proficient, far surpassing the district’s 45.4% and the state’s 39.89%. Six graders also excelled in ELA with 50% proficiency, well above district and state levels. However, achievement is uneven across grade levels: 5th graders scored only 30.77% in ELA, while 6th graders reached just 28.57% in math. These wide gaps suggest strengths are often cohort-specific rather than school-wide patterns, and the small enrollment means a few students can drive large percentage swings.

Despite strong overall performance, Tustumena’s statewide ranking has slipped noticeably, from the 76th percentile (4 stars) in 2023–2024 to the 64th percentile (3 stars) in 2024–2025 and now the 50th percentile (3 stars) in 2025–2026. Year-over-year proficiency also declined in every subject, with science dropping most sharply (from 61.11% to 46.15%). Since district and state science scores held steady during that same period, the change is likely tied to Tustumena’s specific students or school circumstances rather than broader trends. For parents, the key takeaway is that Tustumena Elementary remains academically competitive, often exceeding regional benchmarks despite its challenges, but families should expect performance variability due to the school’s small size and changing cohorts from year to year.