Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99635

Zip code 99635 in Nikiski, Alaska, is served by a single combined school, Nikiski Middle/Senior High School, which enrolls 276 students in grades 6 through 12 and belongs to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. This school stands out for its exceptional science performance, reaching 59.32% proficiency in the 2025-2026 school year—about 21.5 points above the state average and 15.4 points above the district. Eighth graders are a particular bright spot, scoring 58.33% in science and 52.17% in math, far exceeding state averages. However, overall math (31.19%) and ELA (33.03%) proficiency sit near state averages but below the district’s 38.40% and 37.67%, respectively. The ninth grade shows a clear dip, especially in ELA at 25% proficiency, suggesting a challenging transition into high school-level coursework.

When looking at grade-level trends, ELA proficiency tends to decline as students advance from 6th grade (41.38%) to 9th grade (25%), while science remains strong across 8th and 10th grades. The school has improved substantially year-over-year across all subjects, with science jumping by more than 17 points and math and ELA each improving by nearly 9 points. That said, its overall state ranking is mid-pack: currently 33rd out of 62 Alaska high schools (47th percentile, 2 stars), a notable drop from its 2023-2024 ranking when it was in the 68th percentile with 4 stars. The school has a graduation rate of 83.7%, close to the district’s 85.0%, while nearly half of students (48.19%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting meaningful economic need in the community.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Nikiski Middle/Senior High School offers a strong science program and impressive eighth-grade math and science outcomes, but faces challenges in ELA and math at the upper grade levels, particularly in ninth grade. The school performs well above state averages in science by large margins, yet its overall rank is dragged down by more modest results in core subjects relative to its own district. Since this is the only school in the area, understanding its internal patterns is especially useful: supporting students during the transition into high school and boosting 6th-grade math could make a meaningful difference. The recent upward movement in test scores is encouraging, making this a school with identifiable strengths and clear areas for targeted improvement.