Schools in Zip Code 99639

ZIP code 99639 is served by a single school, Ninilchik School, a small PK–12 alternative school in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District that enrolls 107 students and holds a low 10.8:1 student–teacher ratio.

As the only school in the area, Ninilchik School is best understood through its mix of bright spots and challenges rather than comparison to local peers. Its elementary grades show real promise: 4th graders hit 50% proficiency in both ELA and math, well above district and state averages, while 3rd grade ELA and math and 7th grade ELA also outperform state benchmarks. However, when looking at all grades combined, the picture shifts. English language arts proficiency (34.04%) slightly beats the state average, but mathematics (25.53%) trails the district by nearly 13 points and science (26.32%) falls more than 17 points short of the district average. That science result marks a dramatic reversal from the prior year, when proficiency stood at 52%; such volatility likely reflects the school’s small testing cohort, where a handful of students can shift percentages sharply.

Two other factors deserve attention from parents. First, Ninilchik's 75% graduation rate is 10 points below the district’s 85%, a gap that may matter for families considering long-term enrollment. Second, 56% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a largely lower-income student body. Yet the school’s low class sizes and stronger early-grade results suggest targeted support is possible, and recent data show notable year-over-year improvement in ELA and math proficiency. In short, Ninilchik School offers a tight-knit, individualized setting where younger students are thriving, but families should weigh the mixed all-grade results and the graduation gap when evaluating the school.