Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99654

ZIP code 99654 in Wasilla, Alaska, serves about 8,000 students across 20 public schools spanning pre-K through high school, all within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which earns a 4-star rating and ranks 6th of 23 Alaska districts. The elementary and K-8 programs are a clear strength in this area, while secondary and alternative schools present a more mixed picture.

Among the 12 elementary and K-8 schools, John Shaw Elementary ranks highest, placing 18th in Alaska with 67.6% math proficiency, while Fronteras Charter School ranks 22nd and leads the ZIP in ELA at 60%. Finger Lake Elementary has risen dramatically from 96th to 26th in state rank over three years, and Midnight Sun Family Learning Center and Snowshoe Elementary also outpace district and state averages. The secondary picture is weaker. Wasilla Middle School, the only standalone middle school here, posts 8th-grade ELA proficiency of 22.2%, compared with 37.0% at Teeland Middle School. At the high school level, Mat-Su Career & Technical Educational High School stands out with a 97.0% graduation rate and science scores above state averages, while Wasilla High School graduates 92.7% of students but tests near state averages.

Families should interpret results from charter and correspondence schools with caution. Twindly Bridge Charter School reports high science proficiency but a 52.1% graduation rate and a 109.6:1 student-teacher ratio, both signs of its correspondence model. Knik Charter Correspondence School and Mat-Su Day School show 0.0% graduation rates, a metric that simply does not fit alternative programs. Per-student spending ranges from $8,669 to $54,341, but spending does not predict achievement. Burchell High School remains the biggest concern, with the lowest proficiency and rank in the ZIP. For most families, the strongest options are John Shaw Elementary, Fronteras Charter School, Finger Lake Elementary, Midnight Sun Family Learning Center, and Snowshoe Elementary at the elementary level, plus Mat-Su Career & Technical Educational High School at the secondary level.