Best High Schools in Zip Code 99676

Zip code 99676 contains exactly one high school, Susitna Valley High in Talkeetna, Alaska, a small combined middle/high school serving 233 students in grades 6 through 12 within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Susitna Valley High is the only school in this area, so it is automatically the standout institution. The school has shown remarkable improvement in its statewide ranking over two years, moving from 57th place (1 star, 10th percentile) to 28th place (3 stars, 55th percentile) among Alaska high schools. Nearly half of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and with a student-teacher ratio of 14.5, class sizes are favorable for personalized instruction. In science, the school scores 45.61% proficient — well above the state average of 37.81% — and its 10th grade science proficiency of 46.15% actually exceeds both district and state averages. English language arts is also above state averages overall, with 7th and 9th graders outperforming both district and state by notable margins. However, mathematics is the clear weak spot: overall math proficiency is 26.98%, which is roughly 15 points below the district average and 5 points below the state. Grade-level results are uneven; for example, 7th grade math is a bright spot at 41.18% proficient, while 6th grade math sits at just 16.67%.

One of the most notable findings is the school’s dramatic one-year science improvement from 30.67% to 45.61% proficiency — a nearly 15-point jump. The graduation rate of 81.4% trails the district’s 84.2% by a small margin, and per-student spending of $23,313 reflects the high cost of operating a remote Alaskan school. While math proficiency remains below state averages and performance varies significantly by grade level, Susitna Valley High clearly punches above its weight in science and several ELA/math areas. Its rise from a 1-star to a 3-star rating makes it a compelling turnaround story, though maintaining that momentum will require addressing math instruction and consistency across all grade levels.