Summary:
Zip code 99686 in Valdez, Alaska is served by a single public high school, Valdez High School, which enrolls 175 students in grades 9–12. As the only high school in the area, Valdez High School defines the local educational landscape, and it operates within the Valdez City School District, which ranks 3rd out of 23 districts in Alaska with a 5-star rating and an 87th-percentile standing.
Valdez High School has maintained a competitive statewide ranking over the past several years, moving from 36th of 63 schools in 2023–2024 to 12th of 60 in 2024–2025, then settling at 21st of 62 in 2025–2026 with a 3-star rating. Science is the school's clear academic strength: about 61% of students are proficient in science versus roughly 38% statewide, a gap of more than 23 percentage points. The 2024–2025 graduation rate of 89.7% also exceeds the district rate of 85.3%. In other subjects, results depend heavily on the comparison group. Valdez 9th graders scored 28.13% proficient in math, well above the state's 17.91%, but only 20.69% proficient in English language arts, below the state's 31.23%.
Families should be aware that with such a small student body, year-to-year proficiency percentages can swing dramatically. ELA proficiency dropped from 45% in 2024–2025 to about 21% in 2025–2026, a shift likely driven by a small cohort rather than a fundamental change in instruction. Per-student spending is high at $21,909, which is typical for a small, geographically isolated Alaska district and supports a favorable 13.1-to-1 student–teacher ratio. Overall, Valdez High School offers strong science outcomes, a healthy graduation rate, and the backing of a highly rated district, making it a solid choice for families in this area.
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