Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99688

Schools in zip code 99688 consist of Willow Elementary, a PK–5 school with 127 students, and Beryozova School, a K–12 alternative school with 39 students, in an area with no traditional middle or high schools. Both schools belong to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, ranked 6th out of 23 districts in Alaska with a 4-star rating. Families seeking conventional secondary schools will likely need to look outside 99688, making it primarily a feeder area for surrounding communities.

Willow Elementary is the clear academic leader. It ranked 31st out of 166 Alaska elementary schools in the latest year, jumping from 86th place the previous year. Willow exceeds both district and state averages in every core subject, with math proficiency of 68% versus 32.2% statewide and science of 66.67% versus 37.81% statewide. Its ELA proficiency is 48%, well above the state's 32.89%. This success is striking because 66.14% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite a majority low-income population, Willow outpaces peers across the district and state.

Beryozova School, by contrast, faces serious challenges. With only 39 students and roughly two teachers, it serves an at-risk population in an alternative setting. Its graduation rate is 0.0% versus the district's 84.2%, a major red flag, though the graduating cohort is very small. Academically, Beryozova falls below district averages but stays above state averages in ELA (39.13% vs. 32.89%) and math (34.78% vs. 32.2%). Its free/reduced-price lunch figure of 110.26% is a data anomaly and should be treated cautiously. Together, the two schools illustrate how much context matters: Willow proves that high-poverty schools can produce top-quintile results, while Beryozova demonstrates the struggles typical of small alternative programs.