Summary:
In ZIP code 99703, located on Fort Wainwright, Alaska, there is exactly one school: Arctic Light Elementary, a PK-5 elementary school serving 361 students within the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks 14th out of 23 Alaska districts.
Arctic Light Elementary has shown impressive upward momentum, climbing from the 25th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 45th percentile in 2025-2026. Its strongest academic area is English Language Arts, where overall proficiency reached 43.51% in 2025-2026, well above the district’s 35.85% and the state’s 32.89%. The 4th grade ELA result is especially notable at 54.76% proficiency, a 17.7-point advantage over the district and a 21.1-point edge over the state. Science scores also soared from 28.21% to 48.21% proficiency year over year, moving the school from far below to above both district and state averages.
Despite these strengths, 3rd grade math stands out as a major concern, with only 12.28% proficiency compared to 35.32% in the district and 33.66% statewide. However, by 5th grade, math proficiency reaches 50%, surpassing the district and state averages by significant margins. The school serves a substantial population in need, with 43.77% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, yet it still outperforms state averages in upper-grade ELA and science. One practical consideration for families is that no middle or high schools exist within this ZIP code, so students will need to transition to schools outside 99703 after 5th grade.
Thank you for your feedback!