Best High Schools in Zip Code 99723

Zip code 99723 covers Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, a remote Arctic community served by two public high schools serving grades 9–12, both in the North Slope Borough School District. Barrow High School is the larger traditional high school with 259 students, while Kiita Learning Community is a much smaller option with only 39 students. The district overall ranks 22nd out of 23 Alaska districts, putting it in the 4th percentile, and both schools spend well over $40,000 per student—reflecting the high cost of running schools so far north.

Barrow High School has far more recent data and shows consistent academic struggles. Its statewide rank was in the 6th percentile in 2025–2026, while its graduation rate was 66.0%. Only 18.75% of its students tested proficient in English language arts and 5.45% in math, compared with state averages of about 32.9% and 32.2%. Kiita Learning Community, meanwhile, has no recent test scores or state ranking, but it does have a higher graduation rate of 70.5% and a lower student-teacher ratio of 9.7, versus 13.2 at Barrow High School. Kiita also serves a somewhat higher share of low-income students—about 41% eligible for free/reduced lunch, compared with about 34% at Barrow—yet still graduates a larger share of its students.

Both schools spend heavily without clear academic returns. Kiita spends $46,411 per student and Barrow spends $41,040, yet Barrow’s math proficiency is nearly six times below the statewide average. Barrow’s scores also swing sharply from year to year: English language arts proficiency almost doubled in one year, while science proficiency fell from 27.45% to 15.56%. This volatility may reflect small student groups and remote, transient enrollment. For parents comparing the two, Barrow High School provides more traditional academic data but with very low measured performance, while Kiita Learning Community offers smaller classes and a better graduation rate, though its lack of current academic indicators makes it harder to judge.