Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99827

Zip code 99827 covers the small, rural community of Haines, Alaska, and contains four schools serving a combined 276 students across grades PK–12, spanning two districts: Haines Borough School District and Chatham School District. There is no separate middle school; Haines Elementary serves students through 8th grade, while Haines High School covers grades 9–12. Two alternative schools, Haines Home School and Klukwan School, operate with very different models and much smaller enrollments.

The clearest contrast is between the two traditional schools. Haines Elementary is the academic anchor: it scored above the statewide average in science, math, and ELA in 2025–2026, though its rating has slipped from 3 to 2 stars. By comparison, Haines High School has seen a dramatic collapse, falling from a 4-star, 77th-percentile school in 2022–2023 to a 1-star, 16th-percentile school in 2025–2026. Its science proficiency dropped more than 20 points in one year, and fewer than 1 in 4 students are proficient in ELA or math. This is especially striking given its reported 100% graduation rate, which suggests students may be graduating without meeting college-ready benchmarks. The alternative schools are nearly impossible to rank fairly: Haines Home School reports only a single math score (50% proficiency) with an unusual 141.1 student-teacher ratio, while Klukwan School—the only school in Chatham School District—has no recent test scores at all despite having the most personalized staffing profile at 5.6 students per teacher.

For parents, the biggest takeaway is that small school sizes drive large year-to-year swings. Haines Elementary shows a distinct "5th grade dip" in math and ELA, while its 6th graders outperform state averages, indicating a possible cohort or transition issue. Both brick-and-mortar schools serve majority low-income populations (around 56–58% free/reduced lunch), and per-student spending exceeds $21,000, yet the high school is far below state averages. Given the small number of students tested, single-year results should be interpreted cautiously, but the consistent downward trend at Haines High School and the decline at Haines Elementary warrant attention from families and district leaders alike.