Public + private high schools, every state.
297
high schools (public + private)
285
public (53 districts)
12
private (NCES PSS)
10,015
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

AK public HS enrollment trend

Across the 10,372 students enrolled in AK brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state grew +5.9% by 2024 (10,987 students, +615 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 0.3% (38 of 10,987 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does AK compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
270
-3 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
256
-4 vs national avg (260)
national avg AK Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. AK is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Palmer 6 HS 2,042
Wasilla 7 HS 2,036
Juneau 3 HS 1,108
Nenana 2 HS 911
Anchorage 5 HS 632
Sitka 1 HS 422
Big Lake 1 HS 337
Utqiagvik 2 HS 298
Galena 2 HS 214
Nome 2 HS 190

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kale
Juneau Borough School District
584→1,018 +74.3%
CyberLynx Correspondence Program
Nenana City School District
503→781 +55.3%
Mat-Su Middle College School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
187→222 +18.7%
Valdez High School
Valdez City School District
165→175 +6.1%
Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Mount Edgecumbe
403→422 +4.7%
Wasilla High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
821→816 -0.6%
Steller Secondary School
Anchorage School District
165→160 -3.0%
Nome-Beltz Middle/High
Nome Public Schools
178→167 -6.2%
Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
764→705 -7.7%
Houston High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
367→337 -8.2%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Valley Pathways
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
179→143 -20.1%
Joe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
287→231 -19.5%
Palmer High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
742→616 -17.0%
Kotzebue Middle/High School
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
190→158 -16.8%
Burchell High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
235→200 -14.9%
Barrow High School
North Slope Borough School District
295→259 -12.2%
Colony High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
1,147→1,046 -8.8%
Whaley School
Anchorage School District
277→253 -8.7%
Houston High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
367→337 -8.2%
Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
764→705 -7.7%

Worried about your school's enrollment trajectory?

An Enrollment Trend Audit shows where your students are going — and what it would take to keep them.

Request an Enrollment Trend Audit →