The Most Diverse Schools in Alaska

Diversity is an important factor in life that should begin in childhood. The more often we are around people of other races and backgrounds, the more accepting we’ll be over time. Plus, you can learn from folks from different walks of life and enrich your own life in the process. Your kids can have a fantastic childhood by attending a school that’s diverse. While they’re there, they’ll learn math, science, language arts, and reading. However, just by walking down the halls and communicating with their classmates, they’ll also learn things you can’t find in books. It’s easy to assume that since there are fewer people in Alaska, there’s less diversity, but that can’t be further from the truth. Just like how we told you about Michigan and Texas before, we’d also like to tell you about the most diverse schools in Alaska.

To determine the most diverse schools in the state, we looked at various sources, including school-rating websites such as Niche.com and Public School Review. We also looked at each school’s diversity score, which dictates how evenly distributed the student body is amongst different races and backgrounds. The higher the diversity index score, the more diverse and mixed the school will be. We’ve ranked some of the top Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, and Colleges so you can make the right decision for your kids.

Elementary School – Whittier Community School

According to Niche.com, the number one school on the list of the most diverse schools in Alaska is Whittier Community School. Technically, the school does have students from grades kindergarten to 12th grade. However, all of the grades are still quite diverse. As a breakdown, 6% of the students are American Indian, 23% are Asian, 4% are Hispanic, 19% are White, 33% are Hawaiian, and 15% are two or more races. Finally, 56% of the students are male and 44% are female. Overall, minority enrollment is 81%, which is better than the state average of 52%. As far as academics, the school currently falls in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools when it comes to test scores. The good news is that the student-to-teacher ratio is 10:1, which is better than the state average, which indicates that the students get the individualized attention they need to succeed.

Elementary School – Ptarmigan Elementary School

Next on our list is Ptarmigan Elementary School, which is located in Anchorage. The school currently has 341 students, and they’re quite diverse. As far as testing scores, the school falls in the bottom 50% of the state. There’s a student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. As far as diversity goes, minority enrollment is at 83%, which is well above the state average. The diversity score at Ptarmigan Elementary School is 0.86, which is above the average score in Alaska of 0.71. For a breakdown, 50% of the students are male, 50% are female. Further, 13% of the school is American Indian, 12% is Asian, 16% is Hispanic, 10% is Black, 17% is White, 16% is Hawaiian, and 16% are two or more races. All in all, this is a very welcoming school with a lot to offer and there’s an incredibly welcoming atmosphere.

Elementary School – Abbott Loop Elementary School

Another one of the most diverse schools in Alaska on the elementary level is Abbott Loop Elementary School, which is also located in Anchorage. The minority enrollment at the school is 83%, which is above the state average of 53%. Abbott Loop carries a diversity score of 0.85, which is above the state average. As a breakdown, 12% of students are American Indian, 17% are Asian, 12% are Hispanic, 10% are Black, 17% are White, 10% are Hawaiian, and 22% are two or more races. There are more male than female students in the school. From an academic standpoint, the school is considered to be in the bottom 50% of all schools in the state due to less-than-average test scores. Still, the student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, which is about average for the state, so the kids get individualized attention.

Elementary School – Creekside Park Elementary School

Yet another Anchorage school that makes the list, Creekside Park Elementary School is a medium-sized school with 361 students at the time of writing. There’s a fairly good student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1, meaning that each student gets a good amount of personalized teaching throughout the day. Still, the school falls in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools due to test scores. However, minority enrollment at Creekside Park is 89%, which is well above the average of the rest of the state. To summarize: 47% of the students are girls, 53% are male, 11% are American Indian, 15% are Asian, 15% are Hispanic, 12% are Black, 11% are White, 12% are Hawaiian, and 24% are two or more races, which is a great percentage. All in all, the school gets a diversity score of 0.85, which is well above the state average. This school also participates in the National School Lunch Program.

Middle School – Nicholas J. Begich Middle School

The first middle school on this list is in Anchorage. It’s a larger school with 882 students in grades 6-8. The school falls in the bottom half of all schools in Alaska when it comes to test scores, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, which is higher than the state average of 15:1. However, diversity is a main selling point of this institution. Minority enrollment is currently 81% of all students and there’s a diversity score of 0.85, which has stayed consistent over the last five years. To break it down, 52% of the students are male, 48% are female, 11% are American Indian, 16% are Asian, 15% are Hispanic, 7% are Black, 19% are White, 13% are Hawaiian, and 19% are two or more races as of the time of this writing. This is one of the most diverse schools in the entire Anchorage School District.

Middle School – Clark Middle School

Another very diverse middle school is Clark Middle School, located in Anchorage. The school has a very high minority enrollment of 91%. That’s higher than the state average of 53% and higher than most schools in the country. To top it off, the school has a diversity score of 0.85, which is also above the state average. To show you what that looks like: 52% of students are male, 48% are female, 14% are American Indian, 17% are Asian, 12% are Hispanic, 9% are Black, 9% are White, 21% are Hawaiian, and 18% are two or more races. Although the diversity is quite rich, the school does fall within the bottom 50% of Alaskan schools when it comes to test scores, and only 3% of students are proficient in math. Still, the school has a lot going for it, so enrollment is worth looking into.

Middle School – Wendler Middle School

Another Anchorage institution makes the list of the most diverse schools in Alaska. Wendler Middle School is a bit smaller, with less than 450 students that are in grades 7-8. The school falls in the bottom 50% of Alaskan schools when it comes to test scores. Also, reading and math proficiency skills are on the low end. Still, the school is very diverse and has a lot going for it. Minority enrollment is 81% of the student body, and the school gets a diversity rating of 0.85, which is very high and a good indicator that the school is trending in the right direction. As far as the metrics, 54% of the school is male, 46% is female, 16% is American Indian, 14% is Asian, 16% is Hispanic, 5% is Black, 19% is White, 11% is Hawaiian, and 19% of students are two or more races. The school participates in the National School Lunch Program, and the institution is very welcoming to all students.

Middle School – Hanshew Middle School

Our final middle school is Hanshew Middle School, which is also in Anchorage. The school has just under 700 students in grades 7-8. Minority enrollment is a bit lower, at 64% of the student body, but that’s still above the state average of 52%. The diversity score at Hanshew is 0.80, which is above the state average. The breakdown goes as follows: 51% of students are male, 49 are female, 14% are American Indian, 11% are Asian, 12% are Hispanic, 4% are Black, 36% are White, 6% are Hawaiian, and 17% are two or more races. Academically, the school falls within the bottom 50% of Alaska schools when it comes to test scores. The student-to-teacher ratio is 26:1, which is higher than the 15:1 average ratio in the state. These are all factors to consider when deciding on any school.

High School – Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School

First in the high school category of the most diverse schools in Alaska is Bettye Davis East Anchorage, which is amongst the most diverse in the entire state. Minority enrollment is 83%, and the school has a diversity score of 0.86, which is well above the state average of 0.71. Here is the breakdown: 52% of students are male, 48% are female, 12% are American Indian, 19% are Asian, 14% are Hispanic, 8% are Black, 17% are White, 13% are Hawaiian, and 17% are two or more races. This school does participate in the National School Lunch Program. Academically speaking, the school falls in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools when it comes to test scores. The math proficiency at the school is 16% and reading/language arts is at 29%. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, which is above the state average of 15:1. These are all important factors to consider prior to enrollment.

High School – Bartlett High School

Next, we have Bartlett High School, which has 1,373 students in grades 9-12. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1. The graduation rate is 79%. Math proficiency is 11%, reading proficiency is 13%, and science proficiency is 27%. Overall, the test scores put this school in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools. However, the diversity levels are much better. Minority enrollment is 80%, and the school has a diversity score of 0.85, which is above the state average. To break it down, 51% of students are male, 51% are female, 13% are American Indian, 17% are Asian, 11% are Hispanic, 8% are Black, 20% are White, 12% are Hawaiian, and 19% are two or more races. These are among the many different factors to consider when choosing this or any other school.

High School – West High School

West High School is a fairly large school with over 1,700 students in grades 9-12. Many of the high schools in Alaska are less diverse than the middle or elementary schools. Still, West High School has a minority enrollment of 66% and a diversity score of 0.81, which is above the state average of 0.71. The diversity numbers break down as follows: 51% are male, 49% are female, 9% are American Indian, 12% are Asian, 15% are Hispanic, 6% are Black, 34% are White, 11% are Hawaiian, and 13% are two or more races. As far as academics, the school falls in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools due to test scores. However, the reading and math proficiency scores are higher than some of the other schools on this list. The school also has an 88% graduation rate, which is good compared to other schools in the state. So, there’s a lot going for West High School.

High School – Lathrop High School

This school, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, is a smaller school with 886 students in grades 9-12. Currently, the school sits in the bottom 50% of Alaska schools based on test scores, with 16% of students proficient in math and 30% proficient in reading. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, which is a bit higher than the average. As far as diversity, the numbers are promising. Minority enrollment is 57%, and the diversity score is 0.76. While that’s not as high as some of the other schools, it is better than the state average of 0.71. Here’s the breakdown: 51% of students are male, 49% are female, 11% are American Indian, 4% are Asian, 13% are Hispanic, 8% are Black, 42% are White, and 17% are two or more races. As an extra bonus, the school participates in the National School Lunch Program.

College – University of Alaska Anchorage

First in the college/University category of the most diverse schools in Alaska, we have the University of Alaska Anchorage. This is a public university with an enrollment of about 4,000 students. Many students go there for liberal arts, nursing, and accounting programs. The college is right in the middle of the list of the colleges with the best academics in America. The school is also very diverse, starting with the student’s ages. 12% of students are under the age of 18, and 13% are between the ages of 20-21. However, 55% of the students are over 25 years old, so there’s a nice mix. As far as race, 3% is Black, 9% is Asian, 7% is Hispanic, 5% is Native American, 48% is White, and 11% are considered multiracial. There is also diversity when it comes to politics. Of the students, 19% consider themselves to be conservative, 15% are liberal, and 33% are moderate. Overall, the school offers a good mix of backgrounds.

College – University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is a highly respected college that Niche.com ranks as the 19th best online college in America. However, students can also attend in person. The college also ranks high as one of the best small colleges in the country and as one of the colleges with the best professors in the nation. As far as diversity, there’s a good mix. When it comes to ethnic diversity, 4% of the students are Black, 5% are Asian, 7% are Hispanic, 22% are Native American, 57% are White, and 2% are Pacific Islander. There’s also a good mix of ages. 46% of the students are over the age of 25, with the rest being younger than that. The political mix is 19% conservative and 19% liberal.

College – Anchorage Charter College

This charter college in Anchorage is a smaller school with about 2,200 students. The school has a 100% acceptance rate, so it’s no surprise that there’s a good amount of diversity. Of the students, 61% are over the age of 25, and there are no students under the age of 18. As far as ethnic diversity, 8% of the students are Black, 3% are Asian, 19% are Hispanic, 12% are Native American, 42% are White, and 9% are multiracial. The school also has other great things going for it. It’s rated as one of the safest college campuses in the nation and one of the best college locations, and it gets high marks for student life. This is a high-quality college for popular majors, including medical assistant, dental assistant, and HVAC repair.

College – University of Alaska Southeast

Finally, our list of the most diverse schools in Alaska includes the University of Alaska Southeast. Located in Juneau, this is a small school with only 489 students as of the time of this writing. The school is known for its Liberal Arts, Humanities, and Business degrees. It’s tough to get in, as the current acceptance rate is about 63%. With fewer students, it can be harder to have enough diversity, but this school pulls it off. The current demographics are: 1% of the students are Black, 4% are Asian, 8% are Hispanic, 9% are Native American, 2% are Pacific Islander, 55% are White, and 16% are multiracial. Also, 60% of students are female and 40% are male. This is a great school that is a melting pot of cultures with a lot to offer.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images.