Denali Elementary is a public elementary school in Fairbanks, Alaska, serving 292 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which is ranked 13 out of 24 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.
Denali Elementary faces significant challenges in academic performance, consistently ranking in the bottom half of Alaska elementary schools over the past 8 years. The school's test scores are significantly below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 27.56% of Denali students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 35% for the district and 31.5% for the state. The school also struggles to support its diverse student population, with lower rankings for female students, male students, White students, and multi-racial students compared to their peers statewide. Additionally, Denali Elementary has a high percentage of students (60.27%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch.
Despite having a lower student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending than nearby schools like Woodriver Elementary and Watershed Charter School, Denali Elementary's academic performance lags significantly behind these higher-performing schools, which consistently rank in the top 10-35 elementary schools in Alaska. The diverse racial/ethnic composition and high percentage of students from low-income families at Denali Elementary may be contributing factors to the school's lower academic performance compared to its peers.
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
Denali Elementary ranks in the bottom 23.7% of Alaska elementary schools.
Students at Denali Elementary are 32% White, 27% Two or more races, 15% Hispanic, 15% American Indian, 6% African American, 4% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.
Students who attend Denali Elementary usually go on to attend:Middle : Ryan Middle SchoolHigh : Lathrop High School
In the 2023-24 school year, 286 students attended Denali Elementary.