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.
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.
In the 2023-24 school year, 286 students attended Denali Elementary.
Students who attend Denali Elementary usually go on to attend:Middle : Ryan Middle SchoolHigh : Lathrop High School
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
Denali Elementary ranks in the bottom 23.7% of Alaska elementary schools.