Best Schools in Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan's public school system spans 9 ranked schools with an average score of 6.2 out of 10 — a solid foundation for a small Southeast Alaska city. The district skews toward strong elementary options: four of nine schools, or 44%, score 7.0 or above, meaning parents of younger children have real choices at the upper end of the performance range.

Houghtaling Elementary leads the city at 8.5 out of 10, placing it well above the local average and competitive with high-performing elementaries in much larger Alaskan districts. Point Higgins School (7.7) and Fawn Mountain Elementary (7.4) round out a trio of strong elementary programs, giving families in different parts of the city access to above-average options without a long commute. Tongass School of Arts and Sciences Charter School adds a fourth above-7 option at the elementary level — notable because it signals a genuine alternative pathway for families who want a project-based or arts-integrated environment rather than the traditional district model.

The secondary picture is thinner. Revilla Jr/Sr High School scores 6.3 out of 10, just above the city average, and it serves grades 7 through 12 in a combined campus format. Parents whose children are approaching middle or high school should weigh that score against Revilla's combined-grades structure — the academic range in a single building can be a feature or a constraint depending on the student.

Practically speaking, Ketchikan's school geography is shaped by the city's narrow coastal layout. School assignment often follows neighborhood lines, so where you live largely determines your default school. Families prioritizing elementary performance have the most flexibility — the top three district schools score meaningfully above average and cover distinct areas of the city. Families focused on secondary outcomes have fewer options to compare. Reviewing each school's specific test score trends and enrollment data on individual school pages will give a clearer picture than the city average alone, particularly for the middle-to-high years where Ketchikan's range narrows.