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Excellent

#44 of 412 schools in AK

Top 10% in state

Willow Elementary

Elementary School · Matanuska-susitna Borough School District · Willow, AK

A Matanuska-susitna Borough School District elementary school where students score 21 points above what's typical for similar communities.

PO Box 69, Willow, AK 99688

  • Math 45% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 35% proficient (2022)
  • 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.4Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-3.22 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics9.1Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency40% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)18% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+21.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile86th
Resources & Environment6.3Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.9:1
District spending per student$15,575
Chronic Absenteeism62.2%

Students at Willow Elementary score 40% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 18%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AK average.

Math Proficiency45%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency35%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 18 points since 2019, to 40% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2014
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2016
Math
45%
ELA
55%
2017
Math
72%
ELA
55%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
52%
2020*
Math
55%
ELA
65%
2021*
Math
55%
ELA
65%
2022
Math
45%
ELA
35%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from AK state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

77.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Willow Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 16Car-Dependent
  • Bike 57Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$67,907

Median home value

$266,700

Median rent

$1,331/mo

College educated

25.2%

Homeownership

90.3%

Poverty rate

15.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 99688; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Beryozova SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.3K–124.0 mi31Compare →
Academy Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified9.3K–8Not available267Compare →
Dena'ina Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.1PK–5Not available384Compare →
Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.3PK–5Not available476Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Matanuska-susitna Borough School District

Schools in district
49
Rank in district
#3 of 45
District spending per student
$15,575NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Willow Elementary is listed in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Willow Elementary

Willow Elementary is a public elementary school in Willow, AK, part of Matanuska-susitna Borough School District, serving approximately 119 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.2 out of 10 and ranks #44 of 412 schools in AK. State assessment records show 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Willow Elementary

What grades does Willow Elementary serve?

Willow Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Willow Elementary?

Willow Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 119 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Willow Elementary is 11.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Willow Elementary rank in AK?

Willow Elementary ranks #44 of 412 schools in AK.

What is Willow Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Willow Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Willow Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Willow Elementary has 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Willow Elementary a charter school?

No, Willow Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Willow Elementary a Title I school?

No, Willow Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Willow Elementary?

77.3% of students at Willow Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
119
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
10
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
62.2%
Area population (ZIP 99688)
2,542
Area median age
47.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 99688; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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