Northern Lights Abc K-8 School vs. Polaris K-12 School
Should you attend Northern Lights Abc K-8 School or Polaris K-12 School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
Northern Lights Abc K-8 School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alaska for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Math Proficiency
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Diversity
Polaris K-12 School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alaska for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Overview
Serving 582 students in grades Prekindergarten-8, Northern Lights Abc K-8 School ranks in the top 5% of all schools in Alaska for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 1%, and reading proficiency is top 1%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 74% (which is higher than the Alaska state average of 32%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 60% (which is higher than the Alaska state average of 29%).
The student-teacher ratio of 19:1 is higher than the Alaska state level of 15:1.
Minority enrollment is 69% of the student body (majority Asian), which is higher than the Alaska state average of 53% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).
Polaris K–12 School in Anchorage, AK, has a student–teacher ratio of 19:1, which is higher than the Anchorage School District average of 17:1 reported in recent years.
Math proficiency is 43%, which is higher than the state average of 32% and the district average of 37%, showing improvement from a low of 30% in 2022.
Reading proficiency declined to 43% in 2022, but remains higher than the state average of 29% and approximately equal to the district average of 34%, indicating a notable downward trend from past years above 50%.
Graduation rates have remained stable at 80%, exceeding the state average of 78% and matching the Anchorage School District average.
Minority enrollment comprises 40% of the student body, and free lunch eligibility increased from 16% in 2022 to 25% in 2023, reflecting a significant rise in socioeconomic need among students at this Anchorage magnet school.
Blue Ribbon Schools
Yes
-
Grades Offered
PK-8
K-12
Total Students
582 students
483 students
Total Classroom Teachers
31 teachers
22 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
22:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#6 out of 441 schools in AK
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
#144 out of 441 schools in AK
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
74%
43%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
43%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
55-59%
55-59%
Graduation Rate
n/a
≥80%
n/a
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Kindergarten Students
72
23
Grade 1 Students
72
21
Grade 2 Students
78
31
Grade 3 Students
77
41
Grade 4 Students
55
38
Grade 5 Students
56
38
Grade 6 Students
69
51
Grade 7 Students
55
47
Grade 8 Students
48
52
Grade 9 Students
-
43
Grade 10 Students
-
41
Grade 11 Students
-
36
Grade 12 Students
-
21
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
5%
4%
% Asian
26%
4%
% Hispanic
11%
13%
% Black
9%
1%
% White
31%
60%
% Hawaiian
2%
1%
% Two or more races
16%
17%
Diversity Score
0.80
0.60
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
22%
16%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
7%
2%