Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 96 schools in district

South Anchorage High School

13400 Elmore Rd, Anchorage, AK 99516Anchorage School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,318
Students
Total enrolled
95%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 10% vs nat'l
$18,698
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 30% vs nat'l
23.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 52% vs nat'l
44/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 13% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,318 students in grades 09–12 in Anchorage, Alaska.
30% above average funding
District spends $18,698 per pupil, 30% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 44th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

South Anchorage High School is a very large high in Anchorage, Alaska, serving grades 09–12 with 1,318 students. The district invests $18,698 per student — 30% above the national average of $14,347, with a 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 13% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 95% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at South Anchorage High School

1,318
Total Students
23.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
13%
Free Lunch
56
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution705 male · 613 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility13%
National avg 52% · 172 students
Student Composition
64%
9%
12%
Asian7%
White64%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black1%
Multiracial12%
Native American6%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020018000454

Academic Outcomes at South Anchorage High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
95%
State avg
72%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
44
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 44th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 49th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99516

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,698Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,698
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,227
Student Support$3,553
Administration$2,244
Operations$2,805
Other$1,870
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,698 spent per student, an estimated $8,283 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
54%
28%
State government
54.1%
Local (property tax)
27.8%
Federal programs
18.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 95% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $18,698/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 13% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Northern Lights ABC K-8 SchoolBowman ElementarySand Lake ElementaryAurora Elementary
+8 more
↓
Middle
Nicholas J. Begich Middle SchoolClark Middle SchoolMears Middle SchoolRomig Middle School
+4 more
↓
High School
West High SchoolBettye Davis East Anchorage High SchoolService High SchoolDimond High School
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyAnchorage Municipality
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAnchorage School District →
Phone: (907)742-6200
NCES ID: 020018000454
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Anchorage seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Anchorage School District
High
West High School
1,763 students · 09–12
● 46 opp40% FRL
High
Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
1,745 students · 09–12
● 39 opp71% FRL
Other
Family Partnership Charter School
1,740 students · KG–12
● 23 opp0% FRL
High
Service High School
1,544 students · 09–12
● 41 opp28% FRL
High
Dimond High School
1,443 students · 09–12
● 42 opp25% FRL
High
Bartlett High School
1,373 students · 09–12
64% FRL
High
Chugiak High School
905 students · 09–12
● 41 opp19% FRL
Mid
Nicholas J. Begich Middle School
882 students · 06–08
78% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
13400 Elmore Rd, Anchorage, AK 99516
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.