Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

Alaska · Public School District
33
Schools
12,703
Students
$19,103
Per-Pupil Spend
+33% nat'l
32.2%
Free Lunch Rate
-20pp vs nat'l
80.9%
Graduation Rate
-5.6pp vs nat'l
District Overview

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is a public school district in Alaska serving 12,703 students across 33 schools. It includes 20 elementary, 4 middle, 7 high schools, among them 5 charter schools. Its graduation rate of 80.9% is below the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $19,103 is above average for a US public school district. 32% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Opportunity scores across its schools are limited, with a district median of 30/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (33)
Middle Schools4 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
North Pole Middle School06–08531
Randy Smith Middle School06–08407
Ryan Middle School06–08543
Tanana Middle School06–08545
High Schools7 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Ben Eielson Jr/Sr High School06–12411
Effie Kokrine Charter SchoolCharter07–12133
Golden Heart Academy05–1215
Hutchison High School09–12375
Lathrop High School09–12886
North Pole High School09–12617
West Valley High School09–12906
Other Schools2 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Alternative Learning SystemsPK–12188
Fairbanks B.E.S.T.PK–12801
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,103+33% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
58%
22%
State
58.3%
Local (property tax)
22.1%
Federal
19.7%

State funding accounts for 58% of the budget — this district relies more on state aid than local tax revenue.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
33
Schools
12,703
Students
32%
Free Lunch
$19K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate80.9%
Opportunity Score30/100
StateAlaska →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
High per-student investment
Spends $19,103 per pupil — 33% above the national average of $14,347.
Range of school options
With 33 schools including 5 charter schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Below-average graduation rate
At 80.9%, graduation is 5.6 points below the national average of 86.5%.
Low opportunity scores
Median opportunity score of 30/100, below the national median of 50, which can correlate with weaker long-term economic mobility for students.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has 33 public schools, serving a total of 12,703 students.
What is the graduation rate for Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
The graduation rate is 80.9%, which is below the national average of 86.5%.
How much does Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spend per student?
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spends $19,103 per pupil — 33% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
32% of students in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
Yes — 5 of the 33 schools in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District are charter schools.
What grade levels does Fairbanks North Star Borough School District serve?
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District serves grades PK through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
The median opportunity score across schools in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is 30/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
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.