Fairbanks North Star Borough School District operates 35 schools (grades PK–12). Individual school names, addresses, and attendance zone boundaries are available directly from the district.
| Metric | Fairbanks North Star Borough School District | National Average | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Enrollment | 14,000 | 3,700 | ↑ Larger than avg |
| Number of Schools | 35 | 6 | Varies by district |
| Per-Pupil Spending | $22,600/yr (est.) | $13,700/yr | State avg est. |
| District Type | Supervisory Union | Public District | — |
| Overall Rating | 6/10 — Average | — | Near average |
- Weller Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 413 students
- Pearl Creek Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 388 students
- Anderson Crawford Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 369 students
- University Park Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 361 students
- Arctic Light Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 361 students
- Anne Wien Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 360 students
- Ticasuk Brown Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 351 students
- Woodriver Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 342 students
- Hunter Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 332 students
- Midnight Sun Elementary School — Grades PK–5 · 322 students
- North Pole Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 312 students
- Denali Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 300 students
- Salcha Elementary — Grades PK–5 · 59 students
- North Pole Middle School — Grades 6–8 · 631 students
- Tanana Middle School — Grades 6–8 · 523 students
- Ryan Middle School — Grades 6–8 · 463 students
- Randy Smith Middle School — Grades 6–8 · 413 students
- Lathrop High School — Grades 9–12 · 788 students
- West Valley High School — Grades 9–12 · 782 students
- North Pole High School — Grades 9–12 · 695 students
- Hutchison High School — Grades 9–12 · 356 students
- North Star College — Grades 11–12 · 197 students
- Fairbanks B.E.S.T. — Grades PK–12 · 784 students
- Barnette Magnet School — Grades PK–8 · 417 students
- Ladd Elementary — Grades PK–8 · 383 students
- Boreal Sun Charter School — Grades K–8 · 201 students
- Watershed Charter School — Grades K–8 · 200 students
- Discovery Peak Charter School — Grades K–8 · 193 students
- Alternative Learning Systems — Grades PK–12 · 184 students
- Chinook Montessori Charter School — Grades K–8 · 158 students
- Effie Kokrine Charter School — Grades 7–12 · 139 students
- Two Rivers School — Grades PK–8 · 67 students
- Golden Heart Academy — Grades 5–12 · 13 students
About Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
If you live in ZIP 99701 — Fairbanks, Alaska in Fairbanks North Star County — your assigned public schools are operated by Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Its 6/10 rating is roughly in line with the Alaska average across the funding and enrollment measures NCES tracks. The district operates 35 schools and serves roughly 14,000 students (a large district), covering Pre-K – 12th. Check the rating breakdown and map above, and confirm your specific school assignment directly with the district — boundaries and open-enrollment rules change year to year.
Funding and Resources
According to NCES 2024–2025, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spends approximately $22,600 per student per year, placing it 26% above the Alaska state average of approximately $18,000 and well above the national average nationally (U.S. average: $13,700/year). Districts at this funding level typically offer smaller class sizes, broader elective and extracurricular programs, stronger technology infrastructure, and more competitive teacher salaries. Per-pupil spending directly affects teacher compensation, class sizes, elective course offerings, technology access, and the depth of student support services — making it one of the most meaningful structural indicators of district capacity.
District Scale and Program Breadth
At 35 schools serving grades Pre-K – 12th, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District qualifies as a very large district serving students from Pre-K – 12th. The district enrolls approximately 14,000 students in total. Very large districts are complex systems with significant variation in school quality across attendance zones. They typically offer extensive programs — magnet schools, specialized high schools, dual-language tracks, advanced coursework — but navigating these options requires active engagement with the district.
Understanding the 6/10 Rating
With a rating of 6/10 (average), Fairbanks North Star Borough School District ranks among Alaska’s average-rated school systems. Our ratings are built from NCES Common Core of Data and measure structural factors: per-pupil expenditure, student-teacher ratio, enrollment stability, and school count. They do not incorporate test scores or graduation rates, which are not consistently available across all 13,500+ US districts in the NCES dataset.
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District falls in the middle of the performance spectrum with an average rating. Average districts provide foundational public education with functional academic programs, though they may not match the resource breadth of higher-rated districts in the same region. Many families find that average-rated districts deliver solid day-to-day education, particularly when parents stay engaged and involved. If you're considering this area, look beyond the overall rating: visit schools, talk to current parents, and research the specific school your child would attend. Average districts often have individual schools that significantly outperform the district mean.
Enrollment for Families in Zip Code 99701
Children in zip code 99701 are assigned to Fairbanks North Star Borough School District for public school enrollment, covering grades Pre-K – 12th. School assignments are address-specific — your elementary, middle, and high school placements depend on your exact street address within zip code 99701, not just your neighborhood. Two homes on opposite ends of the same zip code may be assigned to different schools within the same district.
To confirm your specific school assignments, contact Fairbanks North Star Borough School District at (907)452-2000 or visit www.k12northstar.org. Typical enrollment documents include proof of address, a government-issued birth certificate, immunization records, and any existing school records or IEP documentation. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, bring that documentation to enrollment — Alaska districts are required to continue services within a reasonable period. Fall enrollment windows typically open in late winter or early spring; contact the district for exact dates and required steps.
School Districts and Home Values in Fairbanks
For families considering a purchase in the Fairbanks area, district assignment matters financially. Because Fairbanks North Star Borough School District serves zip code 99701, district assignment still factors into home-pricing comparisons between zip code 99701 and neighboring areas. District boundaries are address-specific — verify the exact district assignment for any property you’re seriously considering rather than assuming based on the neighborhood. A single block can place two adjacent homes in different districts with different ratings and different annual property tax implications.
Use the property tax estimator on this page to calculate estimated annual tax obligations based on your target purchase price. In Alaska, property taxes are a primary funding source for public schools — your tax payments directly support Fairbanks North Star Borough School District programs and staff. Understanding both district quality and the associated tax burden is essential financial due diligence before committing to any home in zip code 99701.
Data Sources and Accuracy
All district information on this page is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024–2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s annual census of all public school districts — the same dataset used by researchers, journalists, and policymakers to analyze American public education. District boundaries, school assignments, phone numbers, and per-pupil expenditure figures are updated annually when NCES publishes new data, typically in spring. Always verify your specific school assignment and enrollment requirements directly with Fairbanks North Star Borough School District before making any housing or enrollment decision based on zip code 99701 data.