Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 8 schools in district

Walter Northway School

Mile 7 Village Rd, Northway, AK 99764Alaska Gateway School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–12Non-Charter
61
Students
Total enrolled
$41,960
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 192% vs nat'l
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 24% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 61 students in grades PK–12 in Northway, Alaska.
192% above average funding
District spends $41,960 per pupil, 192% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Walter Northway School is a small other in Northway, Alaska, serving grades PK–12 with 61 students. The district invests $41,960 per student — 192% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Walter Northway School

61
Total Students
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
5
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution34 male · 27 female
56%
44%
Male 56%Female 44%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 61 students
Student Composition
98%
Multiracial2%
Native American98%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020005000027

Academic Outcomes at Walter Northway School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 30th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99764

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$41,960Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$41,960
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$18,463
Student Support$7,972
Administration$5,035
Operations$6,294
Other$4,196
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $41,960 spent per student, an estimated $18,588 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
68%
State government
68.4%
Local (property tax)
2.6%
Federal programs
29.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $41,960/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelOther
GradesPK – 12
Location—
CountySoutheast Fairbanks Census Area
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAlaska Gateway School District →
Phone: (907)778-2287
NCES ID: 020005000027
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Northway seeking a public 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 Alaska Gateway School District
Other
Tok School
185 students · PK–12
● 40 opp100% FRL
Other
Tetlin School
38 students · PK–12
● 40 opp100% FRL
Other
Mentasta Lake School
34 students · PK–12
● 40 opp100% FRL
Other
Alaska REACH Academy
33 students · PK–12
● 40 opp9% FRL
Other
Dot Lake School
14 students · PK–12
● 45 opp93% FRL
Other
Eagle Community School
11 students · PK–12
● 40 opp100% FRL
Elem
Tanacross School
10 students · PK–08
● 40 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
Mile 7 Village Rd, Northway, AK 99764
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.

Other
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.