Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 33 schools in district

Golden Heart Academy

1502 Wilbur St, Fairbanks, AK 99701Fairbanks North Star Borough School District →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 05–12Non-Charter
15
Students
Total enrolled
$19,103
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 33% vs nat'l
4.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 72% vs nat'l
30/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 40% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 15 students in grades 05–12 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
33% above average funding
District spends $19,103 per pupil, 33% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 30th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Golden Heart Academy is a small high in Fairbanks, Alaska, serving grades 05–12 with 15 students. The district invests $19,103 per student — 33% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 4.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 20% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 30/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Golden Heart Academy

15
Total Students
4.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
20%
Free Lunch
4
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (05–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution13 male · 2 female
87%
Male 87%Female 13%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility20%
National avg 52% · 3 students
Student Composition
20%
20%
33%
Asian7%
White20%
Hispanic / Latino20%
Black7%
Multiracial7%
Native American33%
Pacific Islander7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020060000049

Academic Outcomes at Golden Heart Academy

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
30
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 30th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99701

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,103Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,103
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,405
Student Support$3,630
Administration$2,292
Operations$2,865
Other$1,910
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,103 spent per student, an estimated $8,463 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
22%
State government
58.3%
Local (property tax)
22.1%
Federal programs
19.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,103/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 4.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 20% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (30/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Weller ElementaryArctic Light ElementaryCrawford ElementaryLadd Elementary
+14 more
↓
Middle
Tanana Middle SchoolRyan Middle SchoolNorth Pole Middle SchoolRandy Smith Middle School
↓
High School
West Valley High SchoolLathrop High SchoolNorth Pole High SchoolBen Eielson Jr/Sr High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades05 – 12
Location—
CountyFairbanks North Star Borough
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFairbanks North Star Borough School District →
Phone: (907)456-1536
NCES ID: 020060000049
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
High
West Valley High School
906 students · 09–12
24% FRL
High
Lathrop High School
886 students · 09–12
● 30 opp36% FRL
Other
Fairbanks B.E.S.T.
801 students · PK–12
● 30 opp0% FRL
High
North Pole High School
617 students · 09–12
29% FRL
Mid
Tanana Middle School
545 students · 06–08
● 30 opp40% FRL
Mid
Ryan Middle School
543 students · 06–08
● 30 opp47% FRL
Mid
North Pole Middle School
531 students · 06–08
39% FRL
Elem
Weller Elementary
467 students · PK–05
● 30 opp33% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1502 Wilbur St, Fairbanks, AK 99701
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.