Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 13 schools in district

June Nelson Elementary

744 Third Ave, Kotzebue, AK 99752Northwest Arctic Borough School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
265
Students
Total enrolled
$57,541
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 301% vs nat'l
15.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
23/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 54% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 265 students in grades PK–05 in Kotzebue, Alaska.
301% above average funding
District spends $57,541 per pupil, 301% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 23th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

June Nelson Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Kotzebue, Alaska, serving grades PK–05 with 265 students. The district invests $57,541 per student — 301% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 94% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 23/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at June Nelson Elementary

265
Total Students
15.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
94%
Free Lunch
17
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution143 male · 122 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility94%
National avg 52% · 249 students
Student Composition
11%
85%
White2%
Black1%
Multiracial11%
Native American85%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020062500298

Academic Outcomes at June Nelson Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
23
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 23th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 0th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99752

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$57,541Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$57,541
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$25,318
Student Support$10,933
Administration$6,905
Operations$8,631
Other$5,754
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $57,541 spent per student, an estimated $25,491 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
69%
State government
69.3%
Local (property tax)
12.6%
Federal programs
18.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $57,541/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (23/100) — national median is 50
  • 94% 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
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyNorthwest Arctic Borough
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNorthwest Arctic Borough School District →
Phone: (907)442-1877
NCES ID: 020062500298
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Kotzebue seeking a public elementary 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 Northwest Arctic Borough School District
High
Kotzebue Middle/High School
328 students · 06–12
● 23 opp96% FRL
Other
Davis-Ramoth School
245 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
Other
Aqqaluk High/Noorvik Elementary
203 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
Other
Buckland School
200 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
Other
Napaaqtugmiut School
157 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
Other
Kisimgiugtuq School
156 students · PK–12
● 23 opp97% FRL
Other
Kiana School
99 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
Other
Shungnak School
84 students · PK–12
● 23 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
744 Third Ave, Kotzebue, AK 99752
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.