As the 86th-largest school district in the country, the Anchorage School District is diverse in its staff, students and program offerings. About 50,000 students attend ASD schools. They are taught by a well-qualified staff that sets high expectations and achieves great results.
Anchorage students benefit from a curriculum strong in language arts, math, social studies, science, health and physical education. The curriculum is also rich in music and art. The Anchorage School District is a leader among school districts in its alternative program offerings. Parents can enroll their children in neighborhood schools with a standard curriculum or in a variety of alternative programs focused on science, the arts or language immersion. Some schools follow specific educational disciplines such as Montessori, open optional or ABC (back-to-basics). The district is also home to several charter schools.
Test scores are better than national and state averages, and graduates earn millions of dollars in scholarships each year, according to ASD. Parents overwhelmingly give teachers and schools high marks. The district’s rich student diversity offers students experience with the multicultural, multiethnic world. Ninety-five languages were spoken by students who received service from the Bilingual Program in 2004-05, according to ASD
There are a number of private K-12 schools in Anchorage, too. Check the “School Reports” link for more details.
ANCHORAGE’S COLLEGES
Anchorage offers a number of undergraduate and educational opportunities, including public and private universities and a large variety of vocational and business schools. The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), an accredited university with more than 13,000 students, offers certificate, associate, baccalaureate and master's degree programs in 115 major study areas. Alaska Pacific University (APU), a private, four-year institution, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business Administration, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Outdoor Studies, Liberal Studies, Psychology and K-8 Education. Anchorage is also home to Charter College, an independent higher education institution. The college offers bachelor's degrees in Information Technology and associate degrees in Business Management, Office and Medical Office Administration, Computer Aided Drafting and Computer Networking Technology.