Ambler School

Ambler School, a minimally staffed K-12 campus in Ambler, Alaska, operated by Northwest Arctic Borough School District, works with 60 students, covering grades pre-K through 12. That puts it 69% below the typical public school in Alaska, which averages around 192 students.

Northwest Arctic Borough School District comprises 13 schools with combined enrollment of 1,945 students; Ambler School is among them.

On demographics, Ambler School reports that the student body is overwhelmingly Native American (93%). Beyond that, the school lists 5% multiracial.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Ambler School has 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.0:1. The state averages around 27.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 98% of students at Ambler School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Around the school, Northwest Arctic Borough reports that median household earnings sit near $84,018, about 11% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 15% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Northwest Arctic Borough runs 13 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,945 students), of which Ambler School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Shungnak School, around 23.8 miles off.

Geographically, the school is in a rural area. As a virtual school, attendance and instruction happen remotely rather than in person.

Over the past 7-year window. Ambler School's enrollment has fell 14% since 2018, when it stood at 70 (now 60). Class-load math has widened: from 9.6:1 in 2018 to 12.0:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Ambler School typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.