Nikiski North Star Elementary

Nikiski North Star Elementary operates as a close-knit elementary school in Kenai, Alaska, operated by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Current enrollment sits at 214 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 23% leaner than the typical public school in Alaska, which averages around 277 students.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District comprises 42 schools with combined enrollment of 8,510 students; Nikiski North Star Elementary is among them.

On the student-mix side, Nikiski North Star Elementary shows that 67% of the student body identifies as White. Beyond that, the school reports 19% multiracial, 8% Native American, 4% Hispanic. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 79%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 18 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.1:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.3:1, putting Nikiski North Star Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. An estimated 49% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

In the broader community, census data for Kenai Peninsula Borough shows median household earnings sit near $80,538, roughly 30% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Kenai Peninsula Borough's 42 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,510 students), Nikiski North Star Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Nikiski Middle/Senior High School, around 5.1 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint.

Nikiski North Star Elementary operates from a rural location.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 42%: 368 students in 2018 compared to 214 in 2025. Class-load math has tightened: from 14.6:1 in 2018 to 12.1:1 in 2025.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.