Ptarmigan Elementary

Set in Anchorage, Alaska, Ptarmigan Elementary is a moderately sized K-5 school, overseen by Anchorage School District. It teaches 392 students across grades pre-K through 6. Compared to the state average of about 277 students per school, that is 42% larger than typical.

Anchorage School District runs 92 schools in total, collectively educating 40,587 students. Ptarmigan Elementary is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Ptarmigan Elementary reports that 20% of students identify as multiracial, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 17% Pacific Islander, 16% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 14% White.

On the income-and-resources front, The school lists 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.1:1. That tracks the state average closely. Around 83% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Anchorage Municipality runs at roughly 49%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Anchorage Municipality put median household earnings sit near $103,284, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Ptarmigan Elementary is one of 99 public schools in Anchorage Municipality (combined enrollment of about 41,241 students).

Nearest neighbor: Wonder Park Elementary, around 0.8 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The school occupies a city-core site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 10%: 434 students in 2018 compared to 392 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 11% to 7% across the same window.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Ptarmigan Elementary community share and discuss open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.