Tanaina Elementary

Tanaina Elementary, a middle-of-the-pack elementary campus in Wasilla, Alaska, overseen by Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, hosts 324 students, covering grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 49 schools in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (19,495 students total), Tanaina Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Tanaina Elementary lists that White students make up the majority at 63%; the rest breaks down as 20% multiracial, 8% Native American, 7% Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 77% White, putting the school's mix meaningfully less White than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Tanaina Elementary logs 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.7:1. The state averages about 15.3:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 55% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is north of Matanuska-Susitna Borough's rate of about 45%.

In the area at large, census data for Matanuska-Susitna Borough shows the typical household earns roughly $94,031 per year, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Matanuska-Susitna Borough runs 49 public schools (combined enrollment of about 19,495 students), of which Tanaina Elementary is one.

Nearest neighbor: Twindly Bridge Charter School, around 0.4 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Tanaina Elementary.

The school occupies an outer-ring site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Tanaina Elementary has fell 23%, going from 423 students in 2018 to 324 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 68% to 63% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 14.7:1 in 2025.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.