Wales School

Wales School is one of the tiny multi-level schools in Wales, Alaska, one of the schools within Bering Strait School District, with 31 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 12. By comparison, Alaska's public schools average about 192 students each, so Wales School sits 84% smaller than that benchmark.

Wales School is one of 15 schools operated by Bering Strait School District, a district that serves 1,745 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Wales School lists that nearly all students (100%) are Native American.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 6.2:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 27.0:1 average. About 71% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is lower than Nome Census Area's rate of about 97%.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for Nome Census Area put median household earnings sit near $78,681, roughly 14% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 21% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Nome Census Area runs 19 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,417 students), of which Wales School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Diomede School, around 26.8 miles off.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 37%: 49 students in 2018 compared to 31 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 11.9:1 in 2018 to 6.2:1 today.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.