Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD), or Bethel Public Schools, is a school district headquartered in Bethel, Alaska. , it was the largest rural school district in the state, with 4,300 students.

Employment and teacher demographics In 2017, it had about 300 certified teachers, with about 20% being Alaska Natives, the highest percentage of any Alaskan school district.

The district, as of 2017, pays for the education of prospective teachers, sending them to University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); the district pays all of a student's costs if they go to UAF; the LKSD board also offers scholarships for students attending other universities. The stipulation is that students who get the scholarships are obligated to teach at LKSD, with one year of teaching per year of scholarship. In 2013 LKSD began requiring teachers without university degrees to work towards getting them, and in 2017 it set a ten-year deadline for doing so. Most of its non-certified teachers taught in rural schools. According to Alaska state law a person without a university degree may still become a full-time teacher if he/she has fluency in a native language of Alaska. The district prioritizes hiring teachers with Yupik language skills and has a preference for local teachers.

In the period 2007-2012, it had an annual teacher turnover rate of 15%, or 60-70 teaching jobs, lower than many rural school districts though higher than urban ones.

Schools Bethel schools Regular: Bethel Regional High School Gladys Jung Elementary School Jung, previously known as the Kilbuck School, serves grades 3–6. its enrollment was about 345."Gladys Jung Elementary School." Gladys Jung Elementary School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Mekelnguut Elitnauriviat School Nicknamed the "M.E. School," it serves grades kindergarten through 2. it had 260 students and 18 teachers."Welcome to M.E. School!" Mekelnguut Elitnauriviat School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Ayaprun Elitnaurvik School It is a K-6 Yup’ik-English bilingual program that originated from a total immersion language program established in 1995. the school had 197 students. The school occupies space in Mekelnguut Elitnauriviat and Gladys Jung schools; as of 2002, kindergarten and first grade are in Mekelnguut Elitnauriviat and the remaining grades are in Gladys Jung."Ayaprun Elitnaurvik." Ayaprun Elitnaurvik. Retrieved on July 13, 2018.

Other: Kuskokwim Learning Academy (KLA) - Bethel

Rural PreK-12 schools Joann A. Alexie Memorial School - Atmautluak it had about 118 students."About Us." Joann A. Alexie Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Chaputnguak School & Amaqigciq School - Chefornak "Chaputnguak," an old name for Chefornak, is a Yup'ik word referring to an object or thing obstructing a pathway, while the latter is named after the first inhabitant of Chefornak, Alexie Amaqigciq."Chefornak." Chaputnguak School & Amaqigciq School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Eek School it had 120 students. It is a bilingual school."Eek School." Eek School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Rocky Mountain School - Goodnews Bay it had one of the lowest enrollments in LKSD as it has 54 students."Rocky Mountain School." Rocky Mountain School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Kasigluk-Akula Elitnaurvik School - Kasigluk It is a bilingual English-Yugtun school. it had about 120 students."Akula School." Kasigluk-Akula Elitnaurvik School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Kasigluk Akiuk Memorial School - Kasigluk it had about 100 students."Akiuk Memorial School." Kasigluk Akiuk Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Chief Paul Memorial School - Kipnuk it had 190 students."Chief Paul Memorial School." Kasigluk Akiuk Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Ayagina’ar Elitnaurvik School - Kongiganak it served 174 students."Ayagina'ar Elitnaurvik." Ayagina'ar Elitnaurvik. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Ket’acik & Apaalluk Memorial School - Kwethluk it had about 250 students and 15 teachers."Ket'acik & Aapalluk Memorial School." Ket'acik & Aapalluk Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Kwigillingok School - Kwigillingok it had about 119 students, 12 teachers, and 10 other employees."Kwigillingok School." Kwigillingok School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Nuniwarmiut School - Mekoryuk In 1984 the building was constructed."Nuniwarmiut School." Nuniwarmiut School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. William N. Miller Memorial School - Napakiak it had 96 students.William N. Miller Memorial School." William N. Miller Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Zacharias John Williams Memorial School - Napaskiak it had 155 students, with 90% classified as learners of English as a second language, 85% are on free or reduced lunch programs, and the majority are of Central Yupik Eskimo origins; that year only two students were not Yupik. That year the school had 34 employees, with four of them being native Alaskans; the employees included 16 teachers. The current building opened in October 2016, and the original building opened in 1982.Z.J. Williams Memorial School." Zacharias John Williams Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Ayaprun School - Newtok (moving to Mertarvik) the school had 128 students, 12 teachers, and 27 other employees."Ayaprun School." Ayaprun School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Mertarvik Pioneer School is the continuation, as people from Newtok are moving to Mertarvik due to erosion of the former. As of 2020 it uses temporary facilities in the Mertarvik Education Center (MEC) before a permanent school is to be constructed. The school has teachers using English and Yugtun as mediums of instruction. The Mertarvik school's initial enrollment was 10 and it began operations on October 14, 2019. It initially had four teachers with half using each language as a medium. Negtemiut Elitnaurviat School - Nightmute Anna Tobeluk Memorial School - Nunapitchuk the school had 203 students, 15 certified teachers, and 16 classified employees. English is the sole language of instruction at Tobeluk."Anna Tobeluk Memorial School." Anna Tobeluk Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Qugcuun Memorial School - Oscarville the school had 13 students. It is a bilingual English-Yup'ik school."Qugcuun Memorial School." Anna Tobeluk Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Arviq School - Platinum Due to a decline in student enrollment it closed in Spring 2001, but it reopened in October 2007. the school had 20 students."Arviq School." Arviq School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat School - Quinhagak Nelson Island School - Toksook Bay Lewis Angapak Memorial School - Tuntutuliak the students were Yupik people."Lewis Angapak Memorial School." Lewis Angapak Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. Paul T. Albert Memorial School (PTAMS) - Tununak It is a bilingual English-Yugtun school. there were about 108 students at the school, all Alaska Natives."Paul T. Albert Memorial School." Paul T. Albert Memorial School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018. In 2003 it was the building of the largest size in Tununak. Kimberly C. Price, who formerly taught at the school, stated that students are in mainly Yupik speaking houses and generally retain fluency of the language.Price, p. 43.

References Made by a former employee:

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