Homeschool benefits: Denali Borough School District

Denali PEAK, Denali Borough School District's statewide homeschool program, gives each enrolled student a 2026-27 allotment of $2,700 for grades K-8, or $2,900 for grades 9-12 on the diploma track and $3,200 on the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) diploma track. Any Alaska student who is 5 by September 1 can enroll at any time of year.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Alaska

   Students must live in Alaska and provide proof of residency when they enroll.

2. Is 5 by September 1

   Denali PEAK accepts students from kindergarten through 12th grade at any time in the school year.

3. Has an approved CREW

   You build a Culturally Responsive Educational Work-plan (CREW), Denali PEAK's learning plan, with an Alaska-certified advisor teacher. Purchases wait until it is approved.

4. Stays in touch monthly

   Families must answer monthly contact from the advisor and take part in required district assessments to stay eligible for allotment funds.

What it is worth

The 2026-2027 Denali PEAK Handbook lists the allotment per verified student.

K-8 student

$2,700

Grade 9-12, diploma track

$2,900

Grade 9-12, APS diploma track

$3,200

Pre-K child, age 3 by September 1

Possible scholarship

Carry-forward cap, grades 1-11

$5,000

Part-time students do not get a full allotment, carry-forward funds, or Denali PEAK technology, and passes or fees bought January through June are reimbursed only on a prorated basis.

From enrolling to spending it

1. Any time

   Enroll online

   Complete the new student enrollment in Skyward. Staff then call to schedule your CREW appointment and finish registration.

2. At the CREW meeting

   Plan courses

   Build the CREW with your advisor teacher. Your child is not enrolled until the enrollment form is verified and the CREW is approved.

3. From July 1

   Submit receipts

   Receipts for the current year can go in from July 1, with processing starting August 15. Processing slows in the first two weeks of December.

4. Each April

   Meet spending deadlines

   Vendor orders and wish lists are due the first business day in April, and final reimbursements the last Friday in April, with no exceptions.

5. Next school year

   Carry forward the balance

   Unused funds for students in grades 1-11 can carry forward, up to $5,000.

What it pays for

Covered

• Textbooks and curriculum
• School supplies and athletic equipment
• Tutoring services
• A new Apple laptop every two years and a tablet each year

Not covered

• Religious or faith-based materials
• Services from a family member
• Travel, airfare, and lodging
• Medical costs such as physicals or glasses
• Amazon Prime and similar memberships

A laptop's cost comes out of the allotment in two halves over two years, and the family owns it after the second year.

Good to know

• Your child enrolls to get the allotment

  Denali PEAK is a public correspondence and homeschool program, so your child enrolls there and you teach at home with an advisor teacher's support.

• You do not have to live in the borough

  Denali PEAK is statewide, with offices in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, and it accepts any Alaska resident who meets the age rule.

Who to contact

The Denali PEAK offices answer enrollment questions and whether an item is allowable before you buy it.

DenaliPEAK@dbsd.org 907-563-0990 Contact page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Alaska

You do not have to file a homeschool notice.

Alaska sets these rules:

• Subjects: Alaska does not require specific subjects or a particular curriculum.
• Testing: Alaska does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: Alaska does not require homeschool records.
• Teachers: Alaska does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.

Read the Alaska homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Alaska

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