Mt. Edgecumbe High School is a public boarding school operated by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). Initially established in 1947 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mt. Edgecumbe High School provided Alaska Native students in grades 9-12 with the opportunity to acquire a traditional education that was unavailable in rural Alaska. Serving as many as 600 students at its largest, the school closed temporarily in 1983 as the Bureau of Indian Affairs reduced its role in Alaskan Education. In 1985, the school reopened under the governance of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. 

The central role of Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Alaskan education is to provide a broad range of academic and extra-curricular opportunities that are unavailable to students in isolated home schools and communities. Academic expectations are high, and students who attend are expected to enroll in higher education or other vocational training. The official governing body charged with oversight is the Alaska State Board of Education. 

Demographics: Typically, over 400 students from approximately 110 villages throughout Alaska attend Mt. Edgecumbe High School. Approximately 65% of the student body is female, and 35% is male. Alaska Native students comprise 80-95% of the student population, 6-10% are typically Caucasian, and we usually have a population that includes students of Asian, Hispanic, and African American descent. Between 60-80% of students in attendance generally meet federal guidelines for free & reduced lunches. Annually, between 75% and 90% of graduates are accepted into post-secondary institutions, the military, or career and technical education. 

Selection Criteria: Applicants must be Alaska residents of high school age who demonstrate a strong interest in learning and are capable of living successfully in a residential setting. The State Board of Education has established the following criteria for acceptance at Mt. Edgecumbe High School: availability of a high school program in the student's home community, any particular requirements (educational, emotional or family) that make the structured, residential setting provided at Mt. Edgecumbe High School advisable, degree to which the student is expected to benefit from the academic and social programs, the degree to which the student will bring background experiences, skills and abilities that will enhance the educational potential of the student body and academic performance as demonstrated by transcripts and test scores.