- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Wainwright, AK
Arctic Light Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Arctic Light Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020060000055
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Arctic Light Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Alaska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 29.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 361
- students enrolled
Arctic Light Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020060000055 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-36 students YoY
Arctic Light Elementary shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 431 in 2023-24 (-7.7%).
Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 21.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-36 students YoY 020060000055 · Fort Wainwright, AK Other · SMALL · TRAD
361 enr · 16.4:1 · 29.1% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Lathrop High School (788 students)
Arctic Light Elementary shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 431 in 2023-24 (-7.7%). Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 21.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alaska schools → · Find another →
Arctic Light Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lathrop High S
Lathrop High School
788 students
- Fairbanks B.E.
Fairbanks B.E.S.T.
784 students
- West Valley Hi
West Valley High School
782 students
- North Pole Hig
North Pole High School
695 students
- North Pole Mid
North Pole Middle School
631 students
- This school
Arctic Light Elementary
361 students
What this shows Arctic Light Elementary reports 361 students on the CCD universe file.
How Arctic Light Elementary compares
Arctic Light Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.1% | ▼ 53% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
29.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in Alaska - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
69.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,616
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,705
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 40.2%
Hispanic or Latino 28.3%
African American 12.5%
Two or More 8.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.2%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Largest group: White at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Arctic Light Elementary is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Fairbanks North Star Borough School District reports $17,616 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Arctic Light Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lathrop High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairbanks B.E.S.T. | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| West Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Pole High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Pole Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Arctic Light Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 784
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~361 students)
Frequently asked questions about Arctic Light Elementary
How many students attend Arctic Light Elementary?
Arctic Light Elementary has 361 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Wainwright, AK. CCD year-over-year: 467 (2022-23) → 431 (2023-24), down 36.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Arctic Light Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Arctic Light Elementary is 16.4:1, which is 8% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Arctic Light Elementary?
29.1% of students at Arctic Light Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Arctic Light Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Arctic Light Elementary is White at 40.2% of enrollment, in Fort Wainwright, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Arctic Light Elementary?
Arctic Light Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
Besides Arctic Light Elementary, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students), Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students), and West Valley High School (782 students). See the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District district page for the complete list.