- Enrollment
- 2,780
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palmer, AK
Birchtree Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Birchtree Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 020051000744Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Birchtree Charter School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Alaska schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 416
- students enrolled
Birchtree Charter School has class sizes larger than 74% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Birchtree Charter School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000744 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+0 students YoY
Birchtree Charter School held near 407 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 24.2 → 21.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+0 students YoY 020051000744 · Palmer, AK Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER
416 enr · 17.3:1 · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students)
Birchtree Charter School held near 407 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 24.2 → 21.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alaska schools → · Find another →
Birchtree Charter School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mat-Su Central
Mat-Su Central School
2,780 students
- Colony High Sc 1,046
Colony High School
1,046 students
- Wasilla High S 816
Wasilla High School
816 students
- Colony Middle 771
Colony Middle School
771 students
- Mat-Su Career 705
Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School
705 students
- This school 416
Birchtree Charter School
416 students
What this shows Birchtree Charter School reports 416 students on the CCD universe file.
How Birchtree Charter School compares
Birchtree Charter School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 416 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
416
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 74% in Alaska - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.1%
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
$15,575
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,705
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 79.1%
Two or More 12.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.1%
African American 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 79.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.6, Birchtree Charter School is less mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District reports $15,575 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Birchtree Charter School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mat-Su Central School | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| Colony High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Birchtree Charter School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 816
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Palmer
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~416 students)
Frequently asked questions about Birchtree Charter School
How many students attend Birchtree Charter School?
Birchtree Charter School has 416 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palmer, AK. CCD year-over-year: 407 (2022-23) → 407 (2023-24), nearly flat (+0).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Birchtree Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Birchtree Charter School is 17.3:1, which is 14% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Birchtree Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Birchtree Charter School is White at 79.1% of enrollment, in Palmer, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Birchtree Charter School?
Birchtree Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Birchtree Charter School rank among elementary schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Birchtree Charter School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Palmer, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Palmer on the city page.
What other schools are in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District?
Besides Birchtree Charter School, Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students), Colony High School (1,046 students), and Wasilla High School (816 students). See the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District district page for the complete list.