Enrollment
200
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wasilla, AK
Burchell High School
Federal NCES profile for Burchell High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 020051000720
👥 S:T ratio 38
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 80
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Burchell High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Wasilla · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 60.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Burchell High School has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Burchell High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Wasilla, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000720 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.1%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Burchell High School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Burchell High School
Burchell High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Wasilla, Alaska, enrolling 200 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.1% lands close to the Alaska typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 200 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alaska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 23 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Two or More (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 100 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 77.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spends $16,171 per pupil, 51% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Wasilla's high schools, it stands alongside Wasilla High School (816 students): Burchell High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 17.7:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Burchell High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Burchell High School compares
Burchell High School on the metrics families compare, against Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.1% | ▼ 2% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 200 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
200
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 61% in Alaska - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
77.5%
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
$16,171
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,240
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 100 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 53.0%
Two or More 22.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 18.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: White at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, Burchell High School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which includes Burchell High School.
$16,171
Per student
-51%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 62.7%
Federal 14.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Burchell High 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Burchell High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,780
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- 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 high schools in Wasilla
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alaska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~200 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Burchell High School's federal record.
- Compare Burchell High School against another school. Compare schools
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Burchell High School
How many students attend Burchell High School?
Burchell High School has 200 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wasilla, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Burchell High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Burchell High School is 15.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Burchell High School?
60.1% of students at Burchell High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Burchell High School?
The largest demographic group at Burchell High School is White at 53.0% of enrollment, in Wasilla, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Burchell High School?
Burchell High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Burchell High School rank among high schools in Wasilla?
By Resource Investment Index, Burchell High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Wasilla, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Wasilla on the city page.
Is Burchell High School a good school?
Burchell High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District?
Besides Burchell High 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.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.