Enrollment
771
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palmer, AK
Colony Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Colony Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 020051000719
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colony Middle School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alaska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alaska.
- #12 of 14
- public schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 26.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Colony Middle School has class sizes larger than 91% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Colony Middle School ranks #12 of 14 public schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000719 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.8%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Colony Middle School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Colony Middle School
Colony Middle School is a large middle school in Palmer, Alaska, enrolling 771 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.4:1 is larger than about 91% of Alaska schools and 41% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 95% of state schools at 771 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 31 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #26, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 386 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.4% 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 Palmer's middle schools, it stands alongside Palmer Middle School (563 students): Colony Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.4:1 vs 20.1:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Colony Middle 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 Colony Middle School compares
Colony Middle 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 41% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.8% | ▼ 56% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 771 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
771
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 91% in Alaska - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
56.4%
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 386 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 68.7%
Two or More 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.2%
Asian 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 68.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Colony Middle School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which includes Colony Middle 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 Colony Middle 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 | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Teeland Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colony Middle 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
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Palmer
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~771 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Colony Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Colony Middle 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 Colony Middle School
How many students attend Colony Middle School?
Colony Middle School has 771 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colony Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Colony Middle School is 21.4:1, which is 41% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colony Middle School?
26.8% of students at Colony Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colony Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Colony Middle School is White at 68.7% of enrollment, in Palmer, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colony Middle School?
Colony Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Colony Middle School rank among public schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Colony Middle School ranks #12 of 14 public 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 public schools in Palmer on the city page.
Is Colony Middle School a good school?
Colony Middle School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alaska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alaska. 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 Colony Middle 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.