Enrollment
104
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Homer, AK
Fireweed Academy
Federal NCES profile for Fireweed Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 020039000296Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fireweed Academy earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Homer · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Fireweed Academy has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fireweed Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Homer, AK.
School address
District: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020039000296 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.1%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fireweed Academy compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fireweed Academy
Fireweed Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Homer, Alaska, enrolling 104 students.
At 14.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alaska median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 104 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alaska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Two or More (12%) (diversity index 45/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 90.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Kenai Peninsula Borough School District spends $20,242 per pupil, 39% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Homer's elementary schools, it stands alongside West Homer Elementary (211 students): Fireweed Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.9:1 vs 12.4:1).
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District also operates Connections (1,188 students) and Soldotna High School (695 students) alongside Fireweed Academy.
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 Fireweed Academy compares
Fireweed Academy on the metrics families compare, against Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▼ 2% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 56% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 104 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
104
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.1%
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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 55% in Alaska - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
90.4%
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
$20,242
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,240
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 72.1%
Two or More 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.7%
Largest group: White at 72.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.3, Fireweed Academy is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, which includes Fireweed Academy.
$20,242
Per student
-39%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.1%
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 Fireweed Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connections | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soldotna High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenai Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mt. View Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kenai Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fireweed Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,188
- Students per teacher
- 74.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Homer
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~104 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fireweed Academy's federal record.
- Compare Fireweed Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Kenai Peninsula 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 Fireweed Academy
How many students attend Fireweed Academy?
Fireweed Academy has 104 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Homer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fireweed Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Fireweed Academy is 14.9:1, which is 2% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fireweed Academy?
27.1% of students at Fireweed Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fireweed Academy?
The largest demographic group at Fireweed Academy is White at 72.1% of enrollment, in Homer, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fireweed Academy?
Fireweed Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fireweed Academy rank among elementary schools in Homer?
By Resource Investment Index, Fireweed Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Homer, 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 Homer on the city page.
Is Fireweed Academy a good school?
Fireweed Academy earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. 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 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District?
Besides Fireweed Academy, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District also operates Connections (1,188 students), Soldotna High School (695 students), and Kenai Central High School (525 students). See the Kenai Peninsula 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.