Enrollment
310
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ketchikan, AK
Houghtaling Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Houghtaling Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020015000046
👥 S:T ratio 64
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houghtaling Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alaska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Ketchikan · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.1:1
- small classes for Alaska
- 47.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Houghtaling Elementary has class sizes smaller than 83% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houghtaling Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Ketchikan, AK.
School address
District: Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020015000046 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.1%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Houghtaling Elementary compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Houghtaling Elementary
Houghtaling Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Ketchikan, Alaska, enrolling 310 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 47.1% lands close to the Alaska typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 310 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 495 scored Alaska schools.
Against 41 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #25.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 310 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District spends $23,355 per pupil, 30% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Ketchikan's public schools, it stands alongside Fawn Mountain Elementary (210 students): Houghtaling Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.1:1 vs 9.1:1).
Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District also operates Ketchikan High School (551 students) and Schoenbar Middle School (252 students) alongside Houghtaling Elementary.
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 Houghtaling Elementary compares
Houghtaling Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.1:1 | ▼ 40% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.1% | ▼ 23% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 310 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.1:1
Leaner classes than 92% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
310
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
9.1:1
students per teacher
- 40% below state mean
Top 17% in Alaska - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
66.8%
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
$23,355
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 310 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 42.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 33.2%
Asian 14.5%
Two or More 7.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 42.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.4, Houghtaling Elementary is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District, which includes Houghtaling Elementary.
$23,355
Per student
-30%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
+41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 63.2%
Federal 15.3%
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 Houghtaling Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketchikan High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Schoenbar Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fawn Mountain Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Point Higgins School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ketchikan Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houghtaling Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 551
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 252
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 210
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 204
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 190
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Ketchikan
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Fawn Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
210 students 9.1:1 students per teacher
Point Higgins School
Standard public school
204 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Tongass School of Arts and Sciences Charter School
Standard public school
140 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Revilla Jr/Sr High School
Alternative education program
110 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Fast Track
Standard public school
76 students 76:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~310 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Houghtaling Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Houghtaling Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Ketchikan Gateway 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 Houghtaling Elementary
How many students attend Houghtaling Elementary?
Houghtaling Elementary has 310 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ketchikan, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houghtaling Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Houghtaling Elementary is 9.1:1, which is 40% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 42% 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 Houghtaling Elementary?
47.1% of students at Houghtaling Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houghtaling Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Houghtaling Elementary is White at 42.3% of enrollment, in Ketchikan, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houghtaling Elementary?
Houghtaling Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Houghtaling Elementary rank among schools in Ketchikan?
By Resource Investment Index, Houghtaling Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Ketchikan, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ketchikan on the city page.
Is Houghtaling Elementary a good school?
Houghtaling Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alaska schools. 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 Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District?
Besides Houghtaling Elementary, Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District also operates Ketchikan High School (551 students), Schoenbar Middle School (252 students), and Fawn Mountain Elementary (210 students). See the Ketchikan Gateway 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.