- Enrollment
- 2,780
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Big Lake, AK
Houston High School
Federal NCES profile for Houston High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 020051000586
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 78
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houston High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 56.7%
- free-lunch eligible
- 337
- students enrolled
Houston High School has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000586 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+14 students YoY
Houston High School held near 372 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+14 students YoY 020051000586 · Big Lake, AK High · SMALL · TRAD
337 enr · 14:1 · 56.7% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students)
Houston High School held near 372 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount). Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alaska schools → · Find another →
Houston High 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 337
Houston High School
337 students
What this shows Houston High School reports 337 students on the CCD universe file.
How Houston High School compares
Houston High 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.7% | ▼ 8% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 337 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
337
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
56.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 48% in Alaska - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
78.6%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 112 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
27
in-school suspensions + 75 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 62.9%
Two or More 19.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 62.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Houston High School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
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 Houston 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houston High 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
Nationwide high 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 (~337 students)
Frequently asked questions about Houston High School
How many students attend Houston High School?
Houston High School has 337 students enrolled. It is a high school in Big Lake, AK. CCD year-over-year: 358 (2022-23) → 372 (2023-24), nearly flat (+14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houston High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Houston High School is 14:1, which is 8% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 11% 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 Houston High School?
56.7% of students at Houston High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houston High School?
The largest demographic group at Houston High School is White at 62.9% of enrollment, in Big Lake, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houston High School?
Houston High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District?
Besides Houston 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.