Enrollment
507
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wasilla, AK
John Shaw Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John Shaw Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020051000480
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Shaw Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Alaska schools.
- #14 of 18
- schools in Wasilla · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 35.3%
- free-lunch eligible
John Shaw Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Shaw Elementary ranks #14 of 18 schools in Wasilla, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000480 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.3%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Shaw Elementary compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Shaw Elementary
John Shaw Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Wasilla, Alaska, enrolling 507 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 90% of state schools at 507 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1014 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.7% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students): John Shaw Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside John Shaw 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 John Shaw Elementary compares
John Shaw 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 15% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.3% | ▼ 43% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 76% in Alaska - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.7%
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
Counselors0.5 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 77.9%
Two or More 8.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 77.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.8, John Shaw Elementary is less 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 John Shaw Elementary.
$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 John Shaw Elementary 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Similar 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 John Shaw Elementary'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 other schools in Wasilla
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mat-Su Central School
Standard public school
2,780 students
Twindly Bridge Charter School
Standard public school
601 students
Joe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School
Standard public school
497 students 16:1 students per teacher
Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School
Standard public school
468 students 18:1 students per teacher
Finger Lake Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Iditarod Elementary
Standard public school
424 students 16.3:1 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 (~507 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Shaw Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John Shaw Elementary 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 John Shaw Elementary
How many students attend John Shaw Elementary?
John Shaw Elementary has 507 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wasilla, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Shaw Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John Shaw Elementary is 17.5:1, which is 15% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Shaw Elementary?
35.3% of students at John Shaw Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Shaw Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John Shaw Elementary is White at 77.9% of enrollment, in Wasilla, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Shaw Elementary?
John Shaw Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 John Shaw Elementary rank among schools in Wasilla?
By Resource Investment Index, John Shaw Elementary ranks #14 of 18 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 schools in Wasilla on the city page.
Is John Shaw Elementary a good school?
John Shaw Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of 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 John Shaw Elementary, 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.