Enrollment
263
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wasilla, AK
Knik Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Knik Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 020051000733
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Knik Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Wasilla · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 37.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Knik Elementary School has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Knik Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Wasilla, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000733 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.6%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Knik Elementary School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Knik Elementary School
Knik Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Wasilla, Alaska, enrolling 263 students.
At 13.8:1, 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 37.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 263 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 59 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Two or More (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.2% 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 elementary schools, it stands alongside Fronteras Charter School (336 students): Knik Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 18.7:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Knik Elementary 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 Knik Elementary School compares
Knik Elementary 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.6% | ▼ 39% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 263 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
263
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 46% in Alaska - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
50.2%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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 52.1%
Two or More 27.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.9%
Asian 1.1%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Knik Elementary 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 Knik Elementary 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 Knik Elementary 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 | Similar 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 Knik Elementary 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
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Wasilla
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 (~263 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Knik Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Knik Elementary 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 Knik Elementary School
How many students attend Knik Elementary School?
Knik Elementary School has 263 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wasilla, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Knik Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Knik Elementary School is 13.8:1, which is 9% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 12% 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 Knik Elementary School?
37.6% of students at Knik Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Knik Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Knik Elementary School is White at 52.1% of enrollment, in Wasilla, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Knik Elementary School?
Knik Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Knik Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Wasilla?
By Resource Investment Index, Knik Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Wasilla on the city page.
Is Knik Elementary School a good school?
Knik Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. 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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District?
Besides Knik Elementary 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.