Enrollment
222
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 020051000747
Mat-Su Middle College School — Palmer, AK
Federal NCES profile for Mat-Su Middle College School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 48/100.
👥 Class size 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 67
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
91:1
vs 20:1 Alaska avg
+355% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mat-Su Middle College School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Mat-Su Middle College School reports 222 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 2.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 91:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 355% above the Alaska state mean of 20:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 472% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 222 students per counselor, meeting the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 13.1% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spends $18,753 per pupil district-wide, below the Alaska average of $36,093 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 22.6% from local sources (property taxes), 62.7% from the state, and 14.7% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (D), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Mat-Su Middle College School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Alaska state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 91:1 | ▲ 355% | 20:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 222 | top 59% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Staffing depth
91:1
students per teacher
— 355% above state mean
Top 98% in Alaska — lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1 — larger class loads than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is stretched relative to enrollment.
Engagement
13.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Between 10–20% — above the pre-pandemic baseline of ~15% nationally but within the current U.S. range.
Funding equity
$18,753
per pupil, district-wide
— below Alaska avg of $36,093
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 222 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
Enrollment 222 Top 59% in Alaska — larger than 41% of 496 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 2.0
Students per teacher 91:1 +355% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 020051000747
Student demographics
White 76.6%
Two or More 13.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.2%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 76.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 222:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 13.1%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which includes Mat-Su Middle College School.
$18,753
Per student
-48%
vs Alaska
Avg $36,093
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,780
- Students per teacher
- 98:1
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Enrollment
- 816
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
Similar other schools in Palmer
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pioneer Peak Elementary
Standard public school
449 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Swanson Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Butte Elementary
Standard public school
263 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Beryozova School
Standard public school
39 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Mat-Su Youth Facility
Alternative education program
10 students 13:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Mat-Su Middle College School
How many students attend Mat-Su Middle College School?
Mat-Su Middle College School has 222 students enrolled. It is a other school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mat-Su Middle College School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mat-Su Middle College School is 91:1, which is 355% higher than the Alaska average of 20:1 and 472% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mat-Su Middle College School?
The largest demographic group at Mat-Su Middle College School is White at 76.6%. The school serves a diverse student body in Palmer, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mat-Su Middle College School?
Mat-Su Middle College School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (D) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.