Enrollment
322
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Pole, AK
Midnight Sun Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Midnight Sun Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020060000258
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Midnight Sun Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Alaska schools.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in North Pole · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 25.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Midnight Sun Elementary School has class sizes larger than 73% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Midnight Sun Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in North Pole, AK.
School address
District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020060000258 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.8%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Midnight Sun Elementary School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Midnight Sun Elementary School
Midnight Sun Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in North Pole, Alaska, enrolling 322 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 25.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 322 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 74 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #35.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 322 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Fairbanks North Star Borough School District spends $18,816 per pupil, 43% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among North Pole's public schools, it stands alongside North Pole Elementary (312 students): Midnight Sun Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 18.4:1).
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students) and Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students) alongside Midnight Sun 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 Midnight Sun Elementary School compares
Midnight Sun 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.8% | ▼ 58% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 322 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
322
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 73% in Alaska - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
62.1%
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
$18,816
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,240
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 322 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 66.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 11.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.8%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, Midnight Sun 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 Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which includes Midnight Sun Elementary School.
$18,816
Per student
-43%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
+13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.1%
State 58.3%
Federal 19.7%
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 Midnight Sun Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lathrop High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fairbanks B.E.S.T. | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| West Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Pole High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Pole Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Midnight Sun Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 784
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in North Pole
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~322 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Midnight Sun Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Midnight Sun Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Fairbanks North Star 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 Midnight Sun Elementary School
How many students attend Midnight Sun Elementary School?
Midnight Sun Elementary School has 322 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Pole, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Midnight Sun Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Midnight Sun Elementary School is 16.9:1, which is 11% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Midnight Sun Elementary School?
25.8% of students at Midnight Sun Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Midnight Sun Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Midnight Sun Elementary School is White at 66.8% of enrollment, in North Pole, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Midnight Sun Elementary School?
Midnight Sun Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Midnight Sun Elementary School rank among public schools in North Pole?
By Resource Investment Index, Midnight Sun Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in North Pole, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in North Pole on the city page.
Is Midnight Sun Elementary School a good school?
Midnight Sun Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Fairbanks North Star Borough School District?
Besides Midnight Sun Elementary School, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students), Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students), and West Valley High School (782 students). See the Fairbanks North Star 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.