Enrollment
616
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Palmer, AK
Palmer High School
Federal NCES profile for Palmer High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 020051000227
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmer High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 28.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmer High School has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000227 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.6%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmer High School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmer High School
Palmer High School is a large high school in Palmer, Alaska, enrolling 616 students.
At 14.7:1, 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 28.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 93% of state schools at 616 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 43 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (12%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 205 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 80.7% 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 Palmer's high schools, it stands alongside Colony High School (1,046 students): Palmer High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 19:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Palmer High 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 Palmer High School compares
Palmer High 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.6% | ▼ 53% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 616 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
616
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 53% in Alaska - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
80.7%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 205 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 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 67.0%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 8.4%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 67.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.9, Palmer High School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which includes Palmer High 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 Palmer 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmer High 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 high schools in Palmer
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~616 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmer High School's federal record.
- Compare Palmer High 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 Palmer High School
How many students attend Palmer High School?
Palmer High School has 616 students enrolled. It is a high school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmer High School is 14.7:1, which is 3% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 6% 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 Palmer High School?
28.6% of students at Palmer High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmer High School?
The largest demographic group at Palmer High School is White at 67.0% of enrollment, in Palmer, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmer High School?
Palmer High School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palmer High School rank among high schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Palmer, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Palmer on the city page.
Is Palmer High School a good school?
Palmer High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median. 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 Palmer 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.
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.