Enrollment
563
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palmer, AK
Palmer Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Palmer Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 020051000544
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmer Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Alaska schools.
- #10 of 14
- public schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 36.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmer Middle School has class sizes larger than 88% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer Middle School ranks #10 of 14 public schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000544 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.4%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmer Middle School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmer Middle School
Palmer Middle School is a large middle school in Palmer, Alaska, enrolling 563 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 88% of Alaska schools and 32% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 91% of state schools at 563 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 495 scored Alaska schools.
Against 45 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (16%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.9% 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 middle schools, it stands alongside Colony Middle School (771 students): Palmer Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.1:1 vs 21.4:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Palmer Middle 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 Middle School compares
Palmer Middle 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 | 20.1:1 | ▲ 32% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.4% | ▼ 41% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Alaska - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
63.9%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 282 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
35
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.6 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%
Two or More 15.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.0%
Asian 1.1%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: White at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.9, Palmer Middle 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 Palmer Middle 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 Middle 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmer Middle 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 middle schools in Palmer
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmer Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Palmer Middle 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 Middle School
How many students attend Palmer Middle School?
Palmer Middle School has 563 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmer Middle School is 20.1:1, which is 32% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmer Middle School?
36.4% of students at Palmer Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmer Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Palmer Middle School is White at 66.8% 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 Middle School?
Palmer Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Palmer Middle School rank among public schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer Middle School ranks #10 of 14 public 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 public schools in Palmer on the city page.
Is Palmer Middle School a good school?
Palmer Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Palmer Middle 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.