Enrollment
388
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fairbanks, AK
Pearl Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pearl Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020060000516
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pearl Creek Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Alaska schools.
- #13 of 17
- schools in Fairbanks · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.6:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 21.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Pearl Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 77% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pearl Creek Elementary ranks #13 of 17 schools in Fairbanks, AK.
School address
District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020060000516 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.2%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pearl Creek Elementary compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pearl Creek Elementary
Pearl Creek Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Fairbanks, Alaska, enrolling 388 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.2% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the Alaska average.
Enrollment of 388 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 66 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #47.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 388 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.9% 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 Fairbanks's public schools, it stands alongside Interior Distance Education of Alaska (Idea) (7,876 students): Pearl Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students) and Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students) alongside Pearl Creek Elementary.
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 Pearl Creek Elementary compares
Pearl Creek Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.6:1 | ▲ 16% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.2% | ▼ 66% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 388 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
388
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 77% in Alaska - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.9%
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
$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 388 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 66.5%
Two or More 17.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Asian 1.8%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 66.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.7, Pearl Creek Elementary 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 Pearl Creek Elementary.
$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 Pearl Creek Elementary 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 | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pearl Creek Elementary'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 Fairbanks
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Interior Distance Education of Alaska (Idea)
Standard public school
7,876 students
Raven School
Standard public school
3,687 students
Fairbanks B.E.S.T.
Standard public school
784 students
Barnette Magnet School
Standard public school
417 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Weller Elementary
Standard public school
413 students 18:1 students per teacher
Ladd Elementary
Standard public school
383 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~388 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pearl Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pearl Creek Elementary 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 Pearl Creek Elementary
How many students attend Pearl Creek Elementary?
Pearl Creek Elementary has 388 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fairbanks, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pearl Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pearl Creek Elementary is 17.6:1, which is 16% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pearl Creek Elementary?
21.2% of students at Pearl Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pearl Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pearl Creek Elementary is White at 66.5% of enrollment, in Fairbanks, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pearl Creek Elementary?
Pearl Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Pearl Creek Elementary rank among schools in Fairbanks?
By Resource Investment Index, Pearl Creek Elementary ranks #13 of 17 schools in Fairbanks, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fairbanks on the city page.
Is Pearl Creek Elementary a good school?
Pearl Creek Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Pearl Creek Elementary, 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.