Enrollment
449
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palmer, AK
Pioneer Peak Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Peak Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020051000565
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Peak Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- students per teacher
- 26.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Peak Elementary has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Peak Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000565 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.3%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pioneer Peak Elementary compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pioneer Peak Elementary
Pioneer Peak Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Palmer, Alaska, enrolling 449 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 449 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 68 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #26.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 49/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 65.7% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Swanson Elementary (348 students): Pioneer Peak Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 15.1:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Pioneer Peak 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 Pioneer Peak Elementary compares
Pioneer Peak 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.3% | ▼ 57% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 449 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
449
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 67% in Alaska - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
65.7%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 69.5%
Two or More 13.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 69.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.6, Pioneer Peak Elementary 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 Pioneer Peak Elementary.
$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 Pioneer Peak Elementary 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 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Peak Elementary'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 other schools in Palmer
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Swanson Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Butte Elementary
Standard public school
263 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Mat-Su Middle College School
Standard public school
222 students
Beryozova School
Standard public school
39 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Mat-Su Youth Facility
Alternative education program
10 students 10:1 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 (~449 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pioneer Peak Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pioneer Peak Elementary 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 Pioneer Peak Elementary
How many students attend Pioneer Peak Elementary?
Pioneer Peak Elementary has 449 students enrolled. It is a public school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Peak Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Peak Elementary is 16:1, which is 5% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pioneer Peak Elementary?
26.3% of students at Pioneer Peak Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Peak Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Peak Elementary is White at 69.5% of enrollment, in Palmer, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Peak Elementary?
Pioneer Peak Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pioneer Peak Elementary rank among schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Peak Elementary ranks #4 of 6 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 schools in Palmer on the city page.
Is Pioneer Peak Elementary a good school?
Pioneer Peak Elementary earns 35/100 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 Pioneer Peak Elementary, 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.