Enrollment
483
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Anchorage, AK
Polaris K-12 School
Federal NCES profile for Polaris K-12 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020018000101
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Polaris K-12 School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Alaska schools.
- #53 of 59
- schools in Anchorage · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.3:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 24.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Polaris K-12 School has class sizes larger than 85% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris K-12 School ranks #53 of 59 schools in Anchorage, AK.
School address
District: Anchorage School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020018000101 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.6%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Polaris K-12 School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Polaris K-12 School
Polaris K-12 School is a large combined-grade school in Anchorage, Alaska, enrolling 483 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 483 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #50, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 483 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Anchorage School District spends $17,200 per pupil, 48% below the Alaska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Anchorage's public schools, it stands alongside Family Partnership Charter School (1,008 students): Polaris K-12 School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.3:1 vs 50.4:1).
Anchorage School District also operates West High School (1,702 students) and Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School (1,636 students) alongside Polaris K-12 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 Polaris K-12 School compares
Polaris K-12 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 | 19.3:1 | ▲ 27% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.6% | ▼ 60% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 483 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
483
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 85% in Alaska - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.2%
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
$17,200
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,240
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 483 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 59.8%
Two or More 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.1%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 59.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Polaris K-12 School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anchorage School District, which includes Polaris K-12 School.
$17,200
Per student
-48%
vs Alaska
Avg $33,240
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.8%
State 54.1%
Federal 18.1%
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 Polaris K-12 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Service High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bartlett High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dimond High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Polaris K-12 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,702
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,636
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,518
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,431
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Anchorage
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Family Partnership Charter School
Standard public school
1,008 students 50.4:1 students per teacher
Frontier Charter School
Standard public school
689 students
Northern Lights Abc K-8 School
Standard public school
582 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Focus Homeschool
Standard public school
549 students 61:1 students per teacher
Bowman Elementary
Standard public school
536 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Government Hill Elementary
Standard public school
424 students 15.1:1 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 (~483 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Polaris K-12 School's federal record.
- Compare Polaris K-12 School against another school. Compare schools
- Anchorage 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 Polaris K-12 School
How many students attend Polaris K-12 School?
Polaris K-12 School has 483 students enrolled. It is a public school in Anchorage, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polaris K-12 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Polaris K-12 School is 19.3:1, which is 27% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 23% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Polaris K-12 School?
24.6% of students at Polaris K-12 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Polaris K-12 School?
The largest demographic group at Polaris K-12 School is White at 59.8% of enrollment, in Anchorage, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Polaris K-12 School?
Polaris K-12 School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 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 Polaris K-12 School rank among schools in Anchorage?
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris K-12 School ranks #53 of 59 schools in Anchorage, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Anchorage on the city page.
Is Polaris K-12 School a good school?
Polaris K-12 School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Anchorage School District?
Besides Polaris K-12 School, Anchorage School District also operates West High School (1,702 students), Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School (1,636 students), and Service High School (1,518 students). See the Anchorage 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.