Enrollment
413
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fairbanks, AK
Randy Smith Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Randy Smith Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 020060000324
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Randy Smith Middle School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Alaska schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Fairbanks · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 21.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Randy Smith Middle School has class sizes larger than 83% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Randy Smith Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Fairbanks, AK.
School address
District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020060000324 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.9%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Randy Smith Middle School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Randy Smith Middle School
Randy Smith Middle School is a large middle school in Fairbanks, Alaska, enrolling 413 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.9% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the Alaska average.
Enrollment of 413 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 495 scored Alaska schools.
Among 69 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Two or More (18%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 207 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.6% 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 middle schools, it stands alongside Tanana Middle School (523 students): Randy Smith Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 20.1:1).
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students) and Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students) alongside Randy Smith 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 Randy Smith Middle School compares
Randy Smith 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 24% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.9% | ▼ 64% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 413 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
413
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 83% in Alaska - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.6%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 207 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.6 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 58.8%
Two or More 18.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 10.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Asian 2.4%
African American 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 58.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, Randy Smith 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 Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which includes Randy Smith Middle School.
$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 Randy Smith Middle School 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 Randy Smith Middle School'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 middle schools in Fairbanks
2 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 (~413 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Randy Smith Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Randy Smith Middle School 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 Randy Smith Middle School
How many students attend Randy Smith Middle School?
Randy Smith Middle School has 413 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fairbanks, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Randy Smith Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Randy Smith Middle School is 18.8:1, which is 24% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Randy Smith Middle School?
21.9% of students at Randy Smith Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Randy Smith Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Randy Smith Middle School is White at 58.8% of enrollment, in Fairbanks, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Randy Smith Middle School?
Randy Smith Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Randy Smith Middle School rank among middle schools in Fairbanks?
By Resource Investment Index, Randy Smith Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Fairbanks on the city page.
Is Randy Smith Middle School a good school?
Randy Smith Middle School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Randy Smith Middle School, 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.