- Enrollment
- 1,188
- Students per teacher
- 74.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sterling, AK
Sterling Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sterling Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020039000173
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sterling Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 85% of Alaska schools.
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 8.8:1
- small classes for Alaska
- 40.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 114
- students enrolled
Sterling Elementary has class sizes smaller than 85% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020039000173 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-26 students YoY
Sterling Elementary shrank from 150 students in 2022-23 to 124 in 2023-24 (-17.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 13.0 → 11.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-26 students YoY 020039000173 · Sterling, AK Other · SMALL · TRAD
114 enr · 8.8:1 · 40.0% lunch · RII 24
Nearest enrollment peer: Connections (1,188 students)
Sterling Elementary shrank from 150 students in 2022-23 to 124 in 2023-24 (-17.3%). Teacher FTE lost 13.0 → 11.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alaska schools → · Find another →
Sterling Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Connections
Connections
1,188 students
- Soldotna High
Soldotna High School
695 students
- Kenai Central
Kenai Central High School
525 students
- Mt. View Eleme 449
Mt. View Elementary
449 students
- Kenai Middle S 408
Kenai Middle School
408 students
- This school 114
Sterling Elementary
114 students
What this shows Sterling Elementary reports 114 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sterling Elementary compares
Sterling Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.8:1 | ▼ 42% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.0% | ▼ 35% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 114 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.8:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
114
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
40.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.8:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 15% in Alaska - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
69.3%
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
$19,862
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,705
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 73.7%
Two or More 14.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%
Largest group: White at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.7, Sterling Elementary is about as mixed as the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
District finance for Kenai Peninsula Borough School District reports $19,862 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sterling Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connections | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soldotna High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenai Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mt. View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenai Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sterling Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~114 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sterling Elementary
How many students attend Sterling Elementary?
Sterling Elementary has 114 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sterling, AK. CCD year-over-year: 150 (2022-23) → 124 (2023-24), down 26.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary is 8.8:1, which is 42% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 44% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sterling Elementary?
40.0% of students at Sterling Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sterling Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sterling Elementary is White at 73.7% of enrollment, in Sterling, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sterling Elementary?
Sterling Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Kenai Peninsula Borough School District?
Besides Sterling Elementary, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District also operates Connections (1,188 students), Soldotna High School (695 students), and Kenai Central High School (525 students). See the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District district page for the complete list.