Enrollment
348
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palmer, AK
Swanson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Swanson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020051000233
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Swanson Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Palmer · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 38.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Swanson Elementary has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Palmer, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000233 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Swanson Elementary compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Swanson Elementary
Swanson Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Palmer, Alaska, enrolling 348 students.
At 15.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alaska median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 348 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 59 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alaska schools statewide, it ranks #51, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Two or More (18%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.6% 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 Pioneer Peak Elementary (449 students): Swanson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 16:1).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students) and Colony High School (1,046 students) alongside Swanson 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 Swanson Elementary compares
Swanson 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 | 15.1:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▼ 37% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 57% in Alaska - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
71.6%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 62.4%
Two or More 18.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.8%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: White at 62.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.3, Swanson Elementary is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which includes Swanson 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 Swanson 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Swanson 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.
Pioneer Peak Elementary
Standard public school
449 students 16:1 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 (~348 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Swanson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Swanson 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 Swanson Elementary
How many students attend Swanson Elementary?
Swanson Elementary has 348 students enrolled. It is a public school in Palmer, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Swanson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Swanson Elementary is 15.1:1, which is 1% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 4% 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 Swanson Elementary?
38.9% of students at Swanson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Swanson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Swanson Elementary is White at 62.4% of enrollment, in Palmer, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Swanson Elementary?
Swanson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Swanson Elementary rank among schools in Palmer?
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Elementary ranks #5 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 Swanson Elementary a good school?
Swanson Elementary earns 25/100 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 Swanson 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.