Enrollment
523
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fairbanks, AK
Tanana Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Tanana Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 020060000277
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tanana Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Alaska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Fairbanks · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Alaska
- 26.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Tanana Middle School has class sizes larger than 88% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tanana Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Fairbanks, AK.
School address
District: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020060000277 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.8%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tanana Middle School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tanana Middle School
Tanana Middle School is a large middle school in Fairbanks, Alaska, enrolling 523 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 88% of Alaska schools and 32% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alaska, bigger than 90% of state schools at 523 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 495 scored Alaska schools.
Against 58 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #37.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Two or More (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 523 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.8% 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fairbanks's middle schools, it stands alongside Ryan Middle School (463 students): Tanana Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 15.4:1).
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District also operates Lathrop High School (788 students) and Fairbanks B.E.S.T. (784 students) alongside Tanana 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 Tanana Middle School compares
Tanana 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 | 20.1:1 | ▲ 32% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.8% | ▼ 56% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 523 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
523
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Alaska - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.8%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 523 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 50.3%
Two or More 17.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.9%
African American 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.2%
Asian 2.7%
Largest group: White at 50.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.8, Tanana 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 Tanana 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 Tanana Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lathrop High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fairbanks B.E.S.T. | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| West Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Pole High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Pole Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tanana 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 (~523 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tanana Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Tanana 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 Tanana Middle School
How many students attend Tanana Middle School?
Tanana Middle School has 523 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fairbanks, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tanana Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Tanana Middle School is 20.1:1, which is 32% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tanana Middle School?
26.8% of students at Tanana Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tanana Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Tanana Middle School is White at 50.3% of enrollment, in Fairbanks, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tanana Middle School?
Tanana Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Tanana Middle School rank among middle schools in Fairbanks?
By Resource Investment Index, Tanana Middle School ranks #3 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 Tanana Middle School a good school?
Tanana Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Alaska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Tanana 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.