Enrollment
298
Alaska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Anchorage, AK
Whaley School
Federal NCES profile for Whaley School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020018000121
👥 S:T ratio 76
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whaley School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Alaska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alaska schools.
- #35 of 59
- schools in Anchorage · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 6:1
- small classes for Alaska
- 78.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Whaley School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Alaska schools. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whaley School ranks #35 of 59 schools in Anchorage, AK.
School address
District: Anchorage School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020018000121 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6:1
vs 15.2:1 Alaska avg
-61% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.2%
vs 61.5% Alaska avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whaley School compares with Alaska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whaley School
Whaley School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Anchorage, Alaska, enrolling 298 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6:1, Whaley School is leaner than roughly 93% of Alaska schools and 61% under the state's 15.2:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 78.2% lands close to the Alaska typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 298 puts it in the larger third of Alaska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 495 scored Alaska schools.
Against 25 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 68.5% 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): Whaley School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6:1 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 Whaley 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 Whaley School compares
Whaley 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 | 6:1 | ▼ 61% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.2% | ▲ 27% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Alaska average of 61.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
6:1
students per teacher
- 61% below state mean
Top 7% in Alaska - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
68.5%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.1 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 33.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 25.8%
Two or More 16.8%
Asian 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
African American 4.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.0%
Largest group: White at 33.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.6, Whaley School is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anchorage School District, which includes Whaley 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 Whaley School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Service High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bartlett High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dimond High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whaley 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
Polaris K-12 School
Standard public school
483 students 19.3:1 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 (~298 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whaley School's federal record.
- Compare Whaley 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 Whaley School
How many students attend Whaley School?
Whaley School has 298 students enrolled. It is a public school in Anchorage, AK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whaley School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whaley School is 6:1, which is 61% lower than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 62% 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 Whaley School?
78.2% of students at Whaley School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whaley School?
The largest demographic group at Whaley School is White at 33.9% of enrollment, in Anchorage, AK. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whaley School?
Whaley School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Whaley School rank among schools in Anchorage?
By Resource Investment Index, Whaley School ranks #35 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 Whaley School a good school?
Whaley School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Anchorage School District?
Besides Whaley 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.