Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 33 schools in district

Chinook Montessori Charter School

3002 International St, Fairbanks, AK 99701Fairbanks North Star Borough School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Charter
155
Students
Total enrolled
$19,103
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 33% vs nat'l
17.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 12% vs nat'l
30/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 40% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 155 students in grades KG–08 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
33% above average funding
District spends $19,103 per pupil, 33% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 30th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Chinook Montessori Charter School is a small elementary in Fairbanks, Alaska, serving grades KG–08 with 155 students. The district invests $19,103 per student — 33% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 2% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 30/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Chinook Montessori Charter School

155
Total Students
17.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
2%
Free Lunch
9
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution73 male · 82 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility2%
National avg 52% · 3 students
Student Composition
74%
9%
12%
White74%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black1%
Multiracial12%
Native American5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020060000162

Academic Outcomes at Chinook Montessori Charter School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
30
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 30th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99701

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,103Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,103
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,405
Student Support$3,630
Administration$2,292
Operations$2,865
Other$1,910
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,103 spent per student, an estimated $8,463 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
22%
State government
58.3%
Local (property tax)
22.1%
Federal programs
19.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,103/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 2% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (30/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Weller ElementaryArctic Light ElementaryCrawford ElementaryLadd Elementary
+14 more
↓
Middle
Tanana Middle SchoolRyan Middle SchoolNorth Pole Middle SchoolRandy Smith Middle School
↓
High School
West Valley High SchoolLathrop High SchoolNorth Pole High SchoolBen Eielson Jr/Sr High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyFairbanks North Star Borough
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictFairbanks North Star Borough School District →
Phone: (907)452-5020
NCES ID: 020060000162
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Fairbanks seeking a charter elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
High
West Valley High School
906 students · 09–12
24% FRL
High
Lathrop High School
886 students · 09–12
● 30 opp36% FRL
Other
Fairbanks B.E.S.T.
801 students · PK–12
● 30 opp0% FRL
High
North Pole High School
617 students · 09–12
29% FRL
Mid
Tanana Middle School
545 students · 06–08
● 30 opp40% FRL
Mid
Ryan Middle School
543 students · 06–08
● 30 opp47% FRL
Mid
North Pole Middle School
531 students · 06–08
39% FRL
Elem
Weller Elementary
467 students · PK–05
● 30 opp33% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3002 International St, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.