Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 42 schools in district

Fireweed Academy

995 Soundview Ave, Homer, AK 99603Kenai Peninsula Borough School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–06Charter
107
Students
Total enrolled
$20,460
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 43% vs nat'l
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 7% vs nat'l
34/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 33% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 107 students in grades KG–06 in Homer, Alaska.
43% above average funding
District spends $20,460 per pupil, 43% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 34th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Fireweed Academy is a small elementary in Homer, Alaska, serving grades KG–06 with 107 students. The district invests $20,460 per student — 43% above the national average of $14,347, with a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 34/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Fireweed Academy

107
Total Students
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
36%
Free Lunch
8
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution49 male · 58 female
46%
54%
Male 46%Female 54%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility36%
National avg 52% · 39 students
Student Composition
82%
Asian1%
White82%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Multiracial7%
Native American5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020039000296

Academic Outcomes at Fireweed Academy

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
34
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 34th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 7th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99603

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,460Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,460
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,003
Student Support$3,887
Administration$2,455
Operations$3,069
Other$2,046
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,460 spent per student, an estimated $9,064 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
55%
29%
State government
54.5%
Local (property tax)
29.3%
Federal programs
16.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,460/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (34/100) — 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
Kalifornsky Beach ElementaryMt. View ElementaryRedoubt ElementarySoldotna Elementary
+11 more
↓
Middle
Kenai Middle SchoolSkyview Middle SchoolHomer Middle SchoolSeward Middle School
↓
High School
Soldotna High SchoolKenai Central High SchoolHomer High SchoolNikiski Middle/Senior High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 06
Location—
CountyKenai Peninsula Borough
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictKenai Peninsula Borough School District →
Phone: (907)226-1260
NCES ID: 020039000296
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Homer 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 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Other
Connections
1,036 students · KG–12
● 45 opp0% FRL
High
Soldotna High School
707 students · 09–12
● 45 opp26% FRL
High
Kenai Central High School
463 students · 09–12
● 46 opp32% FRL
Elem
Kalifornsky Beach Elementary
412 students · PK–06
● 45 opp42% FRL
Mid
Kenai Middle School
411 students · 06–08
● 46 opp38% FRL
Elem
Mt. View Elementary
403 students · PK–05
● 46 opp51% FRL
Mid
Skyview Middle School
374 students · 07–08
● 45 opp38% FRL
High
Homer High School
368 students · 09–12
● 34 opp24% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
995 Soundview Ave, Homer, AK 99603
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.