Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 47 schools in district

Palmer High School

1170 W Bogard Rd, Palmer, AK 99645Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
760
Students
Total enrolled
92%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 6% vs nat'l
$18,753
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 31% vs nat'l
18.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 18% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 29% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 760 students in grades 09–12 in Palmer, Alaska.
31% above average funding
District spends $18,753 per pupil, 31% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Palmer High School is a large high in Palmer, Alaska, serving grades 09–12 with 760 students. The district invests $18,753 per student — 31% above the national average of $14,347, with a 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 33% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Palmer High School

760
Total Students
18.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
33%
Free Lunch
42
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution427 male · 333 female
56%
44%
Male 56%Female 44%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility33%
National avg 52% · 253 students
Student Composition
68%
8%
13%
9%
Asian1%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Multiracial13%
Native American9%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020051000227

Academic Outcomes at Palmer High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
90-94
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
92%
State avg
72%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 11th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99645

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,753Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,753
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,251
Student Support$3,563
Administration$2,250
Operations$2,813
Other$1,875
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,753 spent per student, an estimated $8,308 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
63%
23%
State government
62.7%
Local (property tax)
22.6%
Federal programs
14.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 92% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $18,753/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — 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
John Shaw ElementaryPioneer Peak ElementaryFred and Sara Machetanz Elementary SchoolCottonwood Creek Elementary
+14 more
↓
Middle
Colony Middle SchoolTeeland Middle SchoolWasilla Middle SchoolPalmer Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
Colony High SchoolWasilla High SchoolMat-Su Career & Tech Ed High SchoolJoe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMatanuska-Susitna Borough
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMatanuska-Susitna Borough School District →
Phone: (907)746-8400
NCES ID: 020051000227
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Palmer seeking a public high 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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
Other
Mat-Su Central School
2,254 students · KG–12
● 36 opp0% FRL
High
Colony High School
1,117 students · 09–12
● 36 opp29% FRL
High
Wasilla High School
848 students · 09–12
● 36 opp35% FRL
High
Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School
743 students · 09–12
● 36 opp24% FRL
Mid
Colony Middle School
735 students · 06–08
● 36 opp31% FRL
Mid
Teeland Middle School
719 students · 06–08
● 36 opp41% FRL
Mid
Wasilla Middle School
610 students · 06–08
● 36 opp44% FRL
Mid
Palmer Middle School
594 students · 06–08
● 36 opp45% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1170 W Bogard Rd, Palmer, AK 99645
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.