Paul Banks Elementary

As a cozy elementary school in Homer, Alaska, Paul Banks Elementary instructs 189 students from grades pre-K through 2, operated by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. That puts it 32% below the typical public school in Alaska, which averages around 277 students.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District comprises 42 schools with combined enrollment of 8,510 students; Paul Banks Elementary is among them.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Paul Banks Elementary shows that 74% of the student body identifies as White. Beyond that, the school reports 13% multiracial, 7% Native American, 5% Hispanic.

On the resource side, On paper, Paul Banks Elementary has 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.4:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 15.3:1 average. An estimated 41% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

Around the school, census data for Kenai Peninsula Borough shows median household income runs about $80,538, about 30% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. In all, Kenai Peninsula Borough runs 42 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,510 students), of which Paul Banks Elementary is one.

Homer Flex School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.5 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 5 other public schools.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Paul Banks Elementary's enrollment has shrank 14% since 2018, when it stood at 221 (now 189). Over the same period, the White share ticked down from 79% to 74%.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Paul Banks Elementary typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.