Enrollment
143
Combined
DISTRICT 453 · STATE 192
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 020051000425
Valley Pathways
1150 North France Rd, Palmer, AK 99645 · (907) 761-4650 · Matanuska-Susitna Borough
GRADES PK–12COMBINED41-RURALTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL143 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
14.3:1
10 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 35.3:1 · STATE 27.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
69%
98 students
DISTRICT 53% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other combined schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 15 | 10% |
| Grade 10 | 28 | 20% |
| Grade 11 | 46 | 32% |
| Grade 12 | 54 | 38% |
Student demographics
57%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 51% · STATE 71% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
BeatsExpectations
Not computed for this schoolBeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →
Where Valley Pathways ranks
Among K-12 schools| Measure | This school | In Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 143 | #36 of 174 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 68.5% | #45 of 54 |
Ranked against other public K-12 schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
143
-14 (-9%) vs 2020
-31% since 2000-01, when it was 206
Student : Teacher
14.3:1
was 17.4:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 143 | 10 | 14.3:1 | 69% (98) |
| 2023-24 | 153 | 12 | 12.8:1 | 86% (131) |
| 2022-23 | 200 | 10.8 | 18.5:1 | 81% (162) |
| 2020-21 | 157 | 9 | 17.4:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 176 | 8.5 | 20.7:1 | 57% (101) |
| 2015-16 | 205 | 12 | 17.1:1 | 50% (103) |
| 2010-11 | 199 | 11 | 18.1:1 | 43% (86) |
| 2000-01 | 206 | 14 | 14.7:1 | 26% (54) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Valley Pathways.
Since 2017-18: students down 19% (176 to 143); teachers up 17% (8.5 to 10).
About Valley Pathways
Valley Pathways sits in Palmer, Alaska, and is classified as a school serving multiple grade levels. The school offers pre-K through 12 and enrolls 143 students. Across combined schools in Alaska, the average enrollment is about 192.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is responsible for 49 schools, Valley Pathways included, with 19,495 students in all.
More than half of enrollment at Valley Pathways is White: 62%. Next come 20% multiracial, 10% Native American, and 9% Hispanic. The county population is about 77% White. The diversity index for Valley Pathways is 57%. For US public schools as a whole it is 70%.
Valley Pathways has a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.3:1, with 10 full-time-equivalent teachers. Statewide, combined schools in Alaska average 27.0:1. The school has 69% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. It compares with 45% for public schools in Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
For Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Census Bureau data show the median household earns about $94,031 a year, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 7% of people live in poverty. Counting Valley Pathways, Matanuska-Susitna Borough has 49 public schools.
The closest school to Valley Pathways is Palmer High School, located about 1.4 miles away. Valley Pathways is one of several public schools in the area, with at least 8 others within five miles.
Valley Pathways has an NCES locale of Rural: Fringe.
The school shrank from 157 students in 2020-21 to 143 in 2024-25. The student-to-teacher ratio went down from 17.4:1 to 14.3:1.
This page is set up for the Valley Pathways community to discuss special education services, counseling, and support programs. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
112,988
Census ACS
Median income
$94,031
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
24%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
49
19,495 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
- Mat-Su Central SchoolCombined · 2,780 students
- Colony High SchoolHigh · 1,046 students
- Wasilla High SchoolHigh · 816 students
- Colony Middle SchoolElementary · 771 students
- Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High SchoolHigh · 705 students
- Teeland Middle SchoolElementary · 643 students
Other schools in Palmer
- Colony High SchoolHigh · 1,046 students
- Colony Middle SchoolElementary · 771 students
- Palmer High SchoolHigh · 616 students
- Palmer Middle SchoolMiddle · 563 students
- Pioneer Peak ElementaryElementary · 449 students
- Birchtree Charter SchoolElementary · 416 students
Nearby schools
- Palmer High School1.4 mi · 616
- Colony High School1.8 mi · 1,046
- Palmer Middle School1.9 mi · 563
- Colony Middle School2.1 mi · 771
- Mat-Su Secondary School2.1 mi · 10
- Mat-Su Middle College School2.5 mi · 222
Frequently asked questions
About Valley PathwaysHow many students attend Valley Pathways?
Valley Pathways enrolls approximately 143 students in grades PK-12.
Is Valley Pathways an elementary, middle, or high school?
Valley Pathways is a combined-grade school covering grades PK-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Pathways?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Valley Pathways is approximately 14.3:1 (10 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Valley Pathways?
Valley Pathways reports a student body of 62% White, 9% Hispanic, 20% Two or more.
Is Valley Pathways public or private?
Valley Pathways is a public K-12 school, overseen by Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.