Is Palmer Middle School a good school?

Palmer Middle School ranks 57 th of 91 Alaska middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Palmer Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 594 students attended Palmer Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Palmer Middle School?

Students at Palmer Middle School are 65% White, 15% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 8% American Indian, 1% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

What high school do graduates of Palmer Middle School attend?

Students who attend Palmer Middle School usually go on to attend Palmer High School

Palmer Middle School

Summary:

Palmer Middle School is a public middle school located in Palmer, Alaska, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 594 students. The school is part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which is ranked 8th out of 24 districts in Alaska and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Palmer Middle School has a relatively diverse student population, with 65.15% White, 8.42% Hispanic, 8.42% Native American, and 15.32% two or more races, the school has struggled academically in recent years, ranking between 57th and 76th out of 91-95 middle schools in Alaska from 2020-2024. Its proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally lower than the district and state averages. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic and Native American students performing relatively well, but the school struggling with its White, Special Education, and Military Connected student populations.

Compared to the nearby Wasilla Middle School, Palmer Middle School has a higher percentage of students (45.45%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, Palmer Middle School spends $15,320 per student, which is higher than the $14,949 spent per student at Wasilla Middle School, yet the school's academic performance is worse. This suggests that factors beyond just funding, such as instructional quality, school leadership, and community engagement, may be contributing to the school's underperformance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1159 S Chugach
Palmer, AK 99645

(907) 761-4300

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
57^th of 91 Alaska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,320

Students who attend Palmer Middle School usually attend:

High:

Palmer High School

Feeder schools for Palmer Middle School:

Elementary:	Butte Elementary
	Sherrod Elementary
	Sutton Elementary
	Swanson Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 20.7

Number of students: 594

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.2%

Two or more races:

15.3%

Hispanic:

8.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.5%

See top rated Alaska middle schools

Compare Palmer Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palmer Middle School ranks worse than 62.6% of middle schools in Alaska. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.01. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (65.2%), two or more races (15.3%), American Indian (8.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 45.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmer Middle School is 20.7, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District! (See more...)

Compare Palmer Middle School employs 28.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmer Middle School is $15,320. 1 middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Palmer Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer Middle School 57^th of 91 Alaska public middle schools. (See Palmer Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Migrant students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District 8^th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Palmer Middle School?

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Rank History for Palmer Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	67.13	45^th	138	67.4%
2006	69.05	48^th	132	63.6%
2007	78.33	26^th	128	79.7%
2008	79.71	21^st	132	84.1%
2009	83.76	14^th	131	89.3%
2010	83.98	13^th	136	90.4%
2011	80.79	20^th	133	85.0%
2012	79.02	22^nd	135	83.7%
2013	76.55	30^th	136	77.9%
2014	74.68	34^th	138	75.4%
2015	57.50	59^th	151	60.9%
2017	41.43	55^th	88	37.5%
2018	43.61	59^th	96	38.5%
2019	31.17	70^th	99	29.3%
2021	27.73	65^th	84	22.6%
2022	20.77	76^th	95	20.0%
2023	29.77	67^th	92	27.2%
2024	39.01	57^th	91	37.4%

See the entire list of Alaska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2021	39.27	18^th	30	40.0%
2022	26.26	21^st	28	25.0%
2023	38.10	21^st	31	32.3%
2024	35.57	22^nd	31	29.0%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.01	9^th	11	18.2%
2024	22.76	14^th	14	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	37.33	38^th	64	40.6%
2021	35.71	28^th	43	34.9%
2022	34.33	25^th	43	41.9%
2023	36.24	35^th	55	36.4%
2024	44.33	27^th	54	50.0%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	43.39	12^th	24	50.0%
2021	42.85	4^th	10	60.0%
2022	28.61	7^th	12	41.7%
2023	17.24	18^th	20	10.0%
2024	32.71	12^th	20	40.0%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	34.43	54^th	74	27.0%
2021	37.91	36^th	57	36.8%
2022	22.81	51^st	66	22.7%
2023	33.74	46^th	66	30.3%
2024	44.90	40^th	69	42.0%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2021	49.54	6^th	14	57.1%
2022	9.36	17^th	17	0.0%
2023	37.19	12^th	17	29.4%
2024	46.42	8^th	14	42.9%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	27.17	56^th	73	23.3%
2021	23.84	49^th	62	21.0%
2022	19.93	54^th	68	20.6%
2023	26.79	56^th	72	22.2%
2024	31.71	47^th	72	34.7%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2022	32.25	12^th	19	36.8%
2023	34.03	14^th	21	33.3%
2024	70.29	5^th	26	80.8%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	42.40	23^rd	40	42.5%
2022	35.01	7^th	16	56.3%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Palmer Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	20.86	61^st	72	15.3%
2021	21.13	52^nd	58	10.3%
2022	14.55	61^st	69	11.6%
2023	20.65	59^th	75	21.3%
2024	28.58	56^th	74	24.3%

See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Palmer Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	449	1	3	1	32	n/a	n/a	0	486
1990	483	9	4	5	34	n/a	n/a	0	535
1991	499	16	5	5	50	n/a	n/a	0	575
1992	575	11	4	3	42	n/a	n/a	0	635
1993	633	5	4	4	41	n/a	n/a	0	687
1994	625	3	4	4	48	n/a	n/a	0	684
1995	658	6	7	11	64	n/a	n/a	7	753
1996	658	6	7	11	64	n/a	n/a	7	753
1997	644	5	5	14	58	n/a	n/a	0	726
1998	699	4	4	15	58	n/a	n/a	0	780
1999	683	9	7	11	68	n/a	n/a	0	778
2000	640	8	10	6	71	n/a	n/a	0	735
2001	606	9	8	10	79	n/a	n/a	0	712
2002	600	8	8	6	65	n/a	n/a	0	687
2003	600	8	8	6	65	n/a	n/a	0	687
2004	612	14	6	10	75	n/a	n/a	0	717
2005	551	14	8	12	69	n/a	n/a	0	654
2006	582	13	15	19	83	n/a	n/a	0	712
2007	547	14	12	9	67	n/a	n/a	0	649
2008	535	9	11	12	84	n/a	n/a	19	670
2009	512	8	6	16	70	3	16	0	631
2010	479	9	5	11	70	2	22	0	598
2011	476	6	6	13	63	2	9	0	575
2012	477	10	19	18	102	9	2	0	637
2013	437	13	23	18	108	5	1	0	605
2014	441	16	19	16	143	6	0	0	641
2015	406	17	13	16	131	7	0	0	590
2016	429	11	8	11	109	9	31	0	608
2017	384	13	7	15	105	7	30	0	561
2018	387	12	8	21	112	10	22	0	572
2019	367	15	9	32	109	8	23	0	563
2020	388	3	4	46	69	8	59	0	577
2021	326	4	5	34	51	8	63	0	491
2022	374	3	4	39	56	5	81	0	562
2023	387	2	7	50	50	7	91	0	594

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palmer Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	486	23.0	21.1	13.4
1990	535	25.5	20.9	11.6
1991	575	33.0	17.4	19.3
1992	635	33.0	19.2	9.6
1993	687	33.0	20.8	8.9
1994	684	33.0	20.7	8.9
1995	753	44.0	17.1	22.4
1996	753	44.0	17.1	22.4
1997	726	44.0	16.5	21.8
1998	780	43.0	18.1	30.1
1999	778	42.0	18.5	28.1
2000	735	37.5	19.6	30.1
2001	712	42.0	17.0	29.8
2002	687	45.0	15.3	33.2
2003	687	45.0	15.3	33.2
2004	717	40.5	17.7	32.8
2005	654	36.0	18.2	35.2
2006	712	41.0	17.4	37.9
2007	649	39.6	16.4	36.8
2008	670	37.5	17.9	38.7
2009	631	40.0	15.8	34.1
2010	598	38.8	15.4	35.6
2011	575	36.5	15.7	35.7
2012	637	33.5	19.0	41.6
2013	605	24.8	24.3	44.3
2014	641	30.2	21.1	41
2015	590	30.0	19.6	39.8
2016	608	32.0	19.0	40.3
2017	561	31.9	17.5	40.8
2018	572	29.7	19.2	44.9
2019	563	30.8	18.2	51.2
2020	577	27.0	21.3	47.8
2021	491	28.2	17.3	n/a
2022	562	30.0	18.7	n/a
2023	594	28.6	20.7	45.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Palmer Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	486	23.0	21.1	13.4
1990	535	25.5	20.9	11.6
1991	575	33.0	17.4	19.3
1992	635	33.0	19.2	9.6
1993	687	33.0	20.8	8.9
1994	684	33.0	20.7	8.9
1995	753	44.0	17.1	22.4
1996	753	44.0	17.1	22.4
1997	726	44.0	16.5	21.8
1998	780	43.0	18.1	30.1
1999	778	42.0	18.5	28.1
2000	735	37.5	19.6	30.1
2001	712	42.0	17.0	29.8
2002	687	45.0	15.3	33.2
2003	687	45.0	15.3	33.2
2004	717	40.5	17.7	32.8
2005	654	36.0	18.2	35.2
2006	712	41.0	17.4	37.9
2007	649	39.6	16.4	36.8
2008	670	37.5	17.9	38.7
2009	631	40.0	15.8	34.1
2010	598	38.8	15.4	35.6
2011	575	36.5	15.7	35.7
2012	637	33.5	19.0	41.6
2013	605	24.8	24.3	44.3
2014	641	30.2	21.1	41
2015	590	30.0	19.6	39.8
2016	608	32.0	19.0	40.3
2017	561	31.9	17.5	40.8
2018	572	29.7	19.2	44.9
2019	563	30.8	18.2	51.2
2020	577	27.0	21.3	47.8
2021	491	28.2	17.3	n/a
2022	562	30.0	18.7	n/a
2023	594	28.6	20.7	45.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palmer Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,484 (9.7%)	$13,836 (90.3%)	$15,320

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 70^th of 99 Middle schools	Ranks 67^th of 92 Middle schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade Science (Palmer Middle School)	50.7	38.4	12.3%
8th Grade Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)	48.6	41.4	7.2%
8th Grade Science (Alaska)	43.1	34.5	8.6%
All Grades Science (Palmer Middle School)	50.7	38.4	12.3%
All Grades Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)	51	46.5	4.5%
All Grades Science (Alaska)	44.7	36.9	7.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	563	594	5.5%
African American	15	2	86.7%
American Indian	109	50	54.1%
Asian	9	7	22.2%
Hispanic	32	50	56.3%
Pacific Islander	8	7	12.5%
White	367	387	5.4%
Two or More Races	23	91	295.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.2%	45.5%	5.7%

Schools Near Palmer Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAR English Language Arts (2024)				STAR Mathematics (2024)				ASA Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	STAR English Language Arts All Grades	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palmer Middle School	Public	6-8	1159 S Chugach	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 761-4300	594	29	20.7	45.5%	387 (65.2%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (8.4%)	7 (1.2%)	50 (8.4%)	7 (1.2%)	91 (15.3%)	39	57^th of 91 public middle schools	37.4%		29.8	67^th of 92 public middle schools	27.2%	10	43.6	34.3	34.8	37.7	37.4	34.3	33.3	35.1	35.3	35.3	$15,320	$1,484	$13,836
Wasilla Middle School	Public	6-8	650 Bogard Rd	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-5300	610	30	20.5	43.8%	383 (62.8%)	3 (0.5%)	43 (7.0%)	13 (2.1%)	63 (10.3%)	7 (1.1%)	98 (16.1%)	27.2	71^st of 91 public middle schools	22.0%		21.8	73^rd of 92 public middle schools	20.7%	2	31.8	28.6	26.3	29.1	24.5	35.8	34.0	31.0	33.3	33.3	$14,949	$1,705	$13,244
Mirror Lake Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	22901 Lake Hill Dr	Chugiak	99567	Anchorage Municipality	Anchorage School District	No	Yes	No	No	(907) 742-3500	563	29	19.6	21.0%	386 (68.6%)	5 (0.9%)	46 (8.2%)	15 (2.7%)	24 (4.3%)	5 (0.9%)	82 (14.6%)	55.7	42^nd of 91 public middle schools	53.8%		61.6	34^th of 92 public middle schools	63.0%	8	48.8	33.3	42.1	41.2	52.2	50.3	35.9	46.2	43.8	43.8	$12,619	$799	$11,819

Palmer Middle School

Palmer Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Palmer Middle School

Rank History for all students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Migrant students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for Native American students at Palmer Middle School

Rank History for White students at Palmer Middle School

Enrollment information for Palmer Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palmer Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Palmer Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palmer Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Palmer Middle School