Finger Lake Elementary

Summary:

Finger Lake Elementary is a public elementary school in Wasilla, Alaska, serving 425 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. The school has a relatively diverse student population, with 66.12% White, 8% Hispanic, 7.06% Native American, and 16.71% two or more races. While Finger Lake Elementary has shown strong academic performance in the past, ranking as high as 19th out of 185 Alaska elementary schools in 2018-2019, its ranking has fluctuated in recent years, dropping to 96th out of 173 schools in 2023-2024 with a 2-star rating.

Finger Lake Elementary has performed particularly well with its Native American student population, ranking 2nd out of 50 Alaska elementary schools in this category in 2018-2019. However, its performance with other student groups, such as female students, male students, and white students, has been more variable in recent years. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 42.82% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than some nearby schools like Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School (23.57%) and Fronteras Charter School (0.92%).

The analysis of Finger Lake Elementary's data reveals a complex picture, with both strengths and areas for improvement. While the school has excelled with its Native American student population, it has struggled with the performance of other student groups in recent years. Additionally, the school's fluctuating academic performance and relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch suggest that the school and district may need to focus on addressing specific challenges and developing targeted interventions to support the success of all students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 5981 Eek St
       Wasilla, AK  99654


(907) 864-2200

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
96th of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,619 Help


Students who attend Finger Lake Elementary usually attend:

Elementary:    Colony Middle School
High:    Colony High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.0 Help
Number of students:  425

Racial breakdown:

White:
66.1%
Two or more races:
16.7%
Hispanic:
8.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  42.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Finger Lake Elementary ranks worse than 55.5% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 20th among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.75. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (66.1%), two or more races (16.7%), Hispanic (8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 42.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Finger Lake Elementary is 17. 13 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Finger Lake Elementary employs 25 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Finger Lake Elementary is $13,619. 24 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Finger Lake Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Finger Lake Elementary 96th of 173 Alaska public elementary schools. (See Finger Lake Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary 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:
White students:


Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District:

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


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Rank History for Finger Lake Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 72.69 54th 213 74.6%
2006 74.61 49th 218 77.5%
2007 78.86 28th 212 86.8%
2008 79.34 24th 219 89.0%
2009 77.01 38th 226 83.2%
2010 83.45 12th 229 94.8%
2011 74.93 49th 223 78.0%
2012 72.59 57th 227 74.9%
2013 69.34 68th 223 69.5%
2014 67.65 77th 218 64.7%
2015 63.00 80th 246 67.5%
2017 78.71 27th 180 85.0%
2018 83.68 20th 186 89.2%
2019 84.17 19th 185 89.7%
2021 74.90 37th 173 78.6%
2022 34.53 116th 171 32.2%
2023 55.47 75th 176 57.4%
2024 47.75 96th 173 44.5%
See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 31.46 45th 58 22.4%
2023 31.80 56th 74 24.3%
2024 37.35 49th 68 27.9%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 56.50 5th 16 68.8%
2024 34.97 17th 27 37.0%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 83.53 13th 147 91.2%
2021 72.03 25th 110 77.3%
2022 38.44 63rd 104 39.4%
2023 45.72 63rd 119 47.1%
2024 45.33 73rd 122 40.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 22.97 25th 28 10.7%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 79.55 26th 159 83.6%
2021 77.77 20th 141 85.8%
2022 29.67 104th 143 27.3%
2023 44.45 78th 152 48.7%
2024 46.69 75th 142 47.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 45.82 15th 27 44.4%
2024 15.35 22nd 23 4.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 83.57 16th 159 89.9%
2021 62.60 46th 142 67.6%
2022 29.97 109th 148 26.4%
2023 60.95 50th 148 66.2%
2024 39.84 95th 150 36.7%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.52 2nd 50 96.0%
2021 69.20 7th 22 68.2%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Finger Lake Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 80.60 17th 147 88.4%
2021 59.27 43rd 127 66.1%
2022 11.04 134th 137 2.2%
2023 48.65 71st 138 48.6%
2024 37.07 90th 133 32.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Elementary 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.

Finger Lake Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Finger Lake Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 327 5 0 0 21 n/a n/a -9 344
1990 378 8 0 3 35 n/a n/a 0 424
1991 391 5 0 7 42 n/a n/a 0 445
1992 403 2 1 5 44 n/a n/a -65 390
1993 435 4 2 6 47 n/a n/a 0 494
1994 426 3 3 6 51 n/a n/a 0 489
1995 483 3 4 4 36 n/a n/a 13 543
1996 483 3 4 4 36 n/a n/a 13 543
1997 507 4 2 7 44 n/a n/a 0 564
1998 517 3 7 6 44 n/a n/a 0 577
1999 469 5 7 6 38 n/a n/a 0 525
2000 434 3 2 8 37 n/a n/a 0 484
2001 505 1 3 10 41 n/a n/a 0 560
2002 326 3 5 7 41 n/a n/a 0 382
2003 326 3 5 7 41 n/a n/a 0 382
2004 335 5 2 6 33 n/a n/a 0 381
2005 387 5 1 7 42 n/a n/a 0 442
2006 404 5 2 12 58 n/a n/a 0 481
2007 362 5 1 11 52 n/a n/a 0 431
2008 301 6 4 13 46 n/a n/a 19 389
2009 322 2 5 8 66 0 17 0 420
2010 276 6 0 5 44 0 18 0 349
2011 247 4 3 8 42 1 10 0 315
2012 223 5 8 13 65 1 0 0 315
2013 211 7 4 14 64 3 0 0 303
2014 213 4 6 14 65 5 0 0 307
2015 176 9 5 11 62 7 0 0 270
2016 234 6 6 10 65 3 16 0 340
2017 277 7 7 10 58 4 16 0 379
2018 293 4 7 11 69 7 21 0 412
2019 290 2 4 14 60 5 31 0 406
2020 290 2 4 54 49 1 59 0 459
2021 239 1 3 42 46 1 59 0 391
2022 261 2 6 36 41 1 74 0 421
2023 281 6 3 34 30 0 71 0 425

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 Finger Lake Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 344 24.5 14.0 11.9
1990 424 26.5 16.0 10.1
1991 445 28.3 15.7 n/a
1992 390 28.3 13.7 n/a
1993 494 28.3 17.5 n/a
1994 489 28.3 17.3 n/a
1995 543 29.0 18.7 18.1
1996 543 29.0 18.7 18.1
1997 564 29.0 19.4 17.7
1998 577 31.0 18.6 27
1999 525 32.0 16.4 26.3
2000 484 30.5 15.9 22.9
2001 560 30.0 18.7 24.5
2002 382 24.0 15.9 22.8
2003 382 24.0 15.9 22.8
2004 381 25.0 15.2 28.3
2005 442 26.0 17.0 24.9
2006 481 30.0 16.0 28.5
2007 431 31.1 13.9 29.7
2008 389 27.0 14.4 33.5
2009 420 26.5 15.8 30.2
2010 349 25.0 13.9 33.2
2011 315 22.7 13.8 35.2
2012 315 19.9 15.7 37.1
2013 303 14.6 20.6 40.3
2014 307 18.4 16.6 39.1
2015 270 17.0 15.8 38.5
2016 340 21.0 16.1 35.3
2017 379 23.2 16.3 41.4
2018 412 24.5 16.8 39.3
2019 406 23.3 17.3 42.1
2020 459 23.9 19.1 32.2
2021 391 28.0 13.9 n/a
2022 421 26.3 15.9 n/a
2023 425 25.0 17.0 42.8

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 Finger Lake Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 344 24.5 14.0 11.9
1990 424 26.5 16.0 10.1
1991 445 28.3 15.7 n/a
1992 390 28.3 13.7 n/a
1993 494 28.3 17.5 n/a
1994 489 28.3 17.3 n/a
1995 543 29.0 18.7 18.1
1996 543 29.0 18.7 18.1
1997 564 29.0 19.4 17.7
1998 577 31.0 18.6 27
1999 525 32.0 16.4 26.3
2000 484 30.5 15.9 22.9
2001 560 30.0 18.7 24.5
2002 382 24.0 15.9 22.8
2003 382 24.0 15.9 22.8
2004 381 25.0 15.2 28.3
2005 442 26.0 17.0 24.9
2006 481 30.0 16.0 28.5
2007 431 31.1 13.9 29.7
2008 389 27.0 14.4 33.5
2009 420 26.5 15.8 30.2
2010 349 25.0 13.9 33.2
2011 315 22.7 13.8 35.2
2012 315 19.9 15.7 37.1
2013 303 14.6 20.6 40.3
2014 307 18.4 16.6 39.1
2015 270 17.0 15.8 38.5
2016 340 21.0 16.1 35.3
2017 379 23.2 16.3 41.4
2018 412 24.5 16.8 39.3
2019 406 23.3 17.3 42.1
2020 459 23.9 19.1 32.2
2021 391 28.0 13.9 n/a
2022 421 26.3 15.9 n/a
2023 425 25.0 17.0 42.8

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 Finger Lake Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,424 (10.5%) $12,195 (89.5%) $13,619

Data source: Alaska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Finger Lake Elementary

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 19th of 185 Elementary schoolsRanks 75th of 176 Elementary schools
 32.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
All Grades Science (Finger Lake Elementary)52.662.9
 10.3%
   All Grades Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)5146.5
 4.5%
   All Grades Science (Alaska)44.736.9
 7.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students406425
 4.7%
African American26
 200%
American Indian6030
 50%
Asian43
 25%
Hispanic1434
 142.9%
Pacific Islander50
 100%
White290281
 3.1%
Two or More Races3171
 129%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients42.1%42.8%
 0.7%


Schools Near Finger Lake Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Finger Lake Elementary

Students who attend Finger Lake Elementary usually go on to attend:

Elementary : Colony Middle School
High : Colony High School

Students at Finger Lake Elementary are 66% White, 17% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 7% American Indian, 1% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 425 students attended Finger Lake Elementary.

Finger Lake Elementary ranks 96th of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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