Burchell High School

Summary:

Burchell High School is a public high school in Wasilla, Alaska, serving 208 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. However, the school consistently underperforms academically compared to other high schools in the district and state, ranking in the bottom half of Alaska schools with a 0-1 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Burchell High School's academic challenges are evident in its significantly lower test scores across subjects and grade levels compared to district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 13.16% of Burchell students were proficient or better in science, while the district and state averages were 46.93% and 36.94%, respectively. The school's performance on student subgroups, such as female and White students, is also concerning, ranking among the lowest in the state. Additionally, Burchell has a high percentage of students (60.1%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a relatively high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

When comparing Burchell High School to nearby schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, it consistently underperforms. Schools like Palmer High School, Colony High School, and Mat-Su Career & Technical Educational High School all have significantly higher academic performance, test scores, and statewide rankings than Burchell. Addressing the root causes of Burchell's academic challenges, such as resource allocation, instructional practices, and support for disadvantaged students, could be crucial steps in improving student outcomes at the school.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1775 W Parks Hwy
Wasilla, AK 99654

(907) 864-2600

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
58^th of 63 Alaska High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,979

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 208

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.1%

American Indian:

17.8%

Two or more races:

16.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.1%

See top rated Alaska high schools

Compare Burchell High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Burchell High School ranks worse than 92.1% of high schools in Alaska. It also ranks last among 8 ranked high schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.18. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Burchell High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (59.1%), American Indian (17.8%), two or more races (16.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Burchell High School is 16, which is the 4^th best among 8 high schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Burchell High School employs 13 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Burchell High School is $23,979, which is the 2^nd highest among 8 high schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Burchell High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Burchell High School 58^th of 63 Alaska public high schools. (See Burchell High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

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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Rank History for Burchell High School

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Rank History for all students at Burchell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	18.59	89^th	116	23.3%
2006	43.29	73^rd	135	45.9%
2007	44.55	72^nd	139	48.2%
2008	33.53	99^th	151	34.4%
2009	41.94	80^th	151	47.0%
2010	40.04	79^th	140	43.6%
2011	37.14	76^th	142	46.5%
2012	48.85	63^rd	136	53.7%
2013	57.92	57^th	148	61.5%
2014	37.89	80^th	139	42.4%
2015	24.09	91^st	135	32.6%
2017	18.43	68^th	83	18.1%
2018	14.45	67^th	74	9.5%
2019	16.99	69^th	77	10.4%
2021	8.63	58^th	61	4.9%
2023	8.90	59^th	62	4.8%
2024	11.18	58^th	63	7.9%

See the entire list of Alaska High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Burchell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	24.81	46^th	55	16.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Burchell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	12.38	50^th	54	7.4%
2023	7.55	51^st	54	5.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Burchell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	34.52	42^nd	58	27.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Burchell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AK State Percentile
2019	4.14	56^th	56	0.0%
2021	8.86	41^st	43	4.7%
2024	14.89	42^nd	46	8.7%

See the entire list of Best Alaska High 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 Burchell High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	83	0	0	0	12	n/a	n/a	0	95
1993	89	0	0	1	16	n/a	n/a	0	106
1994	94	1	2	3	28	n/a	n/a	0	128
1995	118	5	0	3	17	n/a	n/a	3	146
1996	118	5	0	3	17	n/a	n/a	3	146
1997	155	2	0	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	170
1998	154	1	0	6	13	n/a	n/a	0	174
1999	183	0	0	4	19	n/a	n/a	0	206
2000	179	0	1	10	25	n/a	n/a	0	215
2001	199	0	0	7	26	n/a	n/a	0	232
2002	225	3	3	8	45	n/a	n/a	0	284
2003	225	3	3	8	45	n/a	n/a	0	284
2004	218	4	3	8	45	n/a	n/a	0	278
2005	200	2	1	7	50	n/a	n/a	0	260
2006	180	3	1	5	49	n/a	n/a	0	238
2007	196	4	3	6	47	n/a	n/a	0	256
2008	167	0	1	10	37	n/a	n/a	1	216
2009	168	1	0	5	38	0	3	0	215
2010	167	2	1	9	52	1	5	0	237
2011	192	2	5	3	61	4	4	0	271
2012	168	5	3	3	73	3	3	0	258
2013	106	3	1	6	55	3	1	0	175
2014	157	2	4	22	76	4	0	0	265
2015	191	5	3	9	69	8	0	0	285
2016	209	3	2	11	68	9	16	0	318
2017	166	3	3	4	65	7	10	0	258
2018	138	0	2	3	49	7	10	0	209
2019	133	3	3	2	33	4	12	0	190
2020	135	2	2	9	32	3	22	0	205
2021	125	3	0	11	23	2	33	0	197
2022	150	0	2	13	33	4	33	0	235
2023	123	3	1	8	37	1	35	0	208

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 Burchell High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	95	7.0	13.5	n/a
1993	106	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	128	7.0	18.3	n/a
1995	146	11.5	12.7	26.6
1996	146	11.5	12.7	26.6
1997	170	11.5	14.8	30.6
1998	174	11.0	15.8	0
1999	206	12.0	17.2	n/a
2000	215	12.0	17.9	20
2001	232	12.0	19.3	28.4
2002	284	13.0	21.8	34.5
2003	284	13.0	21.8	34.5
2004	278	11.0	25.3	52.9
2005	260	10.0	26.0	62.7
2006	238	13.0	18.3	73.9
2007	256	12.5	20.5	55.9
2008	216	11.0	19.6	67.9
2009	215	11.5	18.7	62.8
2010	237	14.0	16.9	63.3
2011	271	17.4	15.4	70.1
2012	258	18.8	13.6	67.4
2013	175	8.3	20.8	74.9
2014	265	13.0	20.2	66
2015	285	14.0	20.3	100
2016	318	17.0	18.7	100
2017	258	16.0	16.1	100
2018	209	14.5	14.3	100
2019	190	12.0	15.8	110
2020	205	12.0	17.0	98.5
2021	197	10.8	18.1	n/a
2022	235	10.8	21.7	n/a
2023	208	13.0	16.0	60.1

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 Burchell High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	95	7.0	13.5	n/a
1993	106	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	128	7.0	18.3	n/a
1995	146	11.5	12.7	26.6
1996	146	11.5	12.7	26.6
1997	170	11.5	14.8	30.6
1998	174	11.0	15.8	0
1999	206	12.0	17.2	n/a
2000	215	12.0	17.9	20
2001	232	12.0	19.3	28.4
2002	284	13.0	21.8	34.5
2003	284	13.0	21.8	34.5
2004	278	11.0	25.3	52.9
2005	260	10.0	26.0	62.7
2006	238	13.0	18.3	73.9
2007	256	12.5	20.5	55.9
2008	216	11.0	19.6	67.9
2009	215	11.5	18.7	62.8
2010	237	14.0	16.9	63.3
2011	271	17.4	15.4	70.1
2012	258	18.8	13.6	67.4
2013	175	8.3	20.8	74.9
2014	265	13.0	20.2	66
2015	285	14.0	20.3	100
2016	318	17.0	18.7	100
2017	258	16.0	16.1	100
2018	209	14.5	14.3	100
2019	190	12.0	15.8	110
2020	205	12.0	17.0	98.5
2021	197	10.8	18.1	n/a
2022	235	10.8	21.7	n/a
2023	208	13.0	16.0	60.1

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 Burchell High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$5,024 (21.0%)	$18,955 (79.0%)	$23,979

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Burchell High 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 69^th of 77 High schools	Ranks 59^th of 62 High schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Science (Burchell High School)	41.2	18.8	22.4%
10th Grade Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)	59.5	39.7	19.8%
10th Grade Science (Alaska)	53.6	33	20.6%
All Grades Science (Burchell High School)	41.2	18.8	22.4%
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	190	208	9.5%
African American	3	3
American Indian	33	37	12.1%
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	2	8	300%
Pacific Islander	4	1	75%
White	133	123	7.5%
Two or More Races	12	35	191.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	110%	60.1%	49.9%

Schools Near Burchell High 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 9th Grade	STAR English Language Arts All Grades	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAR Mathematics 9th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science 10th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Burchell High School	Public	9-12	1775 W Parks Hwy	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-2600	208	13	16.0	60.1%	123 (59.1%)	3 (1.4%)	8 (3.8%)	1 (0.5%)	37 (17.8%)	1 (0.5%)	35 (16.8%)	11.2	58^th of 63 public high schools	7.9%		8.9	59^th of 62 public high schools	4.8%	1				21.1	21.1				16.7	16.7		13.2	13.2	$23,979	$5,024	$18,955
Wasilla High School	Public	9-12	701 E Bogard Rd	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-8200	848	47	18.1	35.4%	554 (65.3%)	8 (0.9%)	59 (7.0%)	12 (1.4%)	83 (9.8%)	8 (0.9%)	124 (14.6%)	44.3	38^th of 63 public high schools	39.7%		47.5	30^th of 62 public high schools	51.6%	8				39.6	39.6				22.6	22.6		30.7	30.7	$14,988	$1,108	$13,880
Mat-Su Career & Technical Educational High School	Public	9-12	2472 N Seward Meridian Pkwy	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 352-0400	743	42	17.5	23.8%	557 (75.0%)	4 (0.5%)	53 (7.1%)	8 (1.1%)	42 (5.7%)	5 (0.7%)	74 (10.0%)	74.8	12^th of 63 public high schools	81.0%		61.4	20^th of 62 public high schools	67.7%	8				43.2	43.2				42.2	42.2		42.9	42.9	$12,208	$273	$11,935
Mat-Su Middle College School	Public	8-12	8295 East College Drive	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 746-8485	182	2	91.0	1.6%	122 (67.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (11.0%)	5 (2.7%)	12 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (12.6%)								(n/a)														$12,676	$94	$12,582
Joe Redington Senior Junior/Senior High School	Public	6-12	10015 W Redington School Rd	Wasilla	99623	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-5400	556	31	17.7	67.3%	309 (55.6%)	6 (1.1%)	49 (8.8%)	9 (1.6%)	69 (12.4%)	7 (1.3%)	107 (19.2%)	14.6	55^th of 63 public high schools	12.7%		20.5	49^th of 62 public high schools	21.0%	6	29.4	28.8	23.5	26.8	27.3	34.1	23.3	24.3	8.3	23.7	29.0	21.4	25.2	$15,358	$1,294	$14,063
Houston High School	Public	9-12	12501 W Hawk Lane	Big Lake	99652	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 892-9400	358	24	14.9	56.7%	230 (64.2%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.6%)	5 (1.4%)	41 (11.5%)	3 (0.8%)	58 (16.2%)	30	45^th of 63 public high schools	28.6%		11.7	56^th of 62 public high schools	9.7%	11				35.3	35.3				12.9	12.9		29.6	29.6	$20,488	$2,810	$17,678
Colony High School	Public	9-12	9550 E Bogard Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 861-5500	1,117	56	20.1	29.1%	760 (68.0%)	10 (0.9%)	92 (8.2%)	20 (1.8%)	83 (7.4%)	3 (0.3%)	149 (13.3%)	64.7	18^th of 63 public high schools	71.4%		66.7	17^th of 62 public high schools	72.6%	1				43.9	43.9				28.0	28.0		43.0	43.0	$12,195	$658	$11,537
Palmer High School	Public	9-12	1170 W Bogard Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 746-8400	760	42	18.0	33.3%	518 (68.2%)	3 (0.4%)	61 (8.0%)	5 (0.7%)	72 (9.5%)	5 (0.7%)	96 (12.6%)	33	44^th of 63 public high schools	30.2%		45.9	32^nd of 62 public high schools	48.4%	12				23.4	23.4				20.8	20.8		36.9	36.9	$16,102	$824	$15,278
Mat-Su Secondary School	Public	6-12	581 S Outer Springer Lp	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 761-7238	13	1	13.0	23.1%	6 (46.2%)	1 (7.7%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (15.4%)	1 (7.7%)	2 (15.4%)								(n/a)														$35,056	$3,389	$31,667
Chugiak High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	16525 S Birchwood Loop Rd	Chugiak	99567	Anchorage Municipality	Anchorage School District	No	Yes	No	No	(907) 742-3050	905	43	21.2	19.1%	602 (66.5%)	10 (1.1%)	77 (8.5%)	23 (2.5%)	51 (5.6%)	19 (2.1%)	123 (13.6%)	58.7	25^th of 63 public high schools	60.3%		70.5	16^th of 62 public high schools	74.2%	9				41.0	41.0				27.1	27.1		40.4	40.4	$15,696	$1,013	$14,683

Frequently Asked Questions about Burchell High School

How many students attend Burchell High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 208 students attended Burchell High School.

What district is Burchell High School in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

Is Burchell High School a good school?

Burchell High School ranks in the bottom 7.9% of Alaska high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Burchell High School?

Students at Burchell High School are 59% White, 18% American Indian, 17% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 1% African American.

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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.