Sutton Elementary

Q: Is Sutton Elementary a good school?

Sutton Elementary ranks 53 rd of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Sutton Elementary is a small public elementary school in Sutton, Alaska, serving grades PK-5 with an enrollment of 51 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.

Sutton Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (64.71%) compared to the state average, as well as a higher percentage of students identifying as two or more races (25.49%). The school's performance and ranking have been inconsistent over the years, ranging from 24th out of 176 Alaska elementary schools in 2022-2023 to 138th out of 185 in 2018-2019. However, Sutton Elementary generally outperforms the state and district averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency, particularly in the 3rd and 4th grades, though its Science proficiency lags behind. The school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 76.47% in the 2022-2023 school year, and a relatively low student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools.

When compared to other schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, such as John Shaw Elementary, Fronteras Charter School, and Finger Lake Elementary, Sutton Elementary generally performs better in English Language Arts and Mathematics, but lags behind in Science proficiency. This suggests a need to focus on strengthening the school's science curriculum and instruction to better serve its diverse and economically disadvantaged student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

11672 N Wright Way
Sutton, AK 99674

(907) 861-5600

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
53^rd of 173 Alaska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $25,514

Students who attend Sutton Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Palmer Middle School
High:	Palmer High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.0

Number of students: 45

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.6%

Two or more races:

20.0%

Asian:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 102.2%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Sutton Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sutton Elementary ranks better than 69.4% of elementary schools in Alaska. It also ranks 10^th among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.44. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (75.6%), two or more races (20%), American Indian (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 102.2% 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 Sutton Elementary is 10, which is the lowest among 27 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District! (See more...)

Compare Sutton Elementary employs 4.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sutton Elementary is $25,514, which is the 2^nd highest among 23 elementary schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Sutton Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

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 Sutton Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sutton Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile
2005	51.81	128^th	213	39.9%
2009	71.61	68^th	226	69.9%
2010	49.72	137^th	229	40.2%
2011	47.19	138^th	223	38.1%
2012	22.95	178^th	227	21.6%
2015	50.19	113^th	246	54.1%
2017	49.12	88^th	180	51.1%
2018	58.66	73^rd	186	60.8%
2019	29.70	138^th	185	25.4%
2021	39.73	105^th	173	39.3%
2023	79.93	24^th	176	86.4%
2024	67.44	53^rd	173	69.4%

See the entire list of Alaska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Sutton Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	66.08	42^nd	152	72.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Sutton Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	21.83	132^nd	147	10.2%

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.

Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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Enrollment information for Sutton Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	63	0	2	1	10	n/a	n/a	-9	67
1993	66	0	1	0	12	n/a	n/a	0	79
1994	67	0	0	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	74
1995	86	1	0	1	15	n/a	n/a	0	103
1996	86	1	0	1	15	n/a	n/a	0	103
1997	97	1	0	0	11	n/a	n/a	0	109
1998	92	1	0	0	17	n/a	n/a	0	110
1999	71	1	0	2	9	n/a	n/a	0	83
2000	66	1	0	0	15	n/a	n/a	0	82
2001	60	0	0	0	20	n/a	n/a	0	80
2002	66	0	0	2	22	n/a	n/a	0	90
2003	66	0	0	2	22	n/a	n/a	0	90
2004	58	0	0	2	14	n/a	n/a	0	74
2005	60	0	3	3	17	n/a	n/a	0	83
2006	57	0	4	2	17	n/a	n/a	0	80
2007	62	0	2	2	14	n/a	n/a	0	80
2008	46	0	0	1	15	n/a	n/a	1	63
2009	47	3	0	0	14	0	0	0	64
2010	51	2	3	0	15	0	2	0	73
2011	38	3	6	2	14	0	0	0	63
2012	37	0	5	2	14	0	2	0	60
2013	28	0	4	0	11	0	0	0	43
2014	23	0	3	0	12	0	0	0	38
2015	48	0	3	0	14	0	0	0	65
2016	42	0	6	0	13	0	1	0	62
2017	43	0	3	1	14	1	3	0	65
2018	47	0	4	1	20	1	2	0	75
2019	46	1	4	1	13	0	2	0	67
2020	43	0	4	1	6	0	10	0	64
2021	30	0	0	0	7	0	10	0	47
2022	28	0	0	0	4	0	12	0	44
2023	33	0	1	3	1	0	13	0	51
2024	34	0	1	0	1	0	9	0	45

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 Sutton Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	67	5.0	13.4	n/a
1993	79	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	74	5.0	14.8	n/a
1995	103	6.0	17.2	35
1996	103	6.0	17.2	35
1997	109	6.0	18.2	38.5
1998	110	6.0	18.3	50.9
1999	83	7.0	11.9	53
2000	82	6.5	12.6	31.7
2001	80	7.5	10.7	65
2002	90	7.3	12.3	55.6
2003	90	7.3	12.3	55.6
2004	74	7.0	10.6	82.4
2005	83	6.1	13.6	77.1
2006	80	7.0	11.4	62.5
2007	80	6.6	12.1	70
2008	63	7.0	9.0	50
2009	64	8.0	8.0	65.6
2010	73	7.5	9.7	58.9
2011	63	6.7	9.3	74.6
2012	60	4.5	13.3	63.3
2013	43	2.3	18.0	67.4
2014	38	3.7	10.0	63.2
2015	65	4.0	16.2	56.9
2016	62	4.0	15.5	75.8
2017	65	4.0	16.2	95.4
2018	75	4.5	16.5	66.7
2019	67	3.5	19.1	88.1
2020	64	3.5	18.2	67.2
2021	47	3.5	13.4	n/a
2022	44	4.5	9.7	n/a
2023	51	4.5	11.3	76.5
2024	45	4.5	10.0	102.2

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 Sutton Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	67	5.0	13.4	n/a
1993	79	0.0	0.0	n/a
1994	74	5.0	14.8	n/a
1995	103	6.0	17.2	35
1996	103	6.0	17.2	35
1997	109	6.0	18.2	38.5
1998	110	6.0	18.3	50.9
1999	83	7.0	11.9	53
2000	82	6.5	12.6	31.7
2001	80	7.5	10.7	65
2002	90	7.3	12.3	55.6
2003	90	7.3	12.3	55.6
2004	74	7.0	10.6	82.4
2005	83	6.1	13.6	77.1
2006	80	7.0	11.4	62.5
2007	80	6.6	12.1	70
2008	63	7.0	9.0	50
2009	64	8.0	8.0	65.6
2010	73	7.5	9.7	58.9
2011	63	6.7	9.3	74.6
2012	60	4.5	13.3	63.3
2013	43	2.3	18.0	67.4
2014	38	3.7	10.0	63.2
2015	65	4.0	16.2	56.9
2016	62	4.0	15.5	75.8
2017	65	4.0	16.2	95.4
2018	75	4.5	16.5	66.7
2019	67	3.5	19.1	88.1
2020	64	3.5	18.2	67.2
2021	47	3.5	13.4	n/a
2022	44	4.5	9.7	n/a
2023	51	4.5	11.3	76.5
2024	45	4.5	10.0	102.2

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 Sutton Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$4,066 (15.9%)	$21,448 (84.1%)	$25,514

Data source: Alaska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sutton 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 138^th of 185 Elementary schools	Ranks 24^th of 176 Elementary schools	61%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Science (Sutton Elementary)	40	62.5	22.5%
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	67	51	23.9%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	13	1	92.3%
Asian	4	1	75%
Hispanic	1	3	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	46	33	28.3%
Two or More Races	2	13	550%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	88.1%	76.5%	11.6%

Schools Near Sutton Elementary

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 3rd Grade	STAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	STAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	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 3rd Grade	STAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 5th Grade	ASA Science 8th Grade	ASA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sutton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11672 N Wright Way	Sutton	99674	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 861-5600	45	5	10.0	102.2%	34 (75.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (20.0%)	67.4	53^rd of 173 public elementary schools	69.4%		79.9	24^th of 176 public elementary schools	86.4%	29	50.0	50.0	42.9				47.6	62.5		42.9				47.6	42.9		42.9	$25,514	$4,066	$21,448
Sherrod Elementary	Public	K-5	561 N Gulkana St	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 761-4100	369	24	15.3	66.1%	213 (57.7%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (7.6%)	3 (0.8%)	36 (9.8%)	5 (1.4%)	82 (22.2%)	65.2	57^th of 173 public elementary schools	67.1%		62	60^th of 176 public elementary schools	65.9%	3	42.7	39.2	44.8				42.2	53.5	47.2	39.7				46.6	59.8		59.8	$15,066	$1,445	$13,621
Swanson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	507 N Gulkana	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 861-5300	343	23	14.7	46.1%	224 (65.3%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (7.3%)	4 (1.2%)	37 (10.8%)	3 (0.9%)	49 (14.3%)								(n/a)																		$14,003	$1,636	$12,366
Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	801 East Arctic	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 746-2358	267	20	13.2		201 (75.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.9%)	4 (1.5%)	16 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (9.4%)	93.7	4^th of 173 public elementary schools	97.7%		91	6^th of 176 public elementary schools	96.6%	2	50.0	66.7	60.0	66.7	80.8	72.4	65.7	70.0	66.7	86.7	77.8	84.6	86.2	78.7	73.3	72.4	72.9	$16,769	$105	$16,664
Butte Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4006 S Butte Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 861-5200	272	18	14.9	45.6%	187 (68.8%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (9.9%)	2 (0.7%)	22 (8.1%)	2 (0.7%)	32 (11.8%)	62.9	62^nd of 173 public elementary schools	64.2%		63	57^th of 176 public elementary schools	67.6%	5	22.6	60.0	46.5				44.7	51.6	43.9	40.0				44.4	60.0		60.0	$17,654	$1,853	$15,801
Colony Middle School	Public	PK, KG-8	9250 E Bogard Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 761-1500	757	34	22.2	27.2%	535 (70.7%)	3 (0.4%)	56 (7.4%)	6 (0.8%)	44 (5.8%)	2 (0.3%)	111 (14.7%)								(n/a)				54.4	28.3	36.8	39.5				44.1	40.3	46.3	43.4		40.4	40.4	$11,831	$726	$11,105
Pioneer Peak Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1959 N Stringfield Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 861-5700	471	32	14.9	35.0%	324 (68.8%)	3 (0.6%)	46 (9.8%)	3 (0.6%)	24 (5.1%)	5 (1.1%)	66 (14.0%)	75	30^th of 173 public elementary schools	82.7%		72.6	36^th of 176 public elementary schools	79.5%	6	46.3	35.9	53.8				44.9	46.3	52.2	60.0				52.4	70.0		70.0	$14,640	$838	$13,801
Birchtree Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	1675 N Nadina St.	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 745-1831	407	22	18.8		315 (77.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	52 (12.8%)	67.9	50^th of 173 public elementary schools	71.1%		63.2	56^th of 176 public elementary schools	68.2%	6	37.0	28.6	61.2	55.3	67.9	45.8	48.5	56.5	34.2	57.1	39.5	75.0	62.5	52.7	68.8	56.0	64.4	$16,733	$116	$16,617
Finger Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5981 Eek St	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 864-2200	402	27	14.9	41.5%	262 (65.2%)	3 (0.7%)	38 (9.5%)	3 (0.7%)	25 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (17.7%)	47.8	96^th of 173 public elementary schools	44.5%		55.5	75^th of 176 public elementary schools	57.4%	21	24.6	29.9	53.6				36.3	33.9	30.9	46.4				37.1	53.5		53.5	$13,619	$1,424	$12,195
John Shaw Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3750 E Paradise Ln	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 352-0500	483	30	15.8	41.6%	375 (77.6%)	5 (1.0%)	28 (5.8%)	3 (0.6%)	27 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (9.1%)	85.4	15^th of 173 public elementary schools	91.3%		70.5	42^nd of 176 public elementary schools	76.1%	27	48.6	41.1	62.2				51.5	66.2	46.5	72.2				62.5	78.0		78.0	$13,883	$843	$13,040

Frequently Asked Questions about Sutton Elementary

How many students attend Sutton Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 45 students attended Sutton Elementary.

Is Sutton Elementary a good school?

Sutton Elementary ranks 53^rd of 173 Alaska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Sutton Elementary?

Students at Sutton Elementary are 76% White, 20% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% American Indian.

What district is Sutton Elementary in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

What schools do graduates of Sutton Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sutton Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Palmer Middle School
High : Palmer High School

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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.