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Mat-Su Central School

Q: Is Mat-Su Central School a good school?

Mat-Su Central School ranks 50 th of 166 Alaska alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Virtual, Alternative Grades K-12

50^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 166 Alaska Alternative Schools

Better than 70% of Alaska alternative schools

Summary

Mat-Su Central School is a K–12 alternative school in Palmer, Alaska, serving about 2,780 students as part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. With a student-teacher ratio near 99:1 and relatively low per-pupil spending of about $8,093, this school operates as a large-scale correspondence and family-based distance-learning program rather than a traditional classroom school, making it by far the largest alternative option in the area.

Academically, Mat-Su Central performs above Alaska state averages in science (55% proficient), English language arts (47%), and math (41%), and it outpaces the district in science and ELA while landing essentially at district level in math. These results are notable given how lean the staffing model is, and they compare favorably to nearby alternatives such as Valley Pathways (20% ELA), Mat-Su Day School (about 19% ELA and math), and Knik Charter School (34% ELA). There are some subject-level concerns, though: math proficiency falls sharply from a strong 64% in 5th grade to just 29% in 8th grade and 19% in 9th grade, while science similarly drops from 71% proficient in 5th grade to 38% by 10th grade. Upper-level math and science appear to be the most difficult areas to support in a distance-learning environment.

The bigger challenge is completion. Mat-Su Central's graduation rate has hovered near 70–73% over the past five years, compared with roughly 84–86% for the district overall. That said, it still outpaces some peer alternative schools, including Twindly Bridge Charter School (52%), Valley Pathways (65%), and the Distance Learning/Corresp. Center in the Iditarod district (57%). While American Charter Academy posts higher test scores, it does so with far fewer students and much higher per-pupil spending. For parents considering Mat-Su Central, the school offers a low-cost, flexible learning model with solid elementary results and strong ELA outcomes—but families should plan for extra support in secondary math and science, and keep a close eye on the path to graduation.

2,780

Students ?

99.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,093

Per pupil spending ?

0.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2055 N. Stringfield Rd.
Palmer, AK 99645

(907) 861-7100

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.3%

Two or more races:

13.5%

Hispanic:

6.2%

See top rated Alaska elementary schools

Compare Mat-Su Central School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 56th percentile in 2023 → 68th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Alaska average (45% vs 33% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2023

✓Above the Alaska median (70th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Large classes — about 99 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school45%

District avg43%

Alaska avg33%

Elementary school

50^th of 166

Alaska public elementary schools ?

Top 30%▲ up 32 pts since 2017

From bottom 38% (2017) to top 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alaska Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

41^st of 90

Alaska public middle schools ?

Top 46%▲ up 8 pts since 2017

From bottom 47% (2017) to top 46% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alaska Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

20^th of 62

Alaska public high schools ?

Top 32%▲ up 22 pts since 2017

From bottom 46% (2017) to top 32% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alaska High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Alternative Schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

6^th of 23Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District among Alaska districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	66.1	50 of 166	69.9%	★★★★☆
2025	48.1	88 of 175	49.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.3	64 of 173	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.1	77 of 176	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.2	49 of 173	71.7%	★★★★☆
2019	23.2	151 of 185	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.1	115 of 186	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	40.4	111 of 180	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	48.2	117 of 246	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	58.6	108 of 218	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.5	86 of 223	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.5	81 of 227	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	68.9	69 of 223	69.1%	★★★★☆
2010	65.4	91 of 229	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.6	85 of 226	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	63.4	96 of 219	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	63.1	96 of 212	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	61.7	107 of 218	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2005	58.8	110 of 213	48.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	59.6	50 of 140	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.4	80 of 154	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.1	88 of 142	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.5	68 of 152	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	57.0	51 of 141	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	30.7	118 of 159	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	74.6	30 of 145	79.3%	★★★★☆
2025	63.8	49 of 149	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.6	39 of 150	74.0%	★★★★☆
2023	49.1	76 of 148	48.6%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	74.1	10 of 65	84.6%	★★★★☆
2023	43.6	44 of 74	40.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	44.3	75 of 128	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.0	93 of 139	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.2	83 of 133	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.4	92 of 138	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.1	50 of 127	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	13.0	143 of 147	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	51.8	41 of 90	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.4	42 of 94	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.6	29 of 91	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.4	46 of 92	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	70.0	19 of 84	77.4%	★★★★☆
2019	42.2	56 of 99	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.5	47 of 96	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.7	47 of 88	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	57.5	60 of 151	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	71.1	40 of 138	71.0%	★★★★☆
2013	73.7	39 of 136	71.3%	★★★★☆
2012	69.7	48 of 135	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	69.8	39 of 133	70.7%	★★★★☆
2010	62.1	56 of 136	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	64.9	44 of 131	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	55.2	59 of 132	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2007	64.2	50 of 128	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	66.1	51 of 132	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2005	65.0	48 of 138	65.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	53.5	36 of 72	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.9	39 of 72	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.4	24 of 69	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.1	34 of 66	48.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.3	37 of 74	50.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2023	65.5	14 of 55	74.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	49.0	40 of 74	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.8	34 of 68	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.4	27 of 72	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.4	31 of 72	56.9%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	14 of 33	57.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	35.9	44 of 67	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.2	43 of 70	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.9	40 of 74	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.9	49 of 75	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.1	23 of 58	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.8	53 of 72	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2026	60.6	20 of 62	67.7%	★★★★☆
2023	57.0	25 of 62	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.7	14 of 61	77.0%	★★★★☆
2019	75.1	17 of 77	77.9%	★★★★☆
2018	61.8	27 of 74	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	48.6	45 of 83	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	62.1	50 of 135	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	67.1	43 of 139	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	71.1	40 of 148	73.0%	★★★★☆
2012	68.1	46 of 136	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.7	43 of 142	69.7%	★★★★☆
2010	57.2	54 of 140	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2009	72.0	42 of 151	72.2%	★★★★☆
2008	67.8	46 of 151	69.5%	★★★★☆
2007	80.5	27 of 139	80.6%	★★★★☆
2006	71.6	40 of 135	70.4%	★★★★☆
2005	74.3	35 of 116	69.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2019	58.8	26 of 54	51.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2019	71.4	12 of 58	79.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alaska percentile	Rating
2023	38.5	31 of 47	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.5	19 of 43	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.1	27 of 56	51.8%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Multi-racial (2026)85th percentile+15 vs school

Male (2026)79th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)64th percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)41st percentile-28 vs school

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)75th percentile+25 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)58th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)50th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)46th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)34th percentile-20 vs school

High school

Male (2019)79th percentile~ school

Female (2019)52nd percentile-26 vs school

White (2023)34th percentile-26 vs school

By subject vs Alaska (2025-2026) ?

Science55%+17 vs state

English Language Arts47%+14 vs state

Mathematics41%+8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Mat-Su Central School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				STAR English Language Arts (2026)								STAR Mathematics (2026)								ASA Science (2026)				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 (2023)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	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 9th 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 9th Grade	STAR Mathematics All Grades	ASA Science 5th Grade	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
Mat-Su Central School	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	2055 N. Stringfield Rd.	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	Yes	No	(907) 861-7100	2,780	28	99.2	0.1%	2,065 (74.3%)	21 (0.8%)	173 (6.2%)	22 (0.8%)	120 (4.3%)	5 (0.2%)	374 (13.5%)								(n/a)	50.0	32.1	57.8	49.0	44.1	42.0	60.0	47.3	47.1	37.9	64.0	39.6	37.1	28.9	19.1	40.5	70.8	50.0	37.5	55.1	$8,093	$260	$7,833
Twindly Bridge Charter School	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	141 E Seldon Rd Ste C	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	Yes	No	(907) 376-6680	601	5	109.6	0.5%	490 (81.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (10.5%)								(n/a)	17.4	53.3	62.5	56.0	64.0	71.4	50.0	52.4	22.7	46.7	56.3	43.5	50.0	38.5	21.4	40.9		70.0		85.7	$8,669	$98	$8,570
Knik Charter Correspondence School	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	758 N Shoreline Dr.	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(907) 864-6090	34	1	34.0	8.1%	9 (26.5%)	1 (2.9%)	3 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (32.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (29.4%)								(n/a)
Knik Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	758 N Shoreline Dr.	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(907) 864-6090	189	14	13.2	3.1%	54 (28.6%)	4 (2.1%)	12 (6.3%)	1 (0.5%)	71 (37.6%)	3 (1.6%)	44 (23.3%)								(n/a)	40.0	26.3	56.3	31.3		38.5	36.4	33.6	57.1	21.1	50.0	20.0	17.7	38.5	27.3	32.4	76.5	57.1		62.2
Mat-Su Day School	Public, Alternative	K-12	2360 N Tait Dr	Wasilla	99654	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(907) 864-6000	70	14	5.0	36.9%	46 (65.7%)	2 (2.9%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (21.4%)								(n/a)																					$54,341	$9,228	$45,113
Mat-Su Hybrid Learning Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	2055 N. Stringfield Rd.	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(907) 861-7100	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
American Charter Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	7362 W Parks Hwy #725	Wasilla	99623	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	Yes	No	No	No	(907) 352-0150	193	12	15.9	1.6%	165 (85.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.2%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.8%)								(n/a)	61.5	83.9	60.9	64.0	61.9	81.3		68.5	61.5	83.9	60.9	76.0				75.5	65.2	75.0		69.2	$18,018	$130	$17,888
Valley Pathways	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1150 North France Rd	Palmer	99645	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(907) 761-4650	143	10	14.3	81.0%	88 (61.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (19.6%)								(n/a)							20.0	20.0													$16,308	$1,852	$14,456
Distance Learning/Corresp. Center	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	12812 Old Glen Hwy	Eagle River	99577	Anchorage Municipality	Iditarod Area School District	No	No	Yes	No	(907) 694-6100	105	2	52.5	1.9%	82 (78.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.7%)								(n/a)																					$21,394	$617	$20,778

Frequently Asked Questions about Mat-Su Central School

What district is Mat-Su Central School in?

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

Is Mat-Su Central School a good school?

Mat-Su Central School ranks 50^th of 166 Alaska alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Mat-Su Central School?

Students at Mat-Su Central School are 74% White, 13% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 4% American Indian.

How many students attend Mat-Su Central School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,780 students attended Mat-Su Central School.

Rate Mat-Su Central School!

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Latest Alaska data All new data »

2025–26 ASA & STAR test scoresNewSep 3, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesDec 12, 2025

2018–19 through 2023–24 graduation ratesSep 19, 2025

2024–25 ASA & STAR test scoresSep 5, 2025

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.