Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 4 schools in district

Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA)

2157 Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701Galena City School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–12Non-Charter
6,899
Students
Total enrolled
$6,074
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 58% vs nat'l
125.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 717% vs nat'l
30/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 40% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 6,899 students in grades PK–12 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
58% below average funding
District spends $6,074 per pupil, 58% less than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 30th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA) is a very large other in Fairbanks, Alaska, serving grades PK–12 with 6,899 students. The district invests $6,074 per student — 58% below the national average of $14,347, with a 125.9:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 0% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 30/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA)

6,899
Total Students
125.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
0%
Free Lunch
55
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution3,525 male · 3,374 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility0%
National avg 52% · 3 students
Student Composition
74%
9%
10%
Asian1%
White74%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black1%
Multiracial9%
Native American10%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 020013000253

Academic Outcomes at Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA)

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
30
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 30th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 99701

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$6,074Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$6,074
State avg
$36,093
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$2,672
Student Support$1,154
Administration$729
Operations$911
Other$607
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $6,074 spent per student, an estimated $2,691 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
91%
State government
91.2%
Local (property tax)
3.1%
Federal programs
5.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 0% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $6,074/student, 58% less than the national average
  • 125.9:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (30/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Sidney C. Huntington Elementary
↓
High School
Galena Interior Learning Academy (GILA)Sidney C. Huntington Jr/Sr High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelOther
GradesPK – 12
Location—
CountyFairbanks North Star Borough
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGalena City School District →
Phone: (907)374-2200
NCES ID: 020013000253
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Fairbanks seeking a public school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Galena City School District
High
Galena Interior Learning Academy (GILA)
180 students · 09–12
● 28 opp90% FRL
Elem
Sidney C. Huntington Elementary
54 students · PK–06
● 28 opp93% FRL
High
Sidney C. Huntington Jr/Sr High School
44 students · 07–12
● 28 opp86% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2157 Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Other
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.