Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Bellingham, Washington - 25 schools
An equity score of 45/100 ranks Bellingham School District #135 of 239 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $17,886 per pupil, Bellingham School District ranks #169 of 311 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
Bellingham School District operates 25 public schools serving 11,614 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 16 combined, 5 high, 4 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Whatcom County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,886 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 311 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.7% local, 59.5% state, and 9.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 45/100, ranked #135 of 239 in Washington against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (66 AP courses district-wide), a 336.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 63.5% White, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.9% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Cordata Elementary School, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
Its largest campus is Squalicum High School, enrolling 1,273 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Visions (Seamar Youth Center), at 11 students, a 116x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Bellingham School District school enrollment ranges from 11 students (lowest) to 1,273 students (highest), a spread of 1,262 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Bellingham School District is typically wider than the Bellingham School District-aggregate figure suggests.
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Bellingham School District is typically wider than the Bellingham School District-aggregate figure suggests.
This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.
Average demographic composition across 25 schools in Bellingham School District.
Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.
Average Simpson diversity index across Bellingham School District's schools, below the Washington average of 53.3.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.
The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.
| District | Enrollment | Spending | Funding Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Kitsap School District | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
| Battle Ground School District | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Clover Park School District | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
| Sumner-Bonney Lake School District | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Mead School District | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
Comparisons are relative to Bellingham School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.
See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.
Compare vs Seattle School District No. 1 →Bellingham School District has 25 schools, including 5 high, 4 middle, 16 combined. Total enrollment is 11,614 students.
Bellingham School District spends $17,886 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #135 in Washington.
Bellingham School District students are 63.5% White, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.9% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 25 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
Bellingham School District has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #135 out of 239 districts in Washington.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.