Bethel School District operates 34 public schools serving 21,156 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 19 elementary, 6 middle, 5 other, 4 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 20,882 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Pierce County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,928 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 24.6% local, 66.9% state, and 8.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $84,339 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 39/100, ranked #161 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 6 of 34 schools offering Advanced Placement (45 AP courses district-wide), a 535.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 18.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 42.0% White, 22.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% African American across the district's schools.
Bethel School District school enrollment varies 104× across entities
Bethel School District school enrollment ranges from 20 students (lowest) to 2,087 students (highest), a spread of 2,067 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Bethel School District student-counselor ratio is 536:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Bethel School District chronic absenteeism rate is 18.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
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 Bethel School District is typically wider than the Bethel School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Bethel School District has 34 schools, including 4 high, 6 middle, 19 elementary, 5 other. Total enrollment is 21,156 students.
How much does Bethel School District spend per student?
Bethel School District spends $18,928 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #161 in Washington.
What is the average teacher salary in Bethel School District?
The average teacher salary in Bethel School District is $84,339 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Bethel School District?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pierce County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Bethel School District?
Bethel School District students are 42.0% White, 22.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% African American, 3.9% Asian, averaged across 34 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Bethel School District?
Bethel School District has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #161 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.