Ephrata School District

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Ephrata, Washington - 8 schools

An equity score of 34/100 ranks Ephrata School District #183 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,870 per pupil, Ephrata School District ranks #296 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,807
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$13,870
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Ephrata School District operates 8 public schools serving 2,807 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 2 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Grant County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,870 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 31 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 8.4% local, 82.6% state, and 8.9% 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 34/100, ranked #183 of 238 in Washington against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 467.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 23.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.8% White, 44.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Sage Hills Open Doors Youth Re-Engagement Program, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.

Its largest campus is Ephrata High School, enrolling 886 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Beezley Springs Elementary, at 11 students, a 81x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Ephrata High School accounts for 31.3% of all Ephrata School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Ephrata School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Ephrata School District school enrollment varies 81× across entities

Ephrata School District school enrollment ranges from 11 students (lowest) to 886 students (highest), a spread of 875 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 NCES Common Core of Data

Ephrata School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 66.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Ephrata School District student-counselor ratio is 468:1 — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Ephrata School District chronic absenteeism rate is 23.3% — 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 Ephrata School District is typically wider than the Ephrata School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.9%
Federal
82.6%
State
8.4%
Local

Funding Equity

34
Equity Score
183 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Ephrata School District.

White 48.8%
Hispanic or Latino 44.7%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 3.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 52.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Ephrata School District's schools, about the same as the Washington average of 53.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Sage Hills Open Doors Youth Re-Engagement Program 60.1
  2. 2 Ephrata Middle School 56.1
  3. 3 Parkway School 55.9
  4. 4 Ephrata High School 55.3
  5. 5 Grant Elementary 54.1

Programs & Resources

467.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Ephrata School District

School Enrollment
Ephrata High School
886
Columbia Ridge Elementary
480
Grant Elementary
466
Ephrata Middle School
461
Parkway School
407
Tiger Cubs Eceap
83
Sage Hills Open Doors Youth Re-Engagement Program
39
Beezley Springs Elementary
11

How Ephrata School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Deer Park School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Washougal School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Orting School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pullman School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Tukwila School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Ephrata School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Washington

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Seattle School District No. 1
51,238 students · 109 schools · $20,430/pupil
Compare vs Ephrata School District →
Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $16,269/pupil
Compare vs Ephrata School District →
Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $17,305/pupil
Compare vs Ephrata School District →
Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $17,575/pupil
Compare vs Ephrata School District →
Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $17,678/pupil
Compare vs Ephrata School District →

Compare Ephrata School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Seattle School District No. 1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Ephrata School District?

Ephrata School District has 8 schools, including 2 high, 2 elementary, 3 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,807 students.

How much does Ephrata School District spend per student?

Ephrata School District spends $13,870 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #183 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Ephrata School District?

Ephrata School District students are 48.8% White, 44.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Ephrata School District?

Ephrata School District has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #183 out of 238 districts in Washington.