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Federal Way, Washington - 43 schools
An equity score of 56/100 ranks Federal Way School District #88 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $17,122 per pupil, Federal Way School District ranks #159 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
21,606
Total Enrollment
43
Schools
$17,122
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Federal Way School District operates 43 public schools serving 21,606 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 26 combined, 9 high, 5 middle, 3 elementary 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 King County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,122 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 16.9% local, 68.0% state, and 15.0% 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 56/100, ranked #88 of 238 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 5 of 43 schools offering Advanced Placement (48 AP courses district-wide), a 404.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 14.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 32.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% White, 15.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Green Gables Elementary School, with a diversity index of 81.6/100.
Federal Way School District school enrollment varies 106× across entities
Federal Way School District school enrollment ranges from 17 students (lowest) to 1,810 students (highest), a spread of 1,793 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.
Federal Way School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 64.4% 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.
Federal Way School District student-counselor ratio is 404:1 — 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.
Federal Way School District chronic absenteeism rate is 14.5% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)
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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
How many schools are in Federal Way School District?
Federal Way School District has 43 schools, including 9 high, 5 middle, 3 elementary, 26 combined. Total enrollment is 21,606 students.
How much does Federal Way School District spend per student?
Federal Way School District spends $17,122 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #88 in Washington.
What is the demographic composition of Federal Way School District?
Federal Way School District students are 32.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% White, 15.7% African American, 13.2% Asian, averaged across 43 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Federal Way School District?
Federal Way School District has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #88 out of 238 districts in Washington.