Kalama School District

KALAMA, Washington — 3 schools

1,151
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$19,368
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Kalama School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,151 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,138 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Cowlitz County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,368 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 30.4% local, 64.0% state, and 5.6% 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 $68,759 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 42/100, ranked #150 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 379.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 11.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.7% White, 12.2% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian across the district's schools.

Kalama Elem School accounts for 46.1% of all Kalama School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Kalama School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Kalama School District student-counselor ratio is 379:1 — 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

Kalama School District chronic absenteeism rate is 11.0% — 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.

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

Where does the funding come from?

5.6%
Federal
64.0%
State
30.4%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
150 / 240
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Cowlitz County county, where this district is located.

$1,000
Studio/mo
$1,199
1 BR/mo
$1,451
2 BR/mo
$2,018
3 BR/mo
$2,434
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$68,759
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Kalama School District.

White 81.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
African American 0.9%
Asian 1.2%
Multiracial 2.4%
Other 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
379.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
11.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Kalama School District

School Enrollment
Kalama Elem School
525
Kalama High School
347
Kalama Middle School
266

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 · $25,927/pupil
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Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $19,952/pupil
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Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $24,487/pupil
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Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $23,190/pupil
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Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $19,780/pupil
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Compare Kalama School District

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Kalama School District?

Kalama School District has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,151 students.

How much does Kalama School District spend per student?

Kalama School District spends $19,368 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #150 in Washington.

What is the average teacher salary in Kalama School District?

The average teacher salary in Kalama School District is $68,759 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Kalama School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cowlitz County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Kalama School District?

Kalama School District students are 81.7% White, 12.2% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian, 0.9% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Kalama School District?

Kalama School District has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #150 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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