An equity score of 52/100 ranks Kelso School District #114 of 239 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $16,984 per pupil, Kelso School District ranks #226 of 311 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
4,940
Total Enrollment
13
Schools
$16,984
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Kelso School District operates 13 public schools serving 4,940 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 3 combined, 2 high, 2 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 Cowlitz County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,984 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 14.1% local, 73.0% state, and 12.9% 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 52/100, ranked #114 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 1 of 13 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 321:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.4% White, 17.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Kelso Goal Oriented Learning Design, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
Its largest campus is Kelso High School, enrolling 1,390 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Kelso Goal Oriented Learning Design, at 12 students, a 116x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Kelso High School accounts for 28.0% of all Kelso School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Kelso School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Kelso School District school enrollment varies 116× across entities
Kelso School District school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 1,390 students (highest), a spread of 1,378 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.
Kelso School District reports 59.5% free-lunch eligibility
The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.
Kelso School District student-counselor ratio is 321:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Kelso School District is typically wider than the Kelso School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Kelso School District chronic absenteeism rate is 22.4% — 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 Kelso School District is typically wider than the Kelso School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Kelso School District has 13 schools, including 2 high, 6 elementary, 2 middle, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 4,940 students.
How much does Kelso School District spend per student?
Kelso School District spends $16,984 per student. The district has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #114 in Washington.
What is the demographic composition of Kelso School District?
Kelso School District students are 69.4% White, 17.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 13 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Kelso School District?
Kelso School District has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #114 out of 239 districts in Washington.