Moses Lake 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.

Moses Lake, Washington - 20 schools

An equity score of 53/100 ranks Moses Lake School District #103 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,641 per pupil, Moses Lake School District ranks #241 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,686
Total Enrollment
20
Schools
$15,641
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Moses Lake School District operates 20 public schools serving 8,686 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 elementary, 4 high, 3 middle, 2 combined 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 Grant County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,641 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 12.8% local, 76.8% state, and 10.4% 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 53/100, ranked #103 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 1 of 20 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 347.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.1% Hispanic or Latino, 40.2% White, 1.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lakeview Terrace Elementary, with a diversity index of 56.2/100.

Its largest campus is Moses Lake High School, enrolling 1,856 students (22% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, at 53 students, a 35x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Moses Lake High School accounts for 21.4% of all Moses Lake School District student enrollment

That concentration means Moses Lake 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

Moses Lake School District school enrollment varies 35× across entities

Moses Lake School District school enrollment ranges from 53 students (lowest) to 1,856 students (highest), a spread of 1,803 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.

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

Moses Lake School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 63.0% 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

Moses Lake School District student-counselor ratio is 348:1 — 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 Moses Lake School District is typically wider than the Moses Lake School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Moses Lake School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.3% — 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 Moses Lake School District is typically wider than the Moses Lake 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?

10.4%
Federal
76.8%
State
12.8%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
103 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 20 schools in Moses Lake School District.

White 40.2%
Hispanic or Latino 54.1%
African American 1.5%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lakeview Terrace Elementary 56.2
  2. 2 Garden Heights Elementary 56.0
  3. 3 Columbia Middle School 55.9
  4. 4 Frontier Middle School 55.8
  5. 5 Peninsula Elementary 55.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 20
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
347.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Moses Lake School District

School Enrollment
Moses Lake High School
1,856
Columbia Middle School
875
Frontier Middle School
690
Park Orchard Elementary School
454
Vicki I. Groff Elementary School
413
Vanguard Academy
387
Peninsula Elementary
383
Longview Elementary
368
Digital Learning Center
359
Sage Point Elementary School
334
Garden Heights Elementary
324
Lakeview Terrace Elementary
303
Larson Heights Elementary
292
Knolls Vista Elementary
282
North Elementary
277
Endeavor Middle School
270
Midway Elementary
222
Moses Lake Early Learning Center
221
Mlsd Open Doors Re-Engagement Program
67
Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center
53

How Moses Lake School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Peninsula School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Tahoma School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
South Kitsap School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Snohomish School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Shoreline School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Moses Lake 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 Moses Lake School District →
Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $16,269/pupil
Compare vs Moses Lake School District →
Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $17,305/pupil
Compare vs Moses Lake School District →
Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $17,575/pupil
Compare vs Moses Lake School District →
Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $17,678/pupil
Compare vs Moses Lake School District →

Compare Moses Lake 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 Moses Lake School District?

Moses Lake School District has 20 schools, including 4 high, 3 middle, 11 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 8,686 students.

How much does Moses Lake School District spend per student?

Moses Lake School District spends $15,641 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #103 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Moses Lake School District?

Moses Lake School District students are 54.1% Hispanic or Latino, 40.2% White, 1.5% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 20 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Moses Lake School District?

Moses Lake School District has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #103 out of 238 districts in Washington.