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Lacey, Washington - 24 schools
An equity score of 30/100 ranks North Thurston Public Schools #194 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $15,854 per pupil, North Thurston Public Schools ranks #226 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
15,119
Total Enrollment
24
Schools
$15,854
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
North Thurston Public Schools operates 24 public schools serving 15,119 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 elementary, 6 combined, 5 middle, 4 high 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 Thurston County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,854 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 30.4% local, 61.3% state, and 8.3% 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 30/100, ranked #194 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.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 24 schools offering Advanced Placement (54 AP courses district-wide), a 455.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 43.9% White, 23.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Pleasant Glade Elementary, with a diversity index of 77.5/100.
Its largest campus is River Ridge High School, enrolling 1,547 students (10% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ignite Family Academy, at 100 students, a 15x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
North Thurston Public Schools school enrollment varies 15× across entities
North Thurston Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 100 students (lowest) to 1,547 students (highest), a spread of 1,447 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
North Thurston Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 456:1 — 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.
North Thurston Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 19.7% — 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 North Thurston Public Schools is typically wider than the North Thurston Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to North Thurston Public Schools'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.
How many schools are in North Thurston Public Schools?
North Thurston Public Schools has 24 schools, including 4 high, 5 middle, 6 combined, 9 elementary. Total enrollment is 15,119 students.
How much does North Thurston Public Schools spend per student?
North Thurston Public Schools spends $15,854 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #194 in Washington.
What is the demographic composition of North Thurston Public Schools?
North Thurston Public Schools students are 43.9% White, 23.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 5.2% African American, averaged across 24 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for North Thurston Public Schools?
North Thurston Public Schools has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #194 out of 238 districts in Washington.