North Wasco County Sd 21

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.

The Dalles, Oregon - 7 schools

An equity score of 60/100 ranks North Wasco County Sd 21 #44 of 160 districts in Oregon (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,500 per pupil, North Wasco County Sd 21 ranks #128 of 194 Oregon districts by per-pupil spending (Oregon districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,841
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$14,500
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

North Wasco County Sd 21 operates 7 public schools serving 2,841 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Oregon. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Wasco County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,500 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 194 Oregon districts by per-pupil spending. See how Oregon compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 24.1% local, 64.0% state, and 11.9% 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 60/100, ranked #44 of 160 in Oregon against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 330.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 46.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.6% White, 42.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is The Dalles High School, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.

Its largest campus is The Dalles High School, enrolling 795 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Mosier Community School, at 161 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

The Dalles High School accounts for 28.0% of all North Wasco County Sd 21 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means North Wasco County Sd 21-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

North Wasco County Sd 21 school enrollment varies 4.9× across entities

North Wasco County Sd 21 school enrollment ranges from 161 students (lowest) to 795 students (highest), a spread of 634 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

North Wasco County Sd 21 has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 71.1% 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

North Wasco County Sd 21 student-counselor ratio is 331:1 — 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 North Wasco County Sd 21 is typically wider than the North Wasco County Sd 21-aggregate figure suggests.

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

North Wasco County Sd 21 chronic absenteeism rate is 46.2% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Where does the funding come from?

11.9%
Federal
64.0%
State
24.1%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
44 / 160
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 7 schools in North Wasco County Sd 21.

White 48.6%
Hispanic or Latino 42.0%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 5.3%
Other 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 56.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across North Wasco County Sd 21's schools, above the Oregon average of 47.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 The Dalles High School 59.2
  2. 2 Colonel Wright Elementary School 58.1
  3. 3 The Dalles Middle School 57.8
  4. 4 Dry Hollow Elementary School 56.8
  5. 5 Innovations Academy 55.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
330.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
46.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in North Wasco County Sd 21

School Enrollment
The Dalles High School
795
The Dalles Middle School
513
Dry Hollow Elementary School
424
Chenowith Elementary School
418
Colonel Wright Elementary School
291
Innovations Academy
232
Mosier Community School
Charter
161

How North Wasco County Sd 21 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Oregon districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Parkrose Sd 3 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
St Helens Sd 502 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Jefferson County Sd 509j Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
South Lane Sd 45j3 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Klamath Falls City Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to North Wasco County Sd 21's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Oregon

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Portland Sd 1j
44,740 students · 86 schools · $18,429/pupil
Compare vs North Wasco County Sd 21 →
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j
39,400 students · 65 schools · $15,528/pupil
Compare vs North Wasco County Sd 21 →
Beaverton Sd 48j
38,706 students · 56 schools · $15,015/pupil
Compare vs North Wasco County Sd 21 →
Hillsboro Sd 1j
18,920 students · 36 schools · $15,087/pupil
Compare vs North Wasco County Sd 21 →
Bend-Lapine Administrative Sd 1
17,360 students · 35 schools · $13,289/pupil
Compare vs North Wasco County Sd 21 →

Compare North Wasco County Sd 21

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

Compare vs Portland Sd 1j →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in North Wasco County Sd 21?

North Wasco County Sd 21 has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,841 students.

How much does North Wasco County Sd 21 spend per student?

North Wasco County Sd 21 spends $14,500 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #44 in Oregon.

What is the demographic composition of North Wasco County Sd 21?

North Wasco County Sd 21 students are 48.6% White, 42.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for North Wasco County Sd 21?

North Wasco County Sd 21 has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #44 out of 160 districts in Oregon.