Rainier 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.

Rainier, Washington - 3 schools

An equity score of 28/100 ranks Rainier School District #204 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,532 per pupil, Rainier School District ranks #286 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

931
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,532
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Rainier School District operates 3 public schools serving 931 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Thurston County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,532 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 31 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 17.9% local, 69.6% state, and 12.5% 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 28/100, ranked #204 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 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 262:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 14.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 79.9% White, 10.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Rainier Senior High School, with a diversity index of 36.7/100.

Its largest campus is Rainier Elementary School, enrolling 493 students (48% of the district's total enrollment).

Rainier Elementary School accounts for 48.5% of all Rainier School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Rainier School District a distant remainder — means Rainier School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Rainier School District school enrollment varies 2.0× across entities

Rainier School District school enrollment ranges from 241 students (lowest) to 493 students (highest), a spread of 252 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

Rainier School District student-counselor ratio is 262:1 — 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 Rainier School District is typically wider than the Rainier School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Rainier School District chronic absenteeism rate is 14.8% — 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?

12.5%
Federal
69.6%
State
17.9%
Local

Funding Equity

28
Equity Score
204 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Rainier School District.

White 79.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Multiracial 7.3%
Other 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 34.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Rainier School District's schools, below the Washington average of 53.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Rainier Senior High School 36.7
  2. 2 Rainier Elementary School 35.5
  3. 3 Rainier Middle School 31.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
262:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
14.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Rainier School District

School Enrollment
Rainier Elementary School
493
Rainier Senior High School
283
Rainier Middle School
241

How Rainier School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Warden School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cle Elum-Roslyn School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mount Adams School District Similar size No spending data Less locally funded
Freeman School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Finley School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Rainier 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 Rainier School District?

Rainier School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 931 students.

How much does Rainier School District spend per student?

Rainier School District spends $14,532 per student. The district has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #204 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Rainier School District?

Rainier School District students are 79.9% White, 10.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Rainier School District?

Rainier School District has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #204 out of 238 districts in Washington.