Richland 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.

West Richland, Washington - 22 schools

An equity score of 21/100 ranks Richland School District #227 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,794 per pupil, Richland School District ranks #277 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

13,948
Total Enrollment
22
Schools
$14,794
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Richland School District operates 22 public schools serving 13,948 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 5 elementary, 4 middle, 3 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 Benton County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,794 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 24.0% local, 65.7% state, and 10.3% 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 21/100, ranked #227 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 2 of 22 schools offering Advanced Placement (34 AP courses district-wide), a 395.2:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.6% White, 24.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lewis & Clark Elementary School, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.

Its largest campus is Richland High School, enrolling 2,218 students (15% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Special Programs, at 14 students, a 158x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Richland High School accounts for 15.4% of all Richland School District student enrollment

That concentration means Richland 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

Richland School District school enrollment varies 158× across entities

Richland School District school enrollment ranges from 14 students (lowest) to 2,218 students (highest), a spread of 2,204 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.

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

Richland School District student-counselor ratio is 395:1 — 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.

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

Richland School District chronic absenteeism rate is 17.0% — 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 Richland School District is typically wider than the Richland 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?

10.3%
Federal
65.7%
State
24.0%
Local

Funding Equity

21
Equity Score
227 / 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 22 schools in Richland School District.

White 65.6%
Hispanic or Latino 24.1%
African American 1.4%
Asian 2.9%
Multiracial 5.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 49.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lewis & Clark Elementary School 61.6
  2. 2 Jefferson Elementary 57.6
  3. 3 Richland School District Early Learning Center 56.2
  4. 4 Chief Joseph Middle School 55.2
  5. 5 Carmichael Middle School 54.2

Programs & Resources

2 / 22
Schools with AP
34 AP courses total
395.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Richland School District

School Enrollment
Richland High School
2,218
Hanford High School
1,959
Leona Libby Middle School
805
Carmichael Middle School
791
Three Rivers Home Link
756
Enterprise Middle School
745
Chief Joseph Middle School
659
White Bluffs Elementary School
653
Badger Mountain Elementary
605
Orchard Elementary
594
Jason Lee Elementary School
518
William Wiley Elementary School
493
Sacajawea Elementary
474
Lewis & Clark Elementary School
471
Marcus Whitman Elementary
467
Tapteal Elementary School
458
Desert Sky Elementary
441
Jefferson Elementary
418
Pacific Crest Online Academy
325
Richland School District Early Learning Center
301
Rivers Edge High School
245
Special Programs
14

How Richland School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Central Valley School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
North Thurston Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mukilteo School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Renton School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Clover Park School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Richland 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 Richland School District?

Richland School District has 22 schools, including 3 high, 4 middle, 10 combined, 5 elementary. Total enrollment is 13,948 students.

How much does Richland School District spend per student?

Richland School District spends $14,794 per student. The district has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #227 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Richland School District?

Richland School District students are 65.6% White, 24.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 22 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Richland School District?

Richland School District has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #227 out of 238 districts in Washington.