South Whidbey School District

Langley, Washington — 5 schools

1,202
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$20,796
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

South Whidbey School District operates 5 public schools serving 1,202 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,213 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Island County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,796 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 25.2% local, 60.7% state, and 14.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $107,968 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 41/100, ranked #159 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 420:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 21.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.8% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools.

South Whidbey Elementary accounts for 40.0% of all South Whidbey School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means South Whidbey School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

South Whidbey School District school enrollment varies 81× across entities

South Whidbey School District school enrollment ranges from 6 students (lowest) to 485 students (highest), a spread of 479 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

South Whidbey School District student-counselor ratio is 420:1 — 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

South Whidbey School District chronic absenteeism rate is 21.2% — 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 South Whidbey School District is typically wider than the South Whidbey 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?

14.1%
Federal
60.7%
State
25.2%
Local

Funding Equity

41
Equity Score
159 / 240
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Island County county, where this district is located.

$1,172
Studio/mo
$1,356
1 BR/mo
$1,671
2 BR/mo
$2,324
3 BR/mo
$2,733
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$107,968
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in South Whidbey School District.

White 76.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
African American 0.6%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 8.3%
Other 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
420:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in South Whidbey School District

School Enrollment
South Whidbey Elementary
485
South Whidbey High School
390
South Whidbey Middle
290
South Whidbey Academy
42
South Whidbey Special Services
6

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 · $25,927/pupil
Compare vs South Whidbey School District →
Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $19,952/pupil
Compare vs South Whidbey School District →
Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $24,487/pupil
Compare vs South Whidbey School District →
Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $23,190/pupil
Compare vs South Whidbey School District →
Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $19,780/pupil
Compare vs South Whidbey School District →

Compare South Whidbey 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 South Whidbey School District?

South Whidbey School District has 5 schools, including 1 elementary, 2 high, 1 middle, 1 other. Total enrollment is 1,202 students.

How much does South Whidbey School District spend per student?

South Whidbey School District spends $20,796 per student. The district has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #159 in Washington.

What is the average teacher salary in South Whidbey School District?

The average teacher salary in South Whidbey School District is $107,968 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near South Whidbey School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Island County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of South Whidbey School District?

South Whidbey School District students are 76.8% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.6% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for South Whidbey School District?

South Whidbey School District has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #159 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.