Tenino 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.

Tenino, Washington - 4 schools

An equity score of 44/100 ranks Tenino School District #143 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,773 per pupil, Tenino School District ranks #230 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,287
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$15,773
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Tenino School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,287 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 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 $15,773 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 20.4% local, 67.5% state, and 12.1% 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 44/100, ranked #143 of 238 in Washington against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 362.7:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 21.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 77.0% White, 12.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Tenino Middle School, with a diversity index of 44.1/100.

Its largest campus is Tenino High School, enrolling 383 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Tenino High School accounts for 29.8% of all Tenino School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Tenino 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

Tenino School District student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — 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

Tenino School District chronic absenteeism rate is 21.7% — 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 Tenino School District is typically wider than the Tenino 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?

12.1%
Federal
67.5%
State
20.4%
Local

Funding Equity

44
Equity Score
143 / 238
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 4 schools in Tenino School District.

White 77.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.6%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 7.2%
Other 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 38.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Tenino Middle School 44.1
  2. 2 Tenino Elementary School 39.4
  3. 3 Tenino High School 38.5
  4. 4 Parkside Elementary 31.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
362.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Tenino School District

School Enrollment
Tenino High School
383
Parkside Elementary
316
Tenino Elementary School
293
Tenino Middle School
291

How Tenino School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Naches Valley School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Zillah School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cascade School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Lake Chelan School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Port Townsend School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Tenino 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 Tenino School District?

Tenino School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,287 students.

How much does Tenino School District spend per student?

Tenino School District spends $15,773 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #143 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Tenino School District?

Tenino School District students are 77.0% White, 12.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Tenino School District?

Tenino School District has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #143 out of 238 districts in Washington.