Waitsburg 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Waitsburg, Washington - 3 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Waitsburg School District #83 of 239 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,307 per pupil, Waitsburg School District ranks #153 of 311 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

300
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$18,307
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Waitsburg School District operates 3 public schools serving 300 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 Walla Walla County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,307 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 311 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 16.7% local, 73.0% state, and 10.2% 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 59/100, ranked #83 of 239 in Washington against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

and 55.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Waitsburg High School, with a diversity index of 33.4/100.

Its largest campus is Waitsburg Elementary School, enrolling 148 students (48% of the district's total enrollment).

Waitsburg Elementary School accounts for 47.9% of all Waitsburg School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Waitsburg School District a distant remainder — means Waitsburg School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Waitsburg School District school enrollment varies 2.0× across entities

Waitsburg School District school enrollment ranges from 74 students (lowest) to 148 students (highest), a spread of 74 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

Waitsburg School District chronic absenteeism rate is 55.0% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

10.2%
Federal
73.0%
State
16.7%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
83 / 239
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 3 schools in Waitsburg School District.

White 85.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.1%
Multiracial 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 26.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Waitsburg High School 33.4
  2. 2 Preston Hall Middle School 30.4
  3. 3 Waitsburg Elementary School 14.0

Programs & Resources

55.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Waitsburg School District

School Enrollment
Waitsburg Elementary School
148
Waitsburg High School
87
Preston Hall Middle School
74

How Waitsburg School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Naselle-Grays River Valley School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Northport School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Impact | Commencement Bay Elementary Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Pe Ell School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Rainier Prep Charter School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Waitsburg 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 · $21,806/pupil
Compare vs Waitsburg School District →
Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $17,053/pupil
Compare vs Waitsburg School District →
Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $18,334/pupil
Compare vs Waitsburg School District →
Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $19,679/pupil
Compare vs Waitsburg School District →
Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $19,199/pupil
Compare vs Waitsburg School District →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Waitsburg 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 Waitsburg School District?

Waitsburg School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 300 students.

How much does Waitsburg School District spend per student?

Waitsburg School District spends $18,307 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #83 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Waitsburg School District?

Waitsburg School District students are 85.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Waitsburg School District?

Waitsburg School District has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #83 out of 239 districts in Washington.