Waterville 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.

Waterville, Washington - 2 schools

An equity score of 87/100 ranks Waterville School District #7 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $22,640 per pupil, Waterville School District ranks #49 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

232
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$22,640
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Waterville School District operates 2 public schools serving 232 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 combined 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 Douglas County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,640 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 15.7% local, 67.0% state, and 17.3% 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 87/100, ranked #7 of 238 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 128:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 16.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.5% White, 21.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Waterville Elementary, enrolling 129 students (50% of the district's total enrollment).

Waterville Elementary accounts for 50.4% of all Waterville School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Waterville School District a distant remainder — means Waterville 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

Waterville School District student-counselor ratio is 128:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Waterville School District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.8% — 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 Waterville School District is typically wider than the Waterville 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?

17.3%
Federal
67.0%
State
15.7%
Local

Funding Equity

87
Equity Score
7 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Waterville School District.

White 73.5%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%
Multiracial 1.6%
Other 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
128:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Waterville School District

School Enrollment
Waterville Elementary
129
Waterville High School
127

How Waterville School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Summit Public School: Sierra Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Lopez School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Odessa School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Grapeview School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Loon Lake School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Waterville 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 Waterville School District?

Waterville School District has 2 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 232 students.

How much does Waterville School District spend per student?

Waterville School District spends $22,640 per student. The district has an equity score of 87/100, ranking #7 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Waterville School District?

Waterville School District students are 73.5% White, 21.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Waterville School District?

Waterville School District has an equity score of 87/100, ranking #7 out of 238 districts in Washington.