Enrollment
852
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Puyallup, WA
Ballou Jr High
Federal NCES profile for Ballou Jr High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530696001026
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballou Jr High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools.
- #15 of 20
- schools in Puyallup · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Washington
- 35.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ballou Jr High has class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ballou Jr High ranks #15 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA.
School address
District: Puyallup School District · Washington
NCES ID 530696001026 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ballou Jr High compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ballou Jr High
Ballou Jr High is a large combined-grade school in Puyallup, Washington, enrolling 852 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 90% of state schools at 852 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 258 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #168.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 852 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Puyallup School District spends $15,642 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Puyallup's public schools, it stands alongside Dessie F Evans Elementary (919 students): Ballou Jr High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.3:1 vs 16.7:1).
Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students) and Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students) alongside Ballou Jr High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ballou Jr High compares
Ballou Jr High on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.3:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.3% | ▼ 22% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 852 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
852
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 85% in Washington - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
8.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,642
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 852 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 122 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 44.8%
Hispanic or Latino 20.2%
Two or More 15.2%
African American 8.6%
Asian 6.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: White at 44.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Ballou Jr High is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Puyallup School District, which includes Ballou Jr High.
$15,642
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 64.7%
Federal 9.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Ballou Jr High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puyallup High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gov John Rogers High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerald Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dessie F Evans Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Doris Stahl Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ballou Jr High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,815
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 846
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Puyallup
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dessie F Evans Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Doris Stahl Junior High
Standard public school
846 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Glacier View Junior High
Standard public school
843 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Ferrucci Jr High
Standard public school
815 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Kalles Junior High
Standard public school
762 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
G W Edgerton Elementary
Standard public school
753 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~852 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ballou Jr High's federal record.
- Compare Ballou Jr High against another school. Compare schools
- Puyallup School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ballou Jr High
How many students attend Ballou Jr High?
Ballou Jr High has 852 students enrolled. It is a public school in Puyallup, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballou Jr High?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballou Jr High is 21.3:1, which is 21% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ballou Jr High?
35.3% of students at Ballou Jr High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballou Jr High?
The largest demographic group at Ballou Jr High is White at 44.8% of enrollment, in Puyallup, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballou Jr High?
Ballou Jr High has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ballou Jr High rank among schools in Puyallup?
By Resource Investment Index, Ballou Jr High ranks #15 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Puyallup on the city page.
Is Ballou Jr High a good school?
Ballou Jr High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Puyallup School District?
Besides Ballou Jr High, Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students), Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students), and Emerald Ridge High School (1,599 students). See the Puyallup School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.