Enrollment
288
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mount Vernon, WA
Big Lake Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Big Lake Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530774001272
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Big Lake Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in Mount Vernon · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 19.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Big Lake Elementary School has class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Big Lake Elementary School ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Mount Vernon, WA.
School address
District: Sedro-Woolley School District · Washington
NCES ID 530774001272 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Big Lake Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Big Lake Elementary School
Big Lake Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Mount Vernon, Washington, enrolling 288 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 19.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 288 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 197 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #143, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 480 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 4.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Mount Vernon's elementary schools, it stands alongside Madison Elementary (498 students): Big Lake Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 14.6:1).
Sedro-Woolley School District also operates Sedro Woolley Senior High School (1,280 students) and Cascade Middle School (670 students) alongside Big Lake Elementary School.
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 Big Lake Elementary School compares
Big Lake Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.6% | ▼ 56% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 288 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
288
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in Washington - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
4.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$17,428
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 76.7%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.7, Big Lake Elementary School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sedro-Woolley School District, which includes Big Lake Elementary School.
$17,428
Per student
-11%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.0%
State 66.2%
Federal 12.8%
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 Big Lake Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedro Woolley Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cascade Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Evergreen Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mary Purcell Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Big Lake Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,280
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 511
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Mount Vernon
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Madison Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Harriet Rowley
Standard public school
440 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Centennial Elementary School
Standard public school
430 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Conway School District 317
Standard public school
421 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Little Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
381 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~288 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Big Lake Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Big Lake Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Sedro-Woolley 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 Big Lake Elementary School
How many students attend Big Lake Elementary School?
Big Lake Elementary School has 288 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mount Vernon, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Lake Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Lake Elementary School is 20.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Big Lake Elementary School?
19.6% of students at Big Lake Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Lake Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Big Lake Elementary School is White at 76.7% of enrollment, in Mount Vernon, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Lake Elementary School?
Big Lake Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Big Lake Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Mount Vernon?
By Resource Investment Index, Big Lake Elementary School ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Mount Vernon, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Mount Vernon on the city page.
Is Big Lake Elementary School a good school?
Big Lake Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Sedro-Woolley School District?
Besides Big Lake Elementary School, Sedro-Woolley School District also operates Sedro Woolley Senior High School (1,280 students), Cascade Middle School (670 students), and Evergreen Elementary School (511 students). See the Sedro-Woolley 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.