Enrollment
335
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bellingham, WA
Birchwood Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Birchwood Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530042000100
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Birchwood Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Washington schools.
- #7 of 17
- schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- small classes for Washington
- 54.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Birchwood Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Birchwood Elementary School ranks #7 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000100 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.5%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Birchwood Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Birchwood Elementary School
Birchwood Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 335 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.9:1, Birchwood Elementary School is leaner than roughly 85% of Washington schools and 27% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 54.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 335 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 395 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #95.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and White (40%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 335 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bellingham's public schools, it stands alongside Happy Valley Elementary School (455 students): Birchwood Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 17.5:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Birchwood 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 Birchwood Elementary School compares
Birchwood 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 27% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.5% | ▲ 21% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 335 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
335
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 15% in Washington - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,802
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 335 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.5%
White 40.1%
Two or More 10.5%
Asian 1.8%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Birchwood Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Birchwood Elementary School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
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 Birchwood Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Birchwood Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Bellingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Geneva Elementary School
Standard public school
412 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Standard public school
396 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Silver Beach Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Cordata Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 11.2:1 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 (~335 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Birchwood Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Birchwood Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Birchwood Elementary School
How many students attend Birchwood Elementary School?
Birchwood Elementary School has 335 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Birchwood Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Birchwood Elementary School is 12.9:1, which is 27% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Birchwood Elementary School?
54.5% of students at Birchwood Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Birchwood Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Birchwood Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Birchwood Elementary School?
Birchwood Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Birchwood Elementary School rank among schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Birchwood Elementary School ranks #7 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Birchwood Elementary School a good school?
Birchwood Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Birchwood Elementary School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.