High school (grades 9-12) · Des Moines, WA

Cascade Public Schools

Federal NCES profile for Cascade Public Schools, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 70/100.

2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530034903783Charter school
0/100100/10070/100
👥 S:T ratio
54
📋 Attendance
86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Cascade Public Schools earns 70/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of Washington schools.

#1 of 3
high schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
70
Resource Index · Higher
11.5:1
small classes for Washington
87.7%
free-lunch eligible

Cascade Public Schools has class sizes smaller than 91% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Cascade Public Schools ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Des Moines, WA.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

+47 students YoY

Cascade Public Schools grew from 146 students in 2022-23 to 193 in 2023-24 (+32.2%).

Teacher FTE added 11.1 → 12.1 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Growing CCD campus

+47 students YoY 530034903783 · Des Moines, WA High · SMALL · CHARTER

126 enr · 11.5:1 · 87.7% lunch · RII 70

Nearest enrollment peer: Linden High School (126 students)

Cascade Public Schools grew from 146 students in 2022-23 to 193 in 2023-24 (+32.2%). Teacher FTE added 11.1 → 12.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →

How Cascade Public Schools compares

Cascade Public Schools is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Washington Washington avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 11.5:1 ▼ 35% 17.6:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 87.7% ▲ 95% 45.0% 51.7%
Enrollment 126 top 80% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
126
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
87.7%
free-lunch eligible - 95% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.5:1
students per teacher - 35% below state mean
Top 9% in Washington - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
5.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$26,856
per pupil, district-wide - above Washington avg of $20,912
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.

Student demographics

African American 69.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.1%
White 9.5%
Asian 2.4%
Two or More 2.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%

Largest group: African American at 69.0% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 49.1/100

Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Cascade Public Schools is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.

District finance for Why Not You Academy reports $26,856 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar high schools in Des Moines

2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.

Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Frequently asked questions about Cascade Public Schools

How many students attend Cascade Public Schools?

Cascade Public Schools has 126 students enrolled. It is a high school in Des Moines, WA. CCD year-over-year: 146 (2022-23) → 193 (2023-24), up 47.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cascade Public Schools?

The student-teacher ratio at Cascade Public Schools is 11.5:1, which is 35% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 27% 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 Cascade Public Schools?

87.7% of students at Cascade Public Schools are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cascade Public Schools?

The largest demographic group at Cascade Public Schools is African American at 69.0% of enrollment, in Des Moines, WA.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Cascade Public Schools?

Cascade Public Schools has a Resource Investment Index of 70/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.

How does Cascade Public Schools rank among high schools in Des Moines?

By Resource Investment Index, Cascade Public Schools ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Des Moines, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Des Moines on the city page.

What other schools are in Why Not You Academy?

None; Why Not You Academy is a single-school charter district, and Cascade Public Schools is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

View saved