Enrollment
355
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Central Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Central Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530294000471
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Avenue Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #9 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- small classes for Washington
- 50.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Avenue Elementary has class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Avenue Elementary ranks #9 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Franklin Pierce School District · Washington
NCES ID 530294000471 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.9%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Avenue Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Avenue Elementary
Central Avenue Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 355 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.9% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 355 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 434 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #328, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Central Avenue Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 17:1).
Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students) and Franklin Pierce High School (977 students) alongside Central Avenue Elementary.
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 Central Avenue Elementary compares
Central Avenue Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▼ 19% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.9% | ▲ 13% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 355 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 25% in Washington - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,349
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 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 34.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Two or More 12.1%
African American 10.7%
Asian 10.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 34.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.3, Central Avenue Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Franklin Pierce School District, which includes Central Avenue Elementary.
$17,349
Per student
-11%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 64.5%
Federal 13.5%
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 Central Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Pierce High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morris Ford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Perry G Keithley Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookdale Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 831
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 804
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar elementary schools in Tacoma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fife Elementary School
Standard public school
866 students 17:1 students per teacher
Clover Creek Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Naches Trail Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 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 (~355 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Avenue Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Central Avenue Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Franklin Pierce 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 Central Avenue Elementary
How many students attend Central Avenue Elementary?
Central Avenue Elementary has 355 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Avenue Elementary is 14.2:1, which is 19% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 10% 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 Central Avenue Elementary?
50.9% of students at Central Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Central Avenue Elementary is White at 34.6% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Avenue Elementary?
Central Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Central Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Avenue Elementary ranks #9 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma on the city page.
Is Central Avenue Elementary a good school?
Central Avenue Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Franklin Pierce School District?
Besides Central Avenue Elementary, Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students), Franklin Pierce High School (977 students), and Morris Ford Middle School (831 students). See the Franklin Pierce 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.