- Enrollment
- 2,419
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Issaquah, WA
Challenger Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Challenger Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530375002214
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Washington schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Issaquah · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Washington
- 14.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger Elementary has class sizes smaller than 89% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Issaquah, WA.
School address
District: Issaquah School District · Washington
NCES ID 530375002214 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-28 students YoY
Challenger Elementary shrank from 423 students in 2022-23 to 395 in 2023-24 (-6.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 29.3 → 27.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-28 students YoY 530375002214 · Issaquah, WA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
350 enr · 12.1:1 · 14.7% lunch · RII 57
Nearest enrollment peer: Issaquah High School (2,419 students)
Challenger Elementary shrank from 423 students in 2022-23 to 395 in 2023-24 (-6.6%). Teacher FTE lost 29.3 → 27.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Challenger Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Issaquah High
Issaquah High School
2,419 students
- Skyline High S
Skyline High School
2,244 students
- Liberty Sr Hig
Liberty Sr High School
1,495 students
- Pine Lake Midd 877
Pine Lake Middle School
877 students
- Maywood Middle 826
Maywood Middle School
826 students
- This school 350
Challenger Elementary
350 students
What this shows Challenger Elementary reports 350 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challenger Elementary compares
Challenger Elementary is a shrinking 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 31% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.7% | ▼ 67% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 350 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
350
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
14.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 11% in Washington - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
9.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$17,188
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 350 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Asian 41.4%
White 31.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.9%
Two or More 10.3%
African American 4.3%
Largest group: Asian at 41.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, Challenger Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Issaquah School District reports $17,188 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challenger Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issaquah High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Skyline High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Sr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Lake Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maywood Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,244
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,495
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 877
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 826
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Issaquah
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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.
Similar enrollment (~350 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challenger Elementary
How many students attend Challenger Elementary?
Challenger Elementary has 350 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Issaquah, WA. CCD year-over-year: 423 (2022-23) → 395 (2023-24), down 28.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Elementary is 12.1:1, which is 31% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 23% 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 Challenger Elementary?
14.7% of students at Challenger Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Challenger Elementary is Asian at 41.4% of enrollment, in Issaquah, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger Elementary?
Challenger Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Challenger Elementary rank among elementary schools in Issaquah?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Issaquah, 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 Issaquah on the city page.
What other schools are in Issaquah School District?
Besides Challenger Elementary, Issaquah School District also operates Issaquah High School (2,419 students), Skyline High School (2,244 students), and Liberty Sr High School (1,495 students). See the Issaquah School District district page for the complete list.