Enrollment
688
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Chester H Thompson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chester H Thompson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530048000121
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chester H Thompson Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 55.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Chester H Thompson Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chester H Thompson Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048000121 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chester H Thompson Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chester H Thompson Elementary
Chester H Thompson Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 688 students.
At 15.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 55.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 688 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 358 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #51.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (21%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 688 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Chester H Thompson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 17:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside Chester H Thompson 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 Chester H Thompson Elementary compares
Chester H Thompson 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.0% | ▲ 22% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 688 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
688
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 41% in Washington - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
3.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$15,195
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 688 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 49.3%
White 20.5%
Two or More 14.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 6.7%
African American 6.5%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Chester H Thompson Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes Chester H Thompson Elementary.
$15,195
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.6%
State 66.9%
Federal 8.5%
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 Chester H Thompson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chester H Thompson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,688
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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 (~688 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chester H Thompson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chester H Thompson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Bethel 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 Chester H Thompson Elementary
How many students attend Chester H Thompson Elementary?
Chester H Thompson Elementary has 688 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chester H Thompson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chester H Thompson Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 11% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 1% 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 Chester H Thompson Elementary?
55.0% of students at Chester H Thompson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chester H Thompson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chester H Thompson Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 49.3% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chester H Thompson Elementary?
Chester H Thompson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Chester H Thompson Elementary rank among public schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Chester H Thompson Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public 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 public schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Chester H Thompson Elementary a good school?
Chester H Thompson Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Bethel School District?
Besides Chester H Thompson Elementary, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students), and Bethel High School (1,688 students). See the Bethel 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.