- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+24 students YoY
Chester H Thompson Elementary held near 648 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+24 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 44.9 → 45.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+24 students YoY 530048000121 · Tacoma, WA Elementary · MID · TRAD
688 enr · 15.6:1 · 55.0% lunch · RII 50
Nearest enrollment peer: Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students)
Chester H Thompson Elementary held near 648 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+24 headcount). Teacher FTE added 44.9 → 45.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Chester H Thompson Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Graham Kapowsi
Graham Kapowsin High School
2,087 students
- Spanaway Lake
Spanaway Lake High School
1,787 students
- Bethel High Sc
Bethel High School
1,688 students
- Liberty Middle
Liberty Middle School
857 students
- Spanaway Middl 766
Spanaway Middle School
766 students
- This school 688
Chester H Thompson Elementary
688 students
What this shows Chester H Thompson Elementary reports 688 students on the CCD universe file.
How Chester H Thompson Elementary compares
Chester H Thompson Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$15,370
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
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.
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
District finance for Bethel School District reports $15,370 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
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 (~688 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 624 (2022-23) → 648 (2023-24), nearly flat (+24).
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.