Enrollment
346
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Christensen Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Christensen Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530294000472
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Christensen Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #15 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- small classes for Washington
- 67.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Christensen Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Christensen Elementary ranks #15 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Franklin Pierce School District · Washington
NCES ID 530294000472 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.1%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Christensen Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Christensen Elementary
Christensen Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 346 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 346 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 370 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #291, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (32%) and White (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 79/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 346 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Christensen Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.4:1 vs 20.6:1).
Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students) and Franklin Pierce High School (977 students) alongside Christensen 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 Christensen Elementary compares
Christensen 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 18% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.1% | ▲ 49% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 346 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
346
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 27% in Washington - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.5%
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 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 32.1%
White 19.4%
Two or More 16.5%
African American 15.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 12.1%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 32.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 79.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 79.1, Christensen 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 Christensen 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 Christensen 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 | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morris Ford Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Perry G Keithley Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookdale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Christensen 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 other schools in Tacoma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Columbia Junior High School
Standard public school
619 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Sheridan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Geiger Montessori School
Standard public school
521 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Boze Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
483 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~346 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Christensen Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Christensen 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 Christensen Elementary
How many students attend Christensen Elementary?
Christensen Elementary has 346 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Christensen Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Christensen Elementary is 14.4:1, which is 18% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 8% 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 Christensen Elementary?
67.1% of students at Christensen Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Christensen Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Christensen Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 32.1% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 79.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Christensen Elementary?
Christensen 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 Christensen Elementary rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Christensen Elementary ranks #15 of 42 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 schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Christensen Elementary a good school?
Christensen Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Christensen 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.