Enrollment
187
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bellingham, WA
Columbia Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530042000103
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Elementary School earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of Washington schools.
- #1 of 17
- schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Washington
- 18.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 91% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary School ranks #1 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000103 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Elementary School
Columbia Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 187 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.7:1, Columbia Elementary School is leaner than roughly 91% of Washington schools and 34% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.6% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the Washington average.
Enrollment of 187 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 66 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 187 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
13.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bellingham's public schools, it stands alongside Happy Valley Elementary School (455 students): Columbia Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 17.5:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Columbia Elementary School.
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 Columbia Elementary School compares
Columbia Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 34% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.6% | ▼ 59% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 187 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
187
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 9% in Washington - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
13.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,802
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 187 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 78.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 3.8%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 78.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.3, Columbia Elementary School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Columbia Elementary School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
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 Columbia Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Bellingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Geneva Elementary School
Standard public school
412 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Standard public school
396 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Silver Beach Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Cordata Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 11.2:1 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 (~187 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Columbia Elementary School
How many students attend Columbia Elementary School?
Columbia Elementary School has 187 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary School is 11.7:1, which is 34% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 25% 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 Columbia Elementary School?
18.6% of students at Columbia Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Elementary School is White at 78.0% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Elementary School?
Columbia Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (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 Columbia Elementary School rank among schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary School ranks #1 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Columbia Elementary School a good school?
Columbia Elementary School earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Columbia Elementary School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.