Enrollment
422
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Arlington, WA
Cougar Creek Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cougar Creek Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530426003156
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cougar Creek Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Arlington · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 37.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Cougar Creek Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cougar Creek Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Arlington, WA.
School address
District: Lakewood School District · Washington
NCES ID 530426003156 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cougar Creek Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cougar Creek Elementary School
Cougar Creek Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Arlington, Washington, enrolling 422 students.
At 16.9:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 37.6% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 422 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 465 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #353, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 844 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Lakewood School District spends $15,256 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Arlington's elementary schools, it stands alongside Eagle Creek Elementary (665 students): Cougar Creek Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 15.8:1).
Lakewood School District also operates Lakewood High School (834 students) and Lakewood Middle School (668 students) alongside Cougar Creek 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 Cougar Creek Elementary School compares
Cougar Creek 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 | 16.9:1 | ▼ 4% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.6% | ▼ 16% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 422 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
422
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Washington - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.1%
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
$15,256
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 62.6%
Hispanic or Latino 20.1%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.6, Cougar Creek Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lakewood School District, which includes Cougar Creek Elementary School.
$15,256
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.6%
State 71.1%
Federal 7.3%
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 Cougar Creek Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| English Crossing Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cougar Creek Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 834
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 458
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 331
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Arlington
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Eagle Creek Elementary
Standard public school
665 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Kent Prairie Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
501 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Stillaguamish Valley Learning Center
Alternative education program
181 students 30.2:1 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 (~422 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cougar Creek Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cougar Creek Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lakewood 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 Cougar Creek Elementary School
How many students attend Cougar Creek Elementary School?
Cougar Creek Elementary School has 422 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Arlington, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cougar Creek Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cougar Creek Elementary School is 16.9:1, which is 4% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 8% higher 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 Cougar Creek Elementary School?
37.6% of students at Cougar Creek Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cougar Creek Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cougar Creek Elementary School is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Arlington, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cougar Creek Elementary School?
Cougar Creek Elementary School 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 Cougar Creek Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Arlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Cougar Creek Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Arlington, 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 Arlington on the city page.
Is Cougar Creek Elementary School a good school?
Cougar Creek Elementary School earns 38/100 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 Lakewood School District?
Besides Cougar Creek Elementary School, Lakewood School District also operates Lakewood High School (834 students), Lakewood Middle School (668 students), and Lakewood Elementary School (458 students). See the Lakewood 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.