Enrollment
451
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Crescent Heights Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530870002742
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Crescent Heights Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #17 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 29.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Crescent Heights Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Crescent Heights Elementary School ranks #17 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870002742 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Crescent Heights Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Crescent Heights Elementary School
Crescent Heights Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 451 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 451 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 493 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #481, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 451 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Crescent Heights Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 17:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Crescent Heights 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 Crescent Heights Elementary School compares
Crescent Heights 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.0% | ▼ 36% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 451 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
451
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 71% in Washington - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.6%
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
$17,575
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 451 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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
White 35.9%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%
Two or More 17.3%
African American 10.6%
Asian 8.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 35.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.0, Crescent Heights 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 Tacoma School District, which includes Crescent Heights Elementary School.
$17,575
Per student
-10%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 57.0%
Federal 12.8%
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 Crescent Heights Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Crescent Heights Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,700
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,556
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,410
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Browns Point Elementary School
Standard public school
445 students 18.5:1 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 (~451 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Crescent Heights Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Crescent Heights Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tacoma 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 Crescent Heights Elementary School
How many students attend Crescent Heights Elementary School?
Crescent Heights Elementary School has 451 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Crescent Heights Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Crescent Heights Elementary School is 18.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Crescent Heights Elementary School?
29.0% of students at Crescent Heights Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Crescent Heights Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Crescent Heights Elementary School is White at 35.9% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Crescent Heights Elementary School?
Crescent Heights Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Crescent Heights Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Crescent Heights Elementary School ranks #17 of 17 elementary 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 elementary schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Crescent Heights Elementary School a good school?
Crescent Heights Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Tacoma School District?
Besides Crescent Heights Elementary School, Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students), Lincoln High School (1,556 students), and Mount Tahoma High School (1,410 students). See the Tacoma 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.