Enrollment
358
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lakewood, WA
Custer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Custer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530141000251
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Custer Elementary School earns 39/100 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.
- #9 of 14
- schools in Lakewood · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 78.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Custer Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Custer Elementary School ranks #9 of 14 schools in Lakewood, WA.
School address
District: Clover Park School District · Washington
NCES ID 530141000251 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Custer Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Custer Elementary School
Custer Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lakewood, Washington, enrolling 358 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 is high: 78.6% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 358 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 229 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #175, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (28%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 358 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lakewood's public schools, it stands alongside General William H. Harrison Preparatory School (738 students): Custer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 19.4:1).
Clover Park School District also operates Clover Park High School (1,161 students) and Lakes High School (1,158 students) alongside Custer 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 Custer Elementary School compares
Custer 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 | 78.6% | ▲ 75% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 358 | top 55% | - | - |
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.
358
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
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
26.5%
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
$17,376
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 358 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 28.3%
White 26.2%
Two or More 19.8%
African American 15.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.5%
Asian 4.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 28.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.2, Custer 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 Clover Park School District, which includes Custer Elementary School.
$17,376
Per student
-11%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.7%
State 65.9%
Federal 20.3%
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 Custer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| General William H. Harrison Preparatory School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rainier Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Custer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,158
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 934
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Lakewood
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
General William H. Harrison Preparatory School
Standard public school
738 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Four Heroes Elementary
Standard public school
541 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Lakeview Hope Academy
Standard public school
540 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Lake Louise Elementary School
Standard public school
450 students 15:1 students per teacher
Tyee Park Elementary School
Standard public school
381 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Idlewild Elementary School
Standard public school
380 students 15.2:1 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 (~358 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Custer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Custer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Clover Park 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 Custer Elementary School
How many students attend Custer Elementary School?
Custer Elementary School has 358 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lakewood, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Custer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Custer 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 Custer Elementary School?
78.6% of students at Custer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Custer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Custer Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 28.3% of enrollment, in Lakewood, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Custer Elementary School?
Custer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Custer Elementary School rank among schools in Lakewood?
By Resource Investment Index, Custer Elementary School ranks #9 of 14 schools in Lakewood, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lakewood on the city page.
Is Custer Elementary School a good school?
Custer Elementary School earns 39/100 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 Clover Park School District?
Besides Custer Elementary School, Clover Park School District also operates Clover Park High School (1,161 students), Lakes High School (1,158 students), and Thomas Middle School (934 students). See the Clover Park 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.