Enrollment
1,352
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Federal Way, WA
Decatur High School
Federal NCES profile for Decatur High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530282000434
👥 S:T ratio 7
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Decatur High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Federal Way · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.3:1
- large classes for Washington
- 53.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Decatur High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Federal Way, WA.
School address
District: Federal Way School District · Washington
NCES ID 530282000434 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Decatur High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Decatur High School
Decatur High School is a higher-need, large high school in Federal Way, Washington, enrolling 1,352 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.3:1 is larger than about 91% of Washington schools and 32% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,352 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 85 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #82, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (33%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 79/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 21 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 451 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Federal Way's high schools, it stands alongside Open Doors Youth Reengagement (1418) (154 students): Decatur High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.3:1 vs 38.5:1).
Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students) and Federal Way High School (1,665 students) alongside Decatur High 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 Decatur High School compares
Decatur High 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 | 23.3:1 | ▲ 32% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.7% | ▲ 19% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,352 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,352
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 91% in Washington - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.4%
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
$17,122
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 451 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
68
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 33.4%
White 21.7%
Two or More 13.3%
African American 12.4%
Asian 11.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 33.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 79.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 79.0, Decatur High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Federal Way School District, which includes Decatur High School.
$17,122
Per student
-12%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 68.0%
Federal 15.0%
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 Decatur High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Federal Way High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Todd Beamer High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Evergreen Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kilo Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Decatur High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,810
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,665
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Federal Way
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Open Doors Youth Reengagement (1418)
Alternative education program
154 students 38.5:1 students per teacher
Career Academy at Truman High School
Alternative education program
83 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Employment Transition Program
Special-education school
62 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Gateway to College
Standard public school
23 students
Federal Way Running Start Home School
Standard public school
17 students
Similar high 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 (~1,352 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Decatur High School's federal record.
- Compare Decatur High School against another school. Compare schools
- Federal Way 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 Decatur High School
How many students attend Decatur High School?
Decatur High School has 1,352 students enrolled. It is a high school in Federal Way, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Decatur High School is 23.3:1, which is 32% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Decatur High School?
53.7% of students at Decatur High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Decatur High School?
The largest demographic group at Decatur High School is Hispanic or Latino at 33.4% of enrollment, in Federal Way, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 79.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Decatur High School?
Decatur High School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Decatur High School rank among high schools in Federal Way?
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Federal Way, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Federal Way on the city page.
Is Decatur High School a good school?
Decatur High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Federal Way School District?
Besides Decatur High School, Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students), Federal Way High School (1,665 students), and Todd Beamer High School (1,412 students). See the Federal Way 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.