Enrollment
337
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lakewood, WA
Dower Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dower Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530141000252
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dower Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #4 of 14
- schools in Lakewood · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dower Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dower Elementary School ranks #4 of 14 schools in Lakewood, WA.
School address
District: Clover Park School District · Washington
NCES ID 530141000252 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dower Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dower Elementary School
Dower Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lakewood, Washington, enrolling 337 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.
Economic need is high: 77.2% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 337 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 234 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #110.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (26%) and African American (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 80/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 337 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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): Dower Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 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 Dower 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 Dower Elementary School compares
Dower 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 | 77.2% | ▲ 72% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 337 | top 58% | - | - |
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.
337
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
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
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 337 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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 26.2%
African American 25.0%
White 16.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 14.2%
Two or More 12.0%
Asian 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 26.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 80.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 80.3, Dower 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 Dower 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 Dower Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| General William H. Harrison Preparatory School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rainier Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dower 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 (~337 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dower Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dower 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 Dower Elementary School
How many students attend Dower Elementary School?
Dower Elementary School has 337 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lakewood, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dower Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dower 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 Dower Elementary School?
77.2% of students at Dower Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dower Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dower Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 26.2% of enrollment, in Lakewood, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 80.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dower Elementary School?
Dower Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Dower Elementary School rank among schools in Lakewood?
By Resource Investment Index, Dower Elementary School ranks #4 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 Dower Elementary School a good school?
Dower Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Dower 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.