Enrollment
298
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Downing Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Downing Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530870001461
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Downing Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Washington schools.
- #18 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Washington
- 43.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Downing Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Downing Elementary School ranks #18 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001461 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.5%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Downing Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Downing Elementary School
Downing Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 298 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.5% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 298 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 309 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #263, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Two or More (20%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 298 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Downing Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.9:1 vs 20.6:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Downing 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 Downing Elementary School compares
Downing 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 | 19.9:1 | ▲ 13% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.5% | ▼ 3% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 78% in Washington - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.6%
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 298 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 58.4%
Two or More 19.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
African American 6.7%
Asian 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 58.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, Downing 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 Downing 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 Downing Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Lower 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 Downing 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 other schools in Tacoma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Columbia Junior High School
Standard public school
619 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Sheridan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Geiger Montessori School
Standard public school
521 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Boze Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
483 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 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 (~298 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Downing Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Downing 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 Downing Elementary School
How many students attend Downing Elementary School?
Downing Elementary School has 298 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Downing Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Downing Elementary School is 19.9:1, which is 13% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Downing Elementary School?
43.5% of students at Downing Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Downing Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Downing Elementary School is White at 58.4% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Downing Elementary School?
Downing Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Downing Elementary School rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Downing Elementary School ranks #18 of 42 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 schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Downing Elementary School a good school?
Downing Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of 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 Downing 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.