Enrollment
266
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530294003589
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Early Learning Center earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #34 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 38:1
- large classes for Washington
- 59.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 98% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Early Learning Center ranks #34 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Franklin Pierce School District · Washington
NCES ID 530294003589 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
38:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+116% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Early Learning Center compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Early Learning Center
Early Learning Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 266 students.
Class loads run heavy: 38:1 is larger than about 98% of Washington schools and 116% 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 59.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 266 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 262 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #246, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (38:1 vs 20.6:1).
Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students) and Franklin Pierce High School (977 students) alongside Early Learning Center.
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 Early Learning Center compares
Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 38:1 | ▲ 116% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.7% | ▲ 33% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 266 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
38:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
266
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
38:1
students per teacher
- 116% above state mean
Top 98% in Washington - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,349
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 40.6%
White 22.9%
African American 15.0%
Two or More 14.3%
Asian 4.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.8, Early Learning Center is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Franklin Pierce School District, which includes Early Learning Center.
$17,349
Per student
-11%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 64.5%
Federal 13.5%
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 Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin Pierce High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morris Ford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Perry G Keithley Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brookdale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 831
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 804
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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 (~266 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~38:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Franklin Pierce 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 Early Learning Center
How many students attend Early Learning Center?
Early Learning Center has 266 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Early Learning Center is 38:1, which is 116% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 142% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Early Learning Center?
59.7% of students at Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Early Learning Center is Hispanic or Latino at 40.6% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Early Learning Center?
Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Early Learning Center rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Early Learning Center ranks #34 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 Early Learning Center a good school?
Early Learning Center earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Franklin Pierce School District?
Besides Early Learning Center, Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students), Franklin Pierce High School (977 students), and Morris Ford Middle School (831 students). See the Franklin Pierce 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.