Enrollment
259
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lake Stevens, WA
Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530420003561
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Early Learning Center earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Washington schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Lake Stevens · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 51.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 58.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 99% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Early Learning Center ranks #7 of 7 schools in Lake Stevens, WA.
School address
District: Lake Stevens School District · Washington
NCES ID 530420003561 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
51.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+194% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.9%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+31% 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 Lake Stevens, Washington, enrolling 259 students.
Class loads run heavy: 51.8:1 is larger than about 99% of Washington schools and 194% 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 58.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 259 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 249 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #240, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 66/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Lake Stevens School District spends $15,248 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lake Stevens's public schools, it stands alongside Cavelero Mid High School (1,490 students): Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (51.8:1 vs 20.4:1).
Lake Stevens School District also operates Lake Stevens Sr High School (2,205 students) and Cavelero Mid High School (1,490 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 | 51.8:1 | ▲ 194% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.9% | ▲ 31% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 259 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
51.8:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
259
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
51.8:1
students per teacher
- 194% above state mean
Top 99% in Washington - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.4%
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
$15,248
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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
White 50.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
African American 12.7%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 5.0%
Largest group: White at 50.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Early Learning Center is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lake Stevens School District, which includes Early Learning Center.
$15,248
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 72.2%
Federal 6.8%
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 Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Stevens Sr High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cavelero Mid High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Lake Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake Stevens Middle School | Larger | Lower 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
- 2,205
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,490
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 856
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 709
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Lake Stevens
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cavelero Mid High School
Standard public school
1,490 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Hillcrest Elementary School
Standard public school
842 students 20:1 students per teacher
Sunnycrest Elementary School
Standard public school
695 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Skyline Elementary
Standard public school
562 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Highland Elementary
Standard public school
557 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Homelink
Alternative education program
31 students 15.5:1 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 (~259 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~51.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Lake Stevens 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 259 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lake Stevens, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Early Learning Center is 51.8:1, which is 194% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 230% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Early Learning Center?
58.9% 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 White at 50.6% of enrollment, in Lake Stevens, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Early Learning Center?
Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Lake Stevens?
By Resource Investment Index, Early Learning Center ranks #7 of 7 schools in Lake Stevens, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lake Stevens on the city page.
Is Early Learning Center a good school?
Early Learning Center earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Lake Stevens School District?
Besides Early Learning Center, Lake Stevens School District also operates Lake Stevens Sr High School (2,205 students), Cavelero Mid High School (1,490 students), and North Lake Middle School (856 students). See the Lake Stevens 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.