Enrollment
398
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Seattle, WA
Emerson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Emerson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530771001163
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerson Elementary School earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools.
- #9 of 37
- schools in Seattle · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.2:1
- small classes for Washington
- 75.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #9 of 37 schools in Seattle, WA.
School address
District: Seattle School District No. 1 · Washington
NCES ID 530771001163 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emerson Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emerson Elementary School
Emerson Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 398 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 75.3% of students qualify for free meals, 67% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 398 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 316 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 199 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Seattle's public schools, it stands alongside Summit Public School: Atlas (566 students): Emerson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 18.9:1).
Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students) and Ballard High School (1,697 students) alongside Emerson 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 Emerson Elementary School compares
Emerson 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 19% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.3% | ▲ 67% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 398 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
398
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 25% in Washington - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$20,430
per pupil, district-wide
- above Washington avg of $19,487
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 199 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
African American 45.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.5%
White 10.9%
Asian 8.8%
Two or More 8.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 45.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.8, Emerson 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 Seattle School District No. 1, which includes Emerson Elementary School.
$20,430
Per student
+5%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 50.6%
Federal 9.3%
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 Emerson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballard High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garfield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Seattle High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emerson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,542
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,507
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Seattle
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Summit Public School: Atlas
Standard public school
566 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
White Center Heights Elementary
Standard public school
527 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Hilltop Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Mount View Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 20:1 students per teacher
Louisa Boren Stem K-8
Standard public school
437 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Beverly Park Elem at Glendale
Standard public school
411 students 18.7:1 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 (~398 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emerson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Emerson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Seattle School District No. 1'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 Emerson Elementary School
How many students attend Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has 398 students enrolled. It is a public school in Seattle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 19% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 10% lower 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 Emerson Elementary School?
75.3% of students at Emerson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emerson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Emerson Elementary School is African American at 45.2% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (higher 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 Emerson Elementary School rank among schools in Seattle?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #9 of 37 schools in Seattle, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Seattle on the city page.
Is Emerson Elementary School a good school?
Emerson Elementary School earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% 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 Seattle School District No. 1?
Besides Emerson Elementary School, Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students), Ballard High School (1,697 students), and Roosevelt High School (1,542 students). See the Seattle School District No. 1 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.