Enrollment
676
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Puyallup, WA
Emma L Carson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Emma L Carson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530696003192
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emma L Carson Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #9 of 20
- schools in Puyallup · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- students per teacher
- 34.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Emma L Carson Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emma L Carson Elementary ranks #9 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA.
School address
District: Puyallup School District · Washington
NCES ID 530696003192 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emma L Carson Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emma L Carson Elementary
Emma L Carson Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Puyallup, Washington, enrolling 676 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 676 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 425 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #180.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 79/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 676 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Puyallup School District spends $15,642 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Puyallup's public schools, it stands alongside Dessie F Evans Elementary (919 students): Emma L Carson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.8:1 vs 16.7:1).
Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students) and Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students) alongside Emma L Carson Elementary.
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 Emma L Carson Elementary compares
Emma L Carson Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.0% | ▼ 24% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 676 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
676
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 63% in Washington - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,642
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 676 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 34.3%
Hispanic or Latino 18.9%
Two or More 16.7%
African American 15.5%
Asian 8.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 34.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.5, Emma L Carson Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Puyallup School District, which includes Emma L Carson Elementary.
$15,642
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 64.7%
Federal 9.9%
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 Emma L Carson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puyallup High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gov John Rogers High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerald Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dessie F Evans Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ballou Jr High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emma L Carson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,815
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Puyallup
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dessie F Evans Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Ballou Jr High
Standard public school
852 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Doris Stahl Junior High
Standard public school
846 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Glacier View Junior High
Standard public school
843 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Ferrucci Jr High
Standard public school
815 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Kalles Junior High
Standard public school
762 students 20.6:1 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 (~676 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emma L Carson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Emma L Carson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Puyallup 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 Emma L Carson Elementary
How many students attend Emma L Carson Elementary?
Emma L Carson Elementary has 676 students enrolled. It is a public school in Puyallup, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emma L Carson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Emma L Carson Elementary is 17.8:1, which is 1% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Emma L Carson Elementary?
34.0% of students at Emma L Carson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emma L Carson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Emma L Carson Elementary is White at 34.3% of enrollment, in Puyallup, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emma L Carson Elementary?
Emma L Carson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Emma L Carson Elementary rank among schools in Puyallup?
By Resource Investment Index, Emma L Carson Elementary ranks #9 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Puyallup on the city page.
Is Emma L Carson Elementary a good school?
Emma L Carson Elementary earns 45/100 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 Puyallup School District?
Besides Emma L Carson Elementary, Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students), Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students), and Emerald Ridge High School (1,599 students). See the Puyallup 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.