Enrollment
453
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Helen Stafford Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Helen Stafford Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530870003064
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helen Stafford Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #14 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- students per teacher
- 61.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Helen Stafford Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helen Stafford Elementary School ranks #14 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870003064 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Helen Stafford Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Helen Stafford Elementary School
Helen Stafford Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 453 students.
At 16.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 453 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 446 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #322, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (30%) and Asian (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 81/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 227 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Helen Stafford Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.8:1 vs 20.6:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Helen Stafford 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 Helen Stafford Elementary School compares
Helen Stafford 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 | 16.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.0% | ▲ 36% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 54% in Washington - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
63.8%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 227 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 29.6%
Asian 17.4%
Two or More 17.0%
White 14.8%
African American 13.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 29.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 80.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 80.8, Helen Stafford 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 Helen Stafford 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 Helen Stafford 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helen Stafford 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 (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Helen Stafford Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Helen Stafford 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 Helen Stafford Elementary School
How many students attend Helen Stafford Elementary School?
Helen Stafford Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helen Stafford Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helen Stafford Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 7% higher 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 Helen Stafford Elementary School?
61.0% of students at Helen Stafford Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helen Stafford Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Helen Stafford Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 29.6% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 80.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helen Stafford Elementary School?
Helen Stafford Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Helen Stafford Elementary School rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Helen Stafford Elementary School ranks #14 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 Helen Stafford Elementary School a good school?
Helen Stafford Elementary School earns 39/100 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 Tacoma School District?
Besides Helen Stafford 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.