Enrollment
842
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lake Stevens, WA
Hillcrest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530420000651
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Washington schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Lake Stevens · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Washington
- 17.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Lake Stevens, WA.
School address
District: Lake Stevens School District · Washington
NCES ID 530420000651 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Lake Stevens, Washington, enrolling 842 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.4% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the Washington average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 90% of state schools at 842 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 249 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #164.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 842 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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): Hillcrest Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20:1 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 Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest Elementary School compares
Hillcrest 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 | 20:1 | ▲ 14% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.4% | ▼ 61% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 842 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
842
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 78% in Washington - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 842 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 52.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.6%
Asian 14.5%
Two or More 10.3%
African American 5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, Hillcrest 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 Lake Stevens School District, which includes Hillcrest Elementary School.
$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 Hillcrest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Stevens Sr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cavelero Mid High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Lake Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Stevens Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stevens Creek Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillcrest Elementary School'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
- 709
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 701
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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
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
Early Learning Center
Standard public school
259 students 51.8:1 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 (~842 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Elementary School 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 Hillcrest Elementary School
How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has 842 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lake Stevens, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 20:1, which is 14% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillcrest Elementary School?
17.4% of students at Hillcrest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Elementary School is White at 52.1% of enrollment, in Lake Stevens, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Hillcrest Elementary School rank among schools in Lake Stevens?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 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 Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Hillcrest Elementary School, 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.