Enrollment
387
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
James Sales Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James Sales Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530294000477
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Sales Elementary 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.
- #8 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 59.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James Sales Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Sales Elementary ranks #8 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Franklin Pierce School District · Washington
NCES ID 530294000477 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Sales Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Sales Elementary
James Sales Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 387 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 387 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 434 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #307, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (33%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 387 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): James Sales Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 17:1).
Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students) and Franklin Pierce High School (977 students) alongside James Sales 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 James Sales Elementary compares
James Sales 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 12% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.4% | ▲ 32% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 40% in Washington - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$17,349
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 33.3%
White 26.1%
Two or More 14.2%
African American 12.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 9.3%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 33.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.5, James Sales Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Franklin Pierce School District, which includes James Sales Elementary.
$17,349
Per student
-11%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 64.5%
Federal 13.5%
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 James Sales Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Franklin Pierce High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morris Ford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Perry G Keithley Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookdale Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Sales Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 831
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 804
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar elementary schools in Tacoma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fife Elementary School
Standard public school
866 students 17:1 students per teacher
Clover Creek Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Naches Trail Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~387 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Sales Elementary's federal record.
- Compare James Sales Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Franklin Pierce 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 James Sales Elementary
How many students attend James Sales Elementary?
James Sales Elementary has 387 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Sales Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James Sales Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 12% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 1% 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 James Sales Elementary?
59.4% of students at James Sales Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Sales Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James Sales Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 33.3% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Sales Elementary?
James Sales Elementary 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 James Sales Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, James Sales Elementary ranks #8 of 17 elementary 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 elementary schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is James Sales Elementary a good school?
James Sales Elementary 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 Franklin Pierce School District?
Besides James Sales Elementary, Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students), Franklin Pierce High School (977 students), and Morris Ford Middle School (831 students). See the Franklin Pierce 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.