Enrollment
1,639
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Kent, WA
Kent-Meridian High School
Federal NCES profile for Kent-Meridian High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530396000621
👥 S:T ratio 35
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kent-Meridian High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #2 of 5
- high schools in Kent · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Kent-Meridian High School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kent-Meridian High School ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Kent, WA.
School address
District: Kent School District · Washington
NCES ID 530396000621 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
101.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kent-Meridian High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kent-Meridian High School
Kent-Meridian High School is a higher-need, large high school in Kent, Washington, enrolling 1,639 students.
At 16.2:1, 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 63.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,639 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 46 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #26.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and Asian (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 328 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.3% 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 Kent's high schools, it stands alongside Kentridge High School (2,186 students): Kent-Meridian High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 24.8:1).
Kent School District also operates Kentridge High School (2,186 students) and Kentwood High School (1,995 students) alongside Kent-Meridian High 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 Kent-Meridian High School compares
Kent-Meridian High 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 | 16.2:1 | ▼ 8% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 40% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,639 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,639
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 49% in Washington - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.3%
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
$17,678
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 328 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
156
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.0 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 40.3%
Asian 18.7%
African American 14.6%
White 13.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 6.5%
Two or More 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.5, Kent-Meridian High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kent School District, which includes Kent-Meridian High School.
$17,678
Per student
-9%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.5%
State 61.2%
Federal 13.2%
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 Kent-Meridian High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kentwood High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kentlake High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwood Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cedar Heights Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kent-Meridian High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,186
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,561
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 911
- Students per teacher
- 31.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Kent
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Kentridge High School
Standard public school
2,186 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Kentlake High School
Standard public school
1,561 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Individualized Graduation & Degree Program
Alternative education program
370 students 46.3:1 students per teacher
The Outreach Program
Special-education school
62 students 31:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,639 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kent-Meridian High School's federal record.
- Compare Kent-Meridian High School against another school. Compare schools
- Kent 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 Kent-Meridian High School
How many students attend Kent-Meridian High School?
Kent-Meridian High School has 1,639 students enrolled. It is a high school in Kent, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kent-Meridian High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kent-Meridian High School is 16.2:1, which is 8% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 3% 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 Kent-Meridian High School?
63.2% of students at Kent-Meridian High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kent-Meridian High School?
The largest demographic group at Kent-Meridian High School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.3% of enrollment, in Kent, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kent-Meridian High School?
Kent-Meridian High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Kent-Meridian High School rank among high schools in Kent?
By Resource Investment Index, Kent-Meridian High School ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Kent, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Kent on the city page.
Is Kent-Meridian High School a good school?
Kent-Meridian High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Kent School District?
Besides Kent-Meridian High School, Kent School District also operates Kentridge High School (2,186 students), Kentwood High School (1,995 students), and Kentlake High School (1,561 students). See the Kent 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.