Enrollment
38
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 530417003451
La Center Academy — La Center, WA
Federal NCES profile for La Center Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 35/100.
👥 Class size 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: La Center School District · Washington
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
42:1
vs 17.8:1 Washington avg
+136% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Center Academy compares with Washington and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
La Center Academy reports 38 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 1.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 42:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 136% above the Washington state mean of 17.8:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 164% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 28.6% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 36% below the Washington average and 45% below the national baseline.
On the finance side, the surrounding La Center School District spends $17,588 per pupil district-wide, below the Washington average of $23,175 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 25.4% from local sources (property taxes), 67.7% from the state, and 6.9% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (F), calculated from 2 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How La Center Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Washington state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 42:1 | ▲ 136% | 17.8:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.6% | ▼ 36% | 45.0% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 38 | top 9% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
28.6%
free-lunch eligible
— 36% 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
42:1
students per teacher
— 136% above state mean
Top 99% in Washington — lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Above 20:1 — larger class loads than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is stretched relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$17,588
per pupil, district-wide
— below Washington avg of $23,175
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 38 Top 9% in Washington — larger than 91% of 2,465 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 1.0
Students per teacher 42:1 +136% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 28.6% -36% vs state
NCES ID 530417003451
Student demographics
White 84.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.6%
Two or More 2.6%
Largest group: White at 84.2% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Center School District, which includes La Center Academy.
$17,588
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $23,175
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 67.7%
Federal 6.9%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Enrollment
- 555
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Enrollment
- 441
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
Similar other schools in La Center
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about La Center Academy
How many students attend La Center Academy?
La Center Academy has 38 students enrolled. It is a other school in La Center, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Center Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at La Center Academy is 42:1, which is 136% higher than the Washington average of 17.8:1 and 164% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Center Academy?
28.6% of students at La Center Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Center Academy?
The largest demographic group at La Center Academy is White at 84.2%. The school serves a diverse student body in La Center, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Center Academy?
La Center Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (F) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.