Enrollment
789
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · La Center, WA
La Center Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Center Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530417000650
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Center Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in La Center · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 23.2%
- free-lunch eligible
La Center Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Center Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in La Center, WA.
School address
District: La Center School District · Washington
NCES ID 530417000650 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Center Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Center Elementary
La Center Elementary is a large combined-grade school in La Center, Washington, enrolling 789 students.
At 17.2:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 23.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 789 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 315 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #205.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 506 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding La Center School District spends $13,516 per pupil, 31% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 19 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among La Center's public schools, it stands alongside La Center Academy (38 students): La Center Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 38:1).
La Center School District also operates La Center High School (555 students) and La Center Middle School (441 students) alongside La Center 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 La Center Elementary compares
La Center 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 | 17.2:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.2% | ▼ 48% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 789 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
789
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 58% in Washington - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.3%
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
$13,516
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
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 506 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 19 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
White 81.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 81.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.9, La Center Elementary is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Center School District, which includes La Center Elementary.
$13,516
Per student
-31%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
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.
How La Center Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Center High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Center Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Center Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Center Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 555
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 441
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 38
- Students per teacher
- 38:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in La Center
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~789 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Center Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Center Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- La Center 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 La Center Elementary
How many students attend La Center Elementary?
La Center Elementary has 789 students enrolled. It is a public school in La Center, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Center Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Center Elementary is 17.2:1, which is 2% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 10% 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 La Center Elementary?
23.2% of students at La Center Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Center Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Center Elementary is White at 81.6% of enrollment, in La Center, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Center Elementary?
La Center Elementary 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 La Center Elementary rank among public schools in La Center?
By Resource Investment Index, La Center Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in La Center, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in La Center on the city page.
Is La Center Elementary a good school?
La Center Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 La Center School District?
Besides La Center Elementary, La Center School District also operates La Center High School (555 students), La Center Middle School (441 students), and La Center Academy (38 students). See the La Center 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.