Enrollment
555
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · La Center, WA
La Center High School
Federal NCES profile for La Center High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530417001049
👥 S:T ratio 15
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Center High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in La Center · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Washington
- 19.6%
- free-lunch eligible
La Center High School has class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Center High School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in La Center, WA.
School address
District: La Center School District · Washington
NCES ID 530417001049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Center High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Center High School
La Center High School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized high school in La Center, Washington, enrolling 555 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 19.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 555 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 448 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #193.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 27/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 278 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.3% 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.
La Center School District also operates La Center Elementary (789 students) and La Center Middle School (441 students) alongside La Center 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 La Center High School compares
La Center 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 | 21.3:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.6% | ▼ 56% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 85% in Washington - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 278 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
- 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 84.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 0.9%
African American 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 84.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.2, La Center High School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Center School District, which includes La Center High School.
$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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Center Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Center Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Center Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Center High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 441
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 38
- Students per teacher
- 38:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~555 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Center High School's federal record.
- Compare La Center High School 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 High School
How many students attend La Center High School?
La Center High School has 555 students enrolled. It is a high school in La Center, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Center High School?
The student-teacher ratio at La Center High School is 21.3:1, which is 21% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Center High School?
19.6% of students at La Center High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Center High School?
The largest demographic group at La Center High School is White at 84.7% of enrollment, in La Center, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Center High School?
La Center High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 La Center High School rank among public schools in La Center?
By Resource Investment Index, La Center High School ranks #1 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 High School a good school?
La Center High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. It is also less 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 La Center School District?
Besides La Center High School, La Center School District also operates La Center Elementary (789 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.