Enrollment
368
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lacey, WA
Lacey Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lacey Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530585000864
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lacey Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Washington schools.
- #4 of 9
- elementary schools in Lacey · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- small classes for Washington
- 60.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lacey Elementary has class sizes smaller than 88% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lacey Elementary ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Lacey, WA.
School address
District: North Thurston Public Schools · Washington
NCES ID 530585000864 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lacey Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lacey Elementary
Lacey Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Lacey, Washington, enrolling 368 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.3:1, Lacey Elementary is leaner than roughly 88% of Washington schools and 30% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 60.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 368 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 412 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #348, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Two or More (22%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 368 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lacey's elementary schools, it stands alongside Horizons Elementary (580 students): Lacey Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.3:1 vs 20.7:1).
North Thurston Public Schools also operates River Ridge High School (1,547 students) and Timberline High School (1,401 students) alongside Lacey 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 Lacey Elementary compares
Lacey 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 | 12.3:1 | ▼ 30% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.2% | ▲ 34% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 368 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
368
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 12% in Washington - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$15,854
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 368 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 42.7%
Two or More 22.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 6.8%
African American 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Asian 1.6%
Largest group: White at 42.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.8, Lacey Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Thurston Public Schools, which includes Lacey Elementary.
$15,854
Per student
-19%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 61.3%
Federal 8.3%
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 Lacey Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timberline High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Thurston High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nisqually Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lacey Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,547
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,378
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 776
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Lacey
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Horizons Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Olympic View Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Lydia Hawk Elementary
Standard public school
496 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Lakes Elementary School
Standard public school
495 students 16:1 students per teacher
Chambers Prairie Elementary School
Standard public school
490 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Woodland Elementary
Standard public school
458 students 15.8:1 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 (~368 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lacey Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lacey Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- North Thurston Public Schools'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 Lacey Elementary
How many students attend Lacey Elementary?
Lacey Elementary has 368 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lacey, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lacey Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lacey Elementary is 12.3:1, which is 30% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 22% 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 Lacey Elementary?
60.2% of students at Lacey Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lacey Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lacey Elementary is White at 42.7% of enrollment, in Lacey, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lacey Elementary?
Lacey Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Lacey Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lacey?
By Resource Investment Index, Lacey Elementary ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Lacey, 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 Lacey on the city page.
Is Lacey Elementary a good school?
Lacey Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of 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 North Thurston Public Schools?
Besides Lacey Elementary, North Thurston Public Schools also operates River Ridge High School (1,547 students), Timberline High School (1,401 students), and North Thurston High School (1,378 students). See the North Thurston Public Schools 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.