Enrollment
923
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Maple Valley, WA
Lake Wilderness Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lake Wilderness Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530876001516
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Wilderness Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Maple Valley · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 17.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Wilderness Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Wilderness Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Maple Valley, WA.
School address
District: Tahoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530876001516 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lake Wilderness Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lake Wilderness Elementary
Lake Wilderness Elementary is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Maple Valley, Washington, enrolling 923 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.3% free-meal eligibility runs 62% below the Washington average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 92% of state schools at 923 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 203 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #136.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Asian (19%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 923 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Maple Valley's public schools, it stands alongside Glacier Park Elementary (803 students): Lake Wilderness Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 17.8:1).
Tahoma School District also operates Tahoma Senior High School (2,919 students) and Summit Trail Middle School (1,097 students) alongside Lake Wilderness 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 Lake Wilderness Elementary compares
Lake Wilderness 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.3% | ▼ 62% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 923 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
923
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 71% in Washington - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.3%
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
$15,733
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 923 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 52.5%
Asian 19.1%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 11.1%
African American 3.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 52.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Lake Wilderness Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tahoma School District, which includes Lake Wilderness Elementary.
$15,733
Per student
-19%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 68.3%
Federal 4.6%
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 Lake Wilderness Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tahoma Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Summit Trail Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maple View Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glacier Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tahoma Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Wilderness Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,919
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 688
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Maple Valley
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Glacier Park Elementary
Standard public school
803 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Tahoma Elementary
Standard public school
688 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Rock Creek Elementary
Standard public school
686 students 16:1 students per teacher
Cedar River Elementary
Standard public school
593 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Shadow Lake Elementary
Standard public school
479 students 16:1 students per teacher
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 (~923 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lake Wilderness Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lake Wilderness Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Tahoma 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 Lake Wilderness Elementary
How many students attend Lake Wilderness Elementary?
Lake Wilderness Elementary has 923 students enrolled. It is a public school in Maple Valley, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Wilderness Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Wilderness Elementary is 18.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lake Wilderness Elementary?
17.3% of students at Lake Wilderness Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Wilderness Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lake Wilderness Elementary is White at 52.5% of enrollment, in Maple Valley, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Wilderness Elementary?
Lake Wilderness 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 Lake Wilderness Elementary rank among schools in Maple Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Wilderness Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Maple Valley, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Maple Valley on the city page.
Is Lake Wilderness Elementary a good school?
Lake Wilderness Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Tahoma School District?
Besides Lake Wilderness Elementary, Tahoma School District also operates Tahoma Senior High School (2,919 students), Summit Trail Middle School (1,097 students), and Maple View Middle School (1,046 students). See the Tahoma 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.