Enrollment
645
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Federal Way, WA
Lakota Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Lakota Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530282000442
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lakota Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #3 of 20
- public schools in Federal Way · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- students per teacher
- 59.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Lakota Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lakota Middle School ranks #3 of 20 public schools in Federal Way, WA.
School address
District: Federal Way School District · Washington
NCES ID 530282000442 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.5%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lakota Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lakota Middle School
Lakota Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Federal Way, Washington, enrolling 645 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 645 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 353 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #152.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (34%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students) and Federal Way High School (1,665 students) alongside Lakota Middle 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 Lakota Middle School compares
Lakota Middle 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.5% | ▲ 32% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 645 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
645
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 68% in Washington - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$17,122
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
Hispanic or Latino 34.0%
White 20.8%
African American 16.6%
Two or More 15.2%
Asian 7.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.2, Lakota Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Federal Way School District, which includes Lakota Middle School.
$17,122
Per student
-12%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 68.0%
Federal 15.0%
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 Lakota Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Federal Way High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Todd Beamer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lakota Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,810
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,665
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle 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 (~645 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lakota Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Lakota Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Federal Way 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 Lakota Middle School
How many students attend Lakota Middle School?
Lakota Middle School has 645 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Federal Way, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lakota Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lakota Middle School is 18.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lakota Middle School?
59.5% of students at Lakota Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lakota Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Lakota Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 34.0% of enrollment, in Federal Way, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lakota Middle School?
Lakota Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lakota Middle School rank among public schools in Federal Way?
By Resource Investment Index, Lakota Middle School ranks #3 of 20 public schools in Federal Way, 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 Federal Way on the city page.
Is Lakota Middle School a good school?
Lakota Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more 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 Federal Way School District?
Besides Lakota Middle School, Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students), Federal Way High School (1,665 students), and Todd Beamer High School (1,412 students). See the Federal Way 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.