Enrollment
338
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bellingham, WA
Lowell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lowell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530042000108
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 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
Lowell Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #14 of 17
- schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 28.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Lowell Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary School ranks #14 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000108 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lowell Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lowell Elementary School
Lowell Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 338 students.
At 16.9:1, 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 28.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 338 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 346 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #236.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 676 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bellingham's public schools, it stands alongside Happy Valley Elementary School (455 students): Lowell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 17.5:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Lowell Elementary 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 Lowell Elementary School compares
Lowell Elementary 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 | 16.9:1 | ▼ 4% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.4% | ▼ 37% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 338 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
338
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Washington - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.4%
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
$16,802
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 70.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 3.3%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: White at 70.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.9, Lowell Elementary School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Lowell Elementary School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
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 Lowell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lowell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Bellingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Geneva Elementary School
Standard public school
412 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Standard public school
396 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Silver Beach Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Cordata Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 11.2:1 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 (~338 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lowell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Lowell Elementary School
How many students attend Lowell Elementary School?
Lowell Elementary School has 338 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School is 16.9:1, which is 4% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 8% 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 Lowell Elementary School?
28.4% of students at Lowell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lowell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lowell Elementary School is White at 70.9% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell Elementary School?
Lowell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Lowell Elementary School rank among schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary School ranks #14 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Lowell Elementary School a good school?
Lowell Elementary School earns 44/100 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Lowell Elementary School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.