Enrollment
392
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Seattle, WA
Lowell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lowell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530771001205
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowell Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #21 of 37
- schools in Seattle · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14:1
- small classes for Washington
- 65.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Lowell Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary School ranks #21 of 37 schools in Seattle, WA.
School address
District: Seattle School District No. 1 · Washington
NCES ID 530771001205 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+45% 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 higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 392 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 392 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 413 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #74.
Its student body is led by African American (33%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Seattle's public schools, it stands alongside Summit Public School: Atlas (566 students): Lowell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 18.9:1).
Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students) and Ballard High School (1,697 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 20% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.3% | ▲ 45% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 23% in Washington - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.9%
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
$20,430
per pupil, district-wide
- above Washington avg of $19,487
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 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: 0.8 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
African American 32.6%
Hispanic or Latino 30.3%
White 12.6%
Asian 12.6%
Two or More 7.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 32.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.3, Lowell Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Seattle School District No. 1, which includes Lowell Elementary School.
$20,430
Per student
+5%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 50.6%
Federal 9.3%
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 Lowell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballard High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garfield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Seattle High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,542
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,507
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Seattle
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Summit Public School: Atlas
Standard public school
566 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
White Center Heights Elementary
Standard public school
527 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Hilltop Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Mount View Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 20:1 students per teacher
Louisa Boren Stem K-8
Standard public school
437 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Beverly Park Elem at Glendale
Standard public school
411 students 18.7:1 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 (~392 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lowell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Seattle School District No. 1'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 392 students enrolled. It is a public school in Seattle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School is 14:1, which is 20% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 11% 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 Lowell Elementary School?
65.3% 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 African American at 32.6% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell Elementary School?
Lowell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Lowell Elementary School rank among schools in Seattle?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary School ranks #21 of 37 schools in Seattle, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Seattle on the city page.
Is Lowell Elementary School a good school?
Lowell Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Washington schools. 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 Seattle School District No. 1?
Besides Lowell Elementary School, Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students), Ballard High School (1,697 students), and Roosevelt High School (1,542 students). See the Seattle School District No. 1 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.