Enrollment
331
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Lowell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lowell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530870001478
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowell Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #10 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- students per teacher
- 20.4%
- 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 #10 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001478 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-55% 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 elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 331 students.
At 17.4:1, 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 20.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 331 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 292 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #254, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Two or More (18%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Lowell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.4:1 vs 17:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 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 | 17.4:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.4% | ▼ 55% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 331 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
331
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 59% in Washington - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.1%
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
$17,575
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 331 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 61.3%
Two or More 17.5%
Hispanic or Latino 13.6%
Asian 4.2%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.3, 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 Tacoma School District, which includes Lowell Elementary School.
$17,575
Per student
-10%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 57.0%
Federal 12.8%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Higher 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
- 1,700
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,556
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,410
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Tacoma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fife Elementary School
Standard public school
866 students 17:1 students per teacher
Clover Creek Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Naches Trail Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 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 (~331 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lowell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tacoma 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 331 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary School is 17.4:1, which is 1% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 11% 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?
20.4% 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 61.3% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell Elementary School?
Lowell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary School ranks #10 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma on the city page.
Is Lowell Elementary School a good school?
Lowell Elementary School earns 37/100 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 Tacoma School District?
Besides Lowell Elementary School, Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students), Lincoln High School (1,556 students), and Mount Tahoma High School (1,410 students). See the Tacoma 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.