Enrollment
467
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Richland, WA
Marcus Whitman Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Marcus Whitman Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530732001099
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Marcus Whitman Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Richland · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 56.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Marcus Whitman Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Marcus Whitman Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Richland, WA.
School address
District: Richland School District · Washington
NCES ID 530732001099 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Marcus Whitman Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Marcus Whitman Elementary
Marcus Whitman Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Richland, Washington, enrolling 467 students.
At 17.3:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 56.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 467 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 471 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #52.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 234 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Richland School District spends $14,794 per pupil, 24% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Richland's elementary schools, it stands alongside Badger Mountain Elementary (605 students): Marcus Whitman Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 18.3:1).
Richland School District also operates Richland High School (2,218 students) and Hanford High School (1,959 students) alongside Marcus Whitman 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 Marcus Whitman Elementary compares
Marcus Whitman 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 | 17.3:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.4% | ▲ 25% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 467 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
467
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% 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
14.1%
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
$14,794
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 234 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 61.5%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%
Two or More 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.3, Marcus Whitman Elementary is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Richland School District, which includes Marcus Whitman Elementary.
$14,794
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.0%
State 65.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Marcus Whitman Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hanford High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Leona Libby Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carmichael Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Three Rivers Home Link | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Marcus Whitman Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,218
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,959
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 791
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 37.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Richland
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~467 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Marcus Whitman Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Marcus Whitman Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Richland 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 Marcus Whitman Elementary
How many students attend Marcus Whitman Elementary?
Marcus Whitman Elementary has 467 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Richland, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Marcus Whitman Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Marcus Whitman Elementary is 17.3:1, which is 2% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 10% 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 Marcus Whitman Elementary?
56.4% of students at Marcus Whitman Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Marcus Whitman Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Marcus Whitman Elementary is White at 61.5% of enrollment, in Richland, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Marcus Whitman Elementary?
Marcus Whitman Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Marcus Whitman Elementary rank among elementary schools in Richland?
By Resource Investment Index, Marcus Whitman Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Richland, 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 Richland on the city page.
Is Marcus Whitman Elementary a good school?
Marcus Whitman Elementary earns 55/100 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 Richland School District?
Besides Marcus Whitman Elementary, Richland School District also operates Richland High School (2,218 students), Hanford High School (1,959 students), and Leona Libby Middle School (805 students). See the Richland 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.