Enrollment
184
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Elma, WA
Mary M. Knight School
Federal NCES profile for Mary M. Knight School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530480003571
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary M. Knight School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Washington schools.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Elma · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Washington
- 57.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary M. Knight School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary M. Knight School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Elma, WA.
School address
District: Mary M Knight School District · Washington
NCES ID 530480003571 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary M. Knight School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary M. Knight School
Mary M. Knight School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Elma, Washington, enrolling 184 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.8:1, Mary M. Knight School is leaner than roughly 93% of Washington schools and 39% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 184 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 142 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #37.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 36/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Mary M Knight School District spends $11,048 per pupil, 43% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Elma's public schools, it stands alongside Elma Elementary School (688 students): Mary M. Knight School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.8:1 vs 16.4:1).
Its district, Mary M Knight School District, also runs Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight (600 students).
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 Mary M. Knight School compares
Mary M. Knight 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 39% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.4% | ▲ 28% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 184 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
184
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 7% in Washington - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.0%
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
$11,048
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 78.8%
Two or More 10.9%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 78.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, Mary M. Knight School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mary M Knight School District, which includes Mary M. Knight School.
$11,048
Per student
-43%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 4.4%
State 86.5%
Federal 9.1%
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 Mary M. Knight School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary M. Knight School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Elma
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~184 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary M. Knight School's federal record.
- Compare Mary M. Knight School against another school. Compare schools
- Mary M Knight 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 Mary M. Knight School
How many students attend Mary M. Knight School?
Mary M. Knight School has 184 students enrolled. It is a public school in Elma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary M. Knight School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary M. Knight School is 10.8:1, which is 39% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 31% 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 Mary M. Knight School?
57.4% of students at Mary M. Knight School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary M. Knight School?
The largest demographic group at Mary M. Knight School is White at 78.8% of enrollment, in Elma, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary M. Knight School?
Mary M. Knight School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Mary M. Knight School rank among public schools in Elma?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary M. Knight School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Elma, 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 Elma on the city page.
Is Mary M. Knight School a good school?
Mary M. Knight School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of 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 Mary M Knight School District?
Besides Mary M. Knight School, Mary M Knight School District also operates Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight (600 students). See the Mary M Knight 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.