Enrollment
469
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Federal Way, WA
Nautilus K-8 School
Federal NCES profile for Nautilus K-8 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 530282000444
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nautilus K-8 School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #9 of 20
- public schools in Federal Way · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 58.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Nautilus K-8 School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nautilus K-8 School ranks #9 of 20 public schools in Federal Way, WA.
School address
District: Federal Way School District · Washington
NCES ID 530282000444 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nautilus K-8 School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nautilus K-8 School
Nautilus K-8 School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Federal Way, Washington, enrolling 469 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 58.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 469 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 464 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #355, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (33%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 469 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students) and Federal Way High School (1,665 students) alongside Nautilus K-8 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 Nautilus K-8 School compares
Nautilus K-8 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.2% | ▲ 29% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 469 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
469
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
18:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 65% in Washington - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$17,122
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 469 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 33.1%
White 23.9%
Two or More 15.6%
Asian 13.2%
African American 11.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 33.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.8, Nautilus K-8 School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Federal Way School District, which includes Nautilus K-8 School.
$17,122
Per student
-12%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 68.0%
Federal 15.0%
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 Nautilus K-8 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Federal Way High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Todd Beamer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nautilus K-8 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,810
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,665
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~469 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nautilus K-8 School's federal record.
- Compare Nautilus K-8 School against another school. Compare schools
- Federal Way 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 Nautilus K-8 School
How many students attend Nautilus K-8 School?
Nautilus K-8 School has 469 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Federal Way, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nautilus K-8 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nautilus K-8 School is 18:1, which is 2% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nautilus K-8 School?
58.2% of students at Nautilus K-8 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nautilus K-8 School?
The largest demographic group at Nautilus K-8 School is Hispanic or Latino at 33.1% of enrollment, in Federal Way, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nautilus K-8 School?
Nautilus K-8 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 Nautilus K-8 School rank among public schools in Federal Way?
By Resource Investment Index, Nautilus K-8 School ranks #9 of 20 public schools in Federal Way, 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 Federal Way on the city page.
Is Nautilus K-8 School a good school?
Nautilus K-8 School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Federal Way School District?
Besides Nautilus K-8 School, Federal Way School District also operates Thomas Jefferson High School (1,810 students), Federal Way High School (1,665 students), and Todd Beamer High School (1,412 students). See the Federal Way 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.