Enrollment
243
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Spokane, WA
Ness Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ness 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 530969001641
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ness Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #3 of 11
- elementary schools in Spokane · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 69.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ness Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ness Elementary ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Spokane, WA.
School address
District: West Valley School District (Spokane) · Washington
NCES ID 530969001641 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ness Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ness Elementary
Ness Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Spokane, Washington, enrolling 243 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 69.7% of students qualify for free meals, 55% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 243 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 197 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #44.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 243 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
16.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding West Valley School District (Spokane) spends $14,803 per pupil, 24% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Spokane's elementary schools, it stands alongside Skyline Elementary (412 students): Ness Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 20.6:1).
West Valley School District (Spokane) also operates West Valley High School (836 students) and Centennial Middle School (536 students) alongside Ness 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 Ness Elementary compares
Ness 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 14% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.7% | ▲ 55% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 243 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
243
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 36% in Washington - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,803
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 243 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 67.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%
Two or More 6.2%
African American 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 67.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.7, Ness Elementary is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Valley School District (Spokane), which includes Ness Elementary.
$14,803
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 66.2%
Federal 11.7%
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 Ness Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pasadena Park Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dishman Hills High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seth Woodard Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ness Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 362
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 296
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 262
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar elementary schools in Spokane
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Skyline Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Prairie View Elementary
Standard public school
386 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Libby Center
Special-education school
305 students 9:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary
Standard public school
250 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Orchard Prairie Elementary
Standard public school
79 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
West Valley Virtual Learning Center
Alternative education program
40 students 20:1 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 (~243 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ness Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ness Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- West Valley School District (Spokane)'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 Ness Elementary
How many students attend Ness Elementary?
Ness Elementary has 243 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Spokane, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ness Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ness Elementary is 15.2:1, which is 14% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 3% 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 Ness Elementary?
69.7% of students at Ness Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ness Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ness Elementary is White at 67.1% of enrollment, in Spokane, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ness Elementary?
Ness 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 Ness Elementary rank among elementary schools in Spokane?
By Resource Investment Index, Ness Elementary ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Spokane, 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 Spokane on the city page.
Is Ness Elementary a good school?
Ness 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 West Valley School District (Spokane)?
Besides Ness Elementary, West Valley School District (Spokane) also operates West Valley High School (836 students), Centennial Middle School (536 students), and Pasadena Park Elementary (362 students). See the West Valley School District (Spokane) 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.