Enrollment
518
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, WA
North Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for North Hill Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530354002304
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Hill Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.2:1
- large classes for Washington
- 33.1%
- free-lunch eligible
North Hill Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Hill Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Des Moines, WA.
School address
District: Highline School District · Washington
NCES ID 530354002304 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.1%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Hill Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Hill Elementary
North Hill Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Des Moines, Washington, enrolling 518 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 518 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 501 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #275.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 518 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Des Moines's public schools, it stands alongside Midway Elementary (548 students): North Hill Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.2:1 vs 17.7:1).
Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students) and Highline High School (1,423 students) alongside North Hill 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 North Hill Elementary compares
North Hill 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 | 19.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.1% | ▼ 26% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 518 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
518
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Washington - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
6.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$19,077
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 518 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 34.6%
Hispanic or Latino 28.8%
Two or More 17.0%
Asian 10.2%
African American 8.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 34.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.1, North Hill Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Highline School District, which includes North Hill Elementary.
$19,077
Per student
-2%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 55.7%
Federal 14.6%
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 North Hill Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highline High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glacier Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cascade Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,846
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools in Des Moines
3 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 (~518 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Hill Elementary's federal record.
- Compare North Hill Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Highline 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 North Hill Elementary
How many students attend North Hill Elementary?
North Hill Elementary has 518 students enrolled. It is a public school in Des Moines, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at North Hill Elementary is 19.2:1, which is 9% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Hill Elementary?
33.1% of students at North Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at North Hill Elementary is White at 34.6% of enrollment, in Des Moines, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Hill Elementary?
North Hill Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 North Hill Elementary rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, North Hill Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Des Moines, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is North Hill Elementary a good school?
North Hill Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Washington schools. 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 Highline School District?
Besides North Hill Elementary, Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students), Highline High School (1,423 students), and Evergreen High School (1,080 students). See the Highline 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.