Enrollment
446
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Graham, WA
North Star Elementary
Federal NCES profile for North Star Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530048002747
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Star Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Washington schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Graham · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- small classes for Washington
- 39.2%
- free-lunch eligible
North Star Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Graham, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048002747 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Star Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Star Elementary
North Star Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Graham, Washington, enrolling 446 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 39.2% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 446 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 492 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #205.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 446 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Graham's elementary schools, it stands alongside Centennial Elementary (540 students): North Star Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 15.4:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside North Star 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 Star Elementary compares
North Star 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 21% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.2% | ▼ 13% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 446 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
446
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 22% in Washington - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,195
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 446 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 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 56.4%
Hispanic or Latino 17.8%
Two or More 16.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.5%
African American 2.2%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, North Star Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes North Star Elementary.
$15,195
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.6%
State 66.9%
Federal 8.5%
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 Star Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Star Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,688
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Graham
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Centennial Elementary
Standard public school
540 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Nelson Elementary School
Standard public school
497 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Rocky Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
430 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Graham Elementary
Standard public school
428 students 13:1 students per teacher
Kapowsin Elementary
Standard public school
321 students 14.6:1 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 (~446 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Star Elementary's federal record.
- Compare North Star Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Bethel 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 Star Elementary
How many students attend North Star Elementary?
North Star Elementary has 446 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Graham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 21% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 11% 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 North Star Elementary?
39.2% of students at North Star Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Star Elementary?
The largest demographic group at North Star Elementary is White at 56.4% of enrollment, in Graham, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Star Elementary?
North Star Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Star Elementary rank among elementary schools in Graham?
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Graham, 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 Graham on the city page.
Is North Star Elementary a good school?
North Star Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% 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 Bethel School District?
Besides North Star Elementary, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students), and Bethel High School (1,688 students). See the Bethel 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.