Enrollment
396
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bellingham, WA
Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Federal NCES profile for Northern Heights Elementary Schl, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530042002939
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Heights Elementary Schl earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #10 of 17
- schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 26.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Heights Elementary Schl has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Heights Elementary Schl ranks #10 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042002939 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Heights Elementary Schl compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Northern Heights Elementary Schl is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 396 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 396 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 438 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #176.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 396 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bellingham's public schools, it stands alongside Happy Valley Elementary School (455 students): Northern Heights Elementary Schl is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 17.5:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Northern Heights Elementary Schl.
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 Northern Heights Elementary Schl compares
Northern Heights Elementary Schl 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 | 26.8% | ▼ 40% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 48% | - | - |
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.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
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
14.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,802
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 396 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: 0.3 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 64.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.0%
Two or More 14.0%
Asian 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
African American 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.9, Northern Heights Elementary Schl is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Northern Heights Elementary Schl.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
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 Northern Heights Elementary Schl Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Heights Elementary Schl's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Bellingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Geneva Elementary School
Standard public school
412 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Silver Beach Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Cordata Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~396 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Heights Elementary Schl's federal record.
- Compare Northern Heights Elementary Schl against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Northern Heights Elementary Schl
How many students attend Northern Heights Elementary Schl?
Northern Heights Elementary Schl has 396 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Heights Elementary Schl?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Heights Elementary Schl 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 Northern Heights Elementary Schl?
26.8% of students at Northern Heights Elementary Schl are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Heights Elementary Schl?
The largest demographic group at Northern Heights Elementary Schl is White at 64.5% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Heights Elementary Schl?
Northern Heights Elementary Schl has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Northern Heights Elementary Schl rank among schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Heights Elementary Schl ranks #10 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Northern Heights Elementary Schl a good school?
Northern Heights Elementary Schl earns 49/100 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Northern Heights Elementary Schl, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.