Elementary school (grades K-5) · Seattle, WA

Orca K-8 School

Federal NCES profile for Orca K-8 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 67/100.

2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530771002231
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10067/100
👥 S:T ratio
59
🌟 Gifted program
70
🎓 Counselors
65
📋 Attendance
76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Orca K-8 School earns 67/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.

#7 of 32
elementary schools in Seattle · Resource Index
67
Resource Index · Higher
10.3:1
small classes for Washington
39.2%
free-lunch eligible

Orca K-8 School has class sizes smaller than 94% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Orca K-8 School ranks #7 of 32 elementary schools in Seattle, WA.

School address

Seattle, WA 98118
District: Seattle School District No. 1 · Washington

NCES ID 530771002231 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-43 students YoY

Orca K-8 School shrank from 398 students in 2022-23 to 355 in 2023-24 (-10.8%).

Teacher FTE lost 27.0 → 23.2 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Shrinking CCD campus

-43 students YoY 530771002231 · Seattle, WA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD

278 enr · 10.3:1 · 39.2% lunch · RII 67

Nearest enrollment peer: Lincoln High School (1,770 students)

Orca K-8 School shrank from 398 students in 2022-23 to 355 in 2023-24 (-10.8%). Teacher FTE lost 27.0 → 23.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →

Orca K-8 School in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Orca K-8 School reports 278 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Orca K-8 School compares

Orca K-8 School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Washington Washington avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 10.3:1 ▼ 41% 17.6:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 39.2% ▼ 13% 45.0% 51.7%
Enrollment 278 top 67% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
278
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

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
10.3:1
students per teacher - 41% below state mean
Top 6% in Washington - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
9.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$21,806
per pupil, district-wide - above Washington avg of $20,912
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 174 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.

Student demographics

White 36.7%
African American 27.6%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 9.5%
Asian 9.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Largest group: White at 36.7% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 74.7/100

Simpson diversity index - at 74.7, Orca K-8 School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.

Programs

Gifted & talented Yes

District finance for Seattle School District No. 1 reports $21,806 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Orca K-8 School Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Lincoln High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Ballard High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Roosevelt High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Garfield High School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
West Seattle High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Orca K-8 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Seattle School District No. 1 · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Similar elementary schools in Seattle

6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.

Hazel Wolf K-8
Standard public school
660 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Cascadia Elementary
Standard public school
531 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Mcdonald International School
Standard public school
443 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Bryn Mawr Elementary School
Standard public school
415 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Rainier Prep
Standard public school
359 students 15:1 students per teacher
Campbell Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
345 students 16.4:1 students per teacher

Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Similar enrollment (~278 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.3:1)

Frequently asked questions about Orca K-8 School

How many students attend Orca K-8 School?

Orca K-8 School has 278 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Seattle, WA. CCD year-over-year: 398 (2022-23) → 355 (2023-24), down 43.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Orca K-8 School?

The student-teacher ratio at Orca K-8 School is 10.3:1, which is 41% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 34% 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 Orca K-8 School?

39.2% of students at Orca K-8 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orca K-8 School?

The largest demographic group at Orca K-8 School is White at 36.7% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.7/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Orca K-8 School?

Orca K-8 School has a Resource Investment Index of 67/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Orca K-8 School rank among elementary schools in Seattle?

By Resource Investment Index, Orca K-8 School ranks #7 of 32 elementary schools in Seattle, 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 Seattle on the city page.

What other schools are in Seattle School District No. 1?

Besides Orca K-8 School, Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students), Ballard High School (1,697 students), and Roosevelt High School (1,542 students). See the Seattle School District No. 1 district page for the complete list.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .