Enrollment
604
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Des Moines, WA
Pacific Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Pacific Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530354000543
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pacific Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #2 of 8
- public schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 70.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Pacific Middle School has class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pacific Middle School ranks #2 of 8 public schools in Des Moines, WA.
School address
District: Highline School District · Washington
NCES ID 530354000543 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pacific Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pacific Middle School
Pacific Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Des Moines, Washington, enrolling 604 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 70.0% of students qualify for free meals, 56% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 604 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 311 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #27, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (37%) and Asian (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 201 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Discipline events run high: 145 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 604 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students) and Highline High School (1,423 students) alongside Pacific Middle School.
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 Pacific Middle School compares
Pacific Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 14% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.0% | ▲ 56% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 604 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
604
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Washington - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
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
$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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 201 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
88
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 36.7%
Asian 18.6%
African American 16.9%
White 13.6%
Two or More 9.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 36.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.3, Pacific Middle School 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 Pacific Middle School.
$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 Pacific Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highline High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glacier Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cascade Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pacific Middle School'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 middle 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 (~604 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pacific Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Pacific Middle School 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 Pacific Middle School
How many students attend Pacific Middle School?
Pacific Middle School has 604 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Des Moines, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pacific Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pacific Middle School is 20.1:1, which is 14% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pacific Middle School?
70.0% of students at Pacific Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pacific Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Pacific Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 36.7% of enrollment, in Des Moines, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pacific Middle School?
Pacific Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Pacific Middle School rank among public schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Pacific Middle School ranks #2 of 8 public 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 public schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Pacific Middle School a good school?
Pacific Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Pacific Middle School, 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.