Enrollment
454
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Moses Lake, WA
Park Orchard Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Park Orchard Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530522003368
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Park Orchard Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Moses Lake · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- students per teacher
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Park Orchard Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Park Orchard Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Moses Lake, WA.
School address
District: Moses Lake School District · Washington
NCES ID 530522003368 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Park Orchard Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Park Orchard Elementary School
Park Orchard Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Moses Lake, Washington, enrolling 454 students.
At 16.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 454 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 462 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #230.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and White (44%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Moses Lake School District spends $15,641 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Moses Lake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Vicki I. Groff Elementary School (413 students): Park Orchard Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 16.5:1).
Moses Lake School District also operates Moses Lake High School (1,856 students) and Columbia Middle School (875 students) alongside Park Orchard Elementary 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 Park Orchard Elementary School compares
Park Orchard Elementary 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 | 16.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.2% | ▲ 27% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 54% in Washington - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.7%
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
$15,641
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 50.2%
White 44.3%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 1.8%
African American 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, Park Orchard Elementary School is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Moses Lake School District, which includes Park Orchard Elementary School.
$15,641
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.8%
State 76.8%
Federal 10.4%
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 Park Orchard Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moses Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbia Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frontier Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vicki I. Groff Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vanguard Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Park Orchard Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,856
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
Similar elementary schools in Moses Lake
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~454 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Park Orchard Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Park Orchard Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Moses Lake 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 Park Orchard Elementary School
How many students attend Park Orchard Elementary School?
Park Orchard Elementary School has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Moses Lake, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Park Orchard Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Park Orchard Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 7% higher 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 Park Orchard Elementary School?
57.2% of students at Park Orchard Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Park Orchard Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Park Orchard Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 50.2% of enrollment, in Moses Lake, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Park Orchard Elementary School?
Park Orchard Elementary School 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 Park Orchard Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Moses Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Park Orchard Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Moses Lake, 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 Moses Lake on the city page.
Is Park Orchard Elementary School a good school?
Park Orchard Elementary School earns 44/100 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 Moses Lake School District?
Besides Park Orchard Elementary School, Moses Lake School District also operates Moses Lake High School (1,856 students), Columbia Middle School (875 students), and Frontier Middle School (690 students). See the Moses Lake 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.