Enrollment
402
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Seattle, WA
Pathfinder K-8 School
Federal NCES profile for Pathfinder K-8 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530771001102
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 95
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pathfinder K-8 School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Washington schools.
- #24 of 32
- elementary schools in Seattle · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13:1
- small classes for Washington
- 11.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Pathfinder K-8 School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pathfinder K-8 School ranks #24 of 32 elementary schools in Seattle, WA.
School address
District: Seattle School District No. 1 · Washington
NCES ID 530771001102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pathfinder K-8 School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pathfinder K-8 School
Pathfinder K-8 School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 402 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13:1, Pathfinder K-8 School is leaner than roughly 85% of Washington schools and 26% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.6% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Washington average.
With 402 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 275 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #72.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 670 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Seattle's elementary schools, it stands alongside Hazel Wolf K-8 (660 students): Pathfinder K-8 School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13:1 vs 16.1:1).
Seattle School District No. 1 also operates Lincoln High School (1,770 students) and Ballard High School (1,697 students) alongside Pathfinder K-8 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 Pathfinder K-8 School compares
Pathfinder K-8 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 26% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.6% | ▼ 74% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 15% in Washington - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
2.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$20,430
per pupil, district-wide
- above Washington avg of $19,487
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 59.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.0%
Two or More 13.7%
African American 6.1%
Asian 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 59.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Pathfinder K-8 School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Seattle School District No. 1, which includes Pathfinder K-8 School.
$20,430
Per student
+5%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 50.6%
Federal 9.3%
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 Pathfinder K-8 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballard High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garfield High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Seattle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pathfinder K-8 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,542
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,507
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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
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 (~402 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pathfinder K-8 School's federal record.
- Compare Pathfinder K-8 School against another school. Compare schools
- Seattle School District No. 1'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 Pathfinder K-8 School
How many students attend Pathfinder K-8 School?
Pathfinder K-8 School has 402 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Seattle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pathfinder K-8 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pathfinder K-8 School is 13:1, which is 26% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 17% 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 Pathfinder K-8 School?
11.6% of students at Pathfinder K-8 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pathfinder K-8 School?
The largest demographic group at Pathfinder K-8 School is White at 59.4% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pathfinder K-8 School?
Pathfinder K-8 School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Pathfinder K-8 School rank among elementary schools in Seattle?
By Resource Investment Index, Pathfinder K-8 School ranks #24 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.
Is Pathfinder K-8 School a good school?
Pathfinder K-8 School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Seattle School District No. 1?
Besides Pathfinder 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.
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.