Enrollment
355
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Puyallup, WA
Pierce County Skills Center
Federal NCES profile for Pierce County Skills Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530048003284
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pierce County Skills Center earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Washington schools.
- #19 of 20
- schools in Puyallup · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 32.3:1
- large classes for Washington
- 20.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Pierce County Skills Center has class sizes larger than 97% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pierce County Skills Center ranks #19 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048003284 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
32.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+84% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pierce County Skills Center compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pierce County Skills Center
Pierce County Skills Center is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Puyallup, Washington, enrolling 355 students.
Class loads run heavy: 32.3:1 is larger than about 97% of Washington schools and 84% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 355 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 327 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #325, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 60/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 78.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Puyallup's public schools, it stands alongside Dessie F Evans Elementary (919 students): Pierce County Skills Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (32.3:1 vs 16.7:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside Pierce County Skills Center.
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 Pierce County Skills Center compares
Pierce County Skills Center on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 32.3:1 | ▲ 84% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.4% | ▼ 55% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 355 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
32.3:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
32.3:1
students per teacher
- 84% above state mean
Top 97% in Washington - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
78.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,195
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 58.6%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%
African American 6.3%
Asian 6.0%
Two or More 5.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 58.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Pierce County Skills Center is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes Pierce County Skills Center.
$15,195
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.6%
State 66.9%
Federal 8.5%
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 Pierce County Skills Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pierce County Skills Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,688
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Puyallup
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dessie F Evans Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Ballou Jr High
Standard public school
852 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Doris Stahl Junior High
Standard public school
846 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Glacier View Junior High
Standard public school
843 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Ferrucci Jr High
Standard public school
815 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Kalles Junior High
Standard public school
762 students 20.6:1 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 (~355 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pierce County Skills Center's federal record.
- Compare Pierce County Skills Center against another school. Compare schools
- Bethel 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 Pierce County Skills Center
How many students attend Pierce County Skills Center?
Pierce County Skills Center has 355 students enrolled. It is a career and technical school in Puyallup, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pierce County Skills Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Pierce County Skills Center is 32.3:1, which is 84% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 106% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pierce County Skills Center?
20.4% of students at Pierce County Skills Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pierce County Skills Center?
The largest demographic group at Pierce County Skills Center is White at 58.6% of enrollment, in Puyallup, 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 Pierce County Skills Center?
Pierce County Skills Center has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pierce County Skills Center rank among schools in Puyallup?
By Resource Investment Index, Pierce County Skills Center ranks #19 of 20 schools in Puyallup, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Puyallup on the city page.
Is Pierce County Skills Center a good school?
Pierce County Skills Center earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Bethel School District?
Besides Pierce County Skills Center, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students), and Bethel High School (1,688 students). See the Bethel 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.