Enrollment
1,547
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lacey, WA
River Ridge High School
Federal NCES profile for River Ridge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530585001208
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Ridge High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Lacey · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 33.7%
- free-lunch eligible
River Ridge High School has class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Ridge High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Lacey, WA.
School address
District: North Thurston Public Schools · Washington
NCES ID 530585001208 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Ridge High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Ridge High School
River Ridge High School is a large high school in Lacey, Washington, enrolling 1,547 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,547 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 91 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #49.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 309 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 40 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lacey's high schools, it stands alongside Timberline High School (1,401 students): River Ridge High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.1:1 vs 21.6:1).
North Thurston Public Schools also operates Timberline High School (1,401 students) and North Thurston High School (1,378 students) alongside River Ridge High 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 River Ridge High School compares
River Ridge High 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 | 33.7% | ▼ 25% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,547 | top 3% | - | - |
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.
1,547
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
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
24.8%
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
$15,854
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 309 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 40 expulsions.
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 34.5%
Hispanic or Latino 27.6%
Two or More 15.0%
Asian 11.3%
African American 6.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Largest group: White at 34.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.4, River Ridge High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Thurston Public Schools, which includes River Ridge High School.
$15,854
Per student
-19%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 61.3%
Federal 8.3%
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 River Ridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timberline High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Thurston High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nisqually Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadows Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Ridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,378
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 776
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 765
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high schools in Lacey
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,547 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Ridge High School's federal record.
- Compare River Ridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- North Thurston Public Schools'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 River Ridge High School
How many students attend River Ridge High School?
River Ridge High School has 1,547 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lacey, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Ridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at River Ridge High 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 River Ridge High School?
33.7% of students at River Ridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Ridge High School?
The largest demographic group at River Ridge High School is White at 34.5% of enrollment, in Lacey, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Ridge High School?
River Ridge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does River Ridge High School rank among high schools in Lacey?
By Resource Investment Index, River Ridge High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Lacey, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Lacey on the city page.
Is River Ridge High School a good school?
River Ridge High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 North Thurston Public Schools?
Besides River Ridge High School, North Thurston Public Schools also operates Timberline High School (1,401 students), North Thurston High School (1,378 students), and Nisqually Middle School (789 students). See the North Thurston Public Schools 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.