Enrollment
357
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bellingham, WA
Silver Beach Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Silver Beach Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530042000115
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Silver Beach Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools.
- #12 of 17
- schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 14.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Silver Beach Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Silver Beach Elementary School ranks #12 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000115 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.9%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Silver Beach Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Silver Beach Elementary School
Silver Beach Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 357 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.9% free-meal eligibility runs 67% below the Washington average.
With 357 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 270 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #170.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 357 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bellingham's public schools, it stands alongside Happy Valley Elementary School (455 students): Silver Beach Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 17.5:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Silver Beach 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 Silver Beach Elementary School compares
Silver Beach 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.9% | ▼ 67% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 357 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
357
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 71% in Washington - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.6%
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
$16,802
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 357 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 75.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.3%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 75.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.8, Silver Beach Elementary School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Silver Beach Elementary School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
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 Silver Beach Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Silver Beach Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Bellingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Geneva Elementary School
Standard public school
412 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Northern Heights Elementary Schl
Standard public school
396 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Cordata Elementary School
Standard public school
357 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 12.9:1 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 (~357 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Silver Beach Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Silver Beach Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Silver Beach Elementary School
How many students attend Silver Beach Elementary School?
Silver Beach Elementary School has 357 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Silver Beach Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Silver Beach Elementary School is 18.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Silver Beach Elementary School?
14.9% of students at Silver Beach Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Silver Beach Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Silver Beach Elementary School is White at 75.4% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Silver Beach Elementary School?
Silver Beach Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Silver Beach Elementary School rank among schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Silver Beach Elementary School ranks #12 of 17 schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Silver Beach Elementary School a good school?
Silver Beach Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Silver Beach Elementary School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.