Enrollment
485
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Langley, WA
South Whidbey Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Whidbey Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530819002240
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Whidbey Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Washington schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Langley · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- small classes for Washington
- 28.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Whidbey Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Whidbey Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Langley, WA.
School address
District: South Whidbey School District · Washington
NCES ID 530819002240 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Whidbey Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Whidbey Elementary
South Whidbey Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Langley, Washington, enrolling 485 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 485 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 507 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #396, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (80%) and Two or More (10%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 485 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
South Whidbey School District also operates South Whidbey High School (390 students) and South Whidbey Middle (290 students) alongside South Whidbey Elementary.
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 South Whidbey Elementary compares
South Whidbey Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.2% | ▼ 37% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 485 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
485
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 30% in Washington - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.5%
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
$17,973
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 485 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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
White 79.6%
Two or More 9.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 79.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.0, South Whidbey Elementary is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Whidbey School District, which includes South Whidbey Elementary.
$17,973
Per student
-8%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 60.7%
Federal 14.1%
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 South Whidbey Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Whidbey High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Whidbey Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Whidbey Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | No ratio data |
| South Whidbey Special Services | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to South Whidbey Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 32.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 42
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 6
- 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 (~485 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Whidbey Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Whidbey Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- South Whidbey 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 South Whidbey Elementary
How many students attend South Whidbey Elementary?
South Whidbey Elementary has 485 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Langley, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Whidbey Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Whidbey Elementary is 14.7:1, which is 16% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 6% 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 South Whidbey Elementary?
28.2% of students at South Whidbey Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Whidbey Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Whidbey Elementary is White at 79.6% of enrollment, in Langley, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Whidbey Elementary?
South Whidbey Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 South Whidbey Elementary rank among public schools in Langley?
By Resource Investment Index, South Whidbey Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Langley, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Langley on the city page.
Is South Whidbey Elementary a good school?
South Whidbey Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 South Whidbey School District?
Besides South Whidbey Elementary, South Whidbey School District also operates South Whidbey High School (390 students), South Whidbey Middle (290 students), and South Whidbey Academy (42 students). See the South Whidbey 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.