Enrollment
371
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Spanaway, WA
Spanaway Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Spanaway Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530048000127
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spanaway Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Spanaway · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 59.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Spanaway Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spanaway Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Spanaway, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048000127 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spanaway Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spanaway Elementary
Spanaway Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Spanaway, Washington, enrolling 371 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 371 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 416 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #53.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 186 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Spanaway's elementary schools, it stands alongside Shining Mountain Elementary (613 students): Spanaway Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 16.1:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside Spanaway 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 Spanaway Elementary compares
Spanaway 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.6% | ▲ 32% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 31% in Washington - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.8%
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
$15,195
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 186 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.3 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 34.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.3%
Two or More 19.9%
African American 8.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.4%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 34.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.9, Spanaway Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes Spanaway Elementary.
$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 Spanaway Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spanaway Elementary'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 elementary schools in Spanaway
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Shining Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Elk Plain School of Choice
Standard public school
574 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Evergreen Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Camas Prairie Elementary
Standard public school
529 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Pioneer Valley Elementary
Standard public school
524 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 (~371 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spanaway Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Spanaway Elementary 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 Spanaway Elementary
How many students attend Spanaway Elementary?
Spanaway Elementary has 371 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Spanaway, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spanaway Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Spanaway Elementary is 14.8:1, 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 Spanaway Elementary?
59.6% of students at Spanaway Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spanaway Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Spanaway Elementary is White at 34.2% of enrollment, in Spanaway, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spanaway Elementary?
Spanaway Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Spanaway Elementary rank among elementary schools in Spanaway?
By Resource Investment Index, Spanaway Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Spanaway, 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 Spanaway on the city page.
Is Spanaway Elementary a good school?
Spanaway Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Spanaway Elementary, 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.