Enrollment
1,787
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Spanaway, WA
Spanaway Lake High School
Federal NCES profile for Spanaway Lake High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530048001821
👥 S:T ratio 6
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spanaway Lake High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Spanaway · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.5:1
- large classes for Washington
- 50.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Spanaway Lake High School has class sizes larger than 92% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spanaway Lake High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Spanaway, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048001821 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.5:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spanaway Lake High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spanaway Lake High School
Spanaway Lake High School is a higher-need, large high school in Spanaway, Washington, enrolling 1,787 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.5:1 is larger than about 92% of Washington schools and 34% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.7% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,787 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 58 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #30.
Its student body is led by White (28%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 80/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 275 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.9% 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Spanaway's high schools, it stands alongside Bethel High School (1,688 students): Spanaway Lake High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.5:1 vs 21.4:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Bethel High School (1,688 students) alongside Spanaway Lake 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 Spanaway Lake High School compares
Spanaway Lake 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 | 23.5:1 | ▲ 34% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.7% | ▲ 13% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,787 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.5:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,787
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
23.5:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 92% in Washington - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.9%
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
Counselors6.5 FTE
Per 275 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
115
in-school suspensions + 161 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 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 28.0%
Hispanic or Latino 24.5%
Two or More 16.8%
African American 13.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.9%
Asian 7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 28.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 80.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 80.2, Spanaway Lake 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 Bethel School District, which includes Spanaway Lake High School.
$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 Lake High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cedarcrest Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spanaway Lake High School'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
- 1,688
- 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
- Enrollment
- 765
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Spanaway
2 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 (~1,787 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spanaway Lake High School's federal record.
- Compare Spanaway Lake High School 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 Lake High School
How many students attend Spanaway Lake High School?
Spanaway Lake High School has 1,787 students enrolled. It is a high school in Spanaway, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spanaway Lake High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Spanaway Lake High School is 23.5:1, which is 34% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Spanaway Lake High School?
50.7% of students at Spanaway Lake High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spanaway Lake High School?
The largest demographic group at Spanaway Lake High School is White at 28.0% of enrollment, in Spanaway, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 80.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spanaway Lake High School?
Spanaway Lake High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Spanaway Lake High School rank among high schools in Spanaway?
By Resource Investment Index, Spanaway Lake High School ranks #2 of 3 high 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 high schools in Spanaway on the city page.
Is Spanaway Lake High School a good school?
Spanaway Lake High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Bethel School District?
Besides Spanaway Lake High School, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Bethel High School (1,688 students), and Liberty Middle School (857 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.