Enrollment
548
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · University Place, WA
Sunset Primary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530918001551
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Primary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #2 of 3
- schools in University Place · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 30.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Primary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Primary ranks #2 of 3 schools in University Place, WA.
School address
District: University Place School District · Washington
NCES ID 530918001551 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Primary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Primary
Sunset Primary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in University Place, Washington, enrolling 548 students.
At 15.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 548 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 507 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #243.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 548 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding University Place School District spends $15,594 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
University Place School District also operates Curtis Senior High (1,321 students) and Curtis Junior High (904 students) alongside Sunset Primary.
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 Sunset Primary compares
Sunset Primary on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.4% | ▼ 32% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 548 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
548
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 42% in Washington - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.6%
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
$15,594
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 548 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 46.2%
Hispanic or Latino 20.8%
Two or More 18.2%
African American 7.7%
Asian 6.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.0, Sunset Primary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for University Place School District, which includes Sunset Primary.
$15,594
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.8%
State 64.7%
Federal 10.5%
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 Sunset Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Curtis Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Narrows View Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Drum Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| University Place Primary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,321
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 904
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 692
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 639
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 522
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~548 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Primary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Primary against another school. Compare schools
- University Place 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 Sunset Primary
How many students attend Sunset Primary?
Sunset Primary has 548 students enrolled. It is a public school in University Place, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Primary is 15.7:1, which is 11% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 0% higher 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 Sunset Primary?
30.4% of students at Sunset Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Primary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Primary is White at 46.2% of enrollment, in University Place, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Primary?
Sunset Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Sunset Primary rank among schools in University Place?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Primary ranks #2 of 3 schools in University Place, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in University Place on the city page.
Is Sunset Primary a good school?
Sunset Primary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 University Place School District?
Besides Sunset Primary, University Place School District also operates Curtis Senior High (1,321 students), Curtis Junior High (904 students), and Narrows View Intermediate (692 students). See the University Place School District district page for the complete list.
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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.