Enrollment
409
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kennewick, WA
Vista Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Vista Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530393000609
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #7 of 9
- elementary schools in Kennewick · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 62.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Elementary School ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in Kennewick, WA.
School address
District: Kennewick School District · Washington
NCES ID 530393000609 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.1%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Elementary School
Vista Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Kennewick, Washington, enrolling 409 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 above the state's typical profile, with 62.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 409 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 425 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #101.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (42%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 409 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Kennewick School District spends $14,867 per pupil, 24% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Kennewick's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sage Crest Elementary (509 students): Vista Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.7:1 vs 14.5:1).
Kennewick School District also operates Kamiakin High School (1,956 students) and Kennewick High School (1,921 students) alongside Vista 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 Vista Elementary School compares
Vista 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.1% | ▲ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 46% | - | - |
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.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
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
8.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,867
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 409 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.1%
White 42.2%
Two or More 7.1%
African American 2.7%
Asian 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.2, Vista Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kennewick School District, which includes Vista Elementary School.
$14,867
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.1%
State 74.5%
Federal 12.3%
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 Vista Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamiakin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kennewick High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chinook Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Hills Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,956
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,921
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,612
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 950
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Kennewick
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~409 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Vista Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Kennewick 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 Vista Elementary School
How many students attend Vista Elementary School?
Vista Elementary School has 409 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kennewick, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Elementary School 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 Vista Elementary School?
62.1% of students at Vista Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Vista Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment, in Kennewick, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Elementary School?
Vista Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Vista Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Kennewick?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Elementary School ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in Kennewick, 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 Kennewick on the city page.
Is Vista Elementary School a good school?
Vista Elementary School earns 51/100 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 Kennewick School District?
Besides Vista Elementary School, Kennewick School District also operates Kamiakin High School (1,956 students), Kennewick High School (1,921 students), and Southridge High School (1,612 students). See the Kennewick 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.