Enrollment
148
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waitsburg, WA
Waitsburg Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Waitsburg Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530939001596
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waitsburg Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Washington schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Waitsburg · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 42.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Waitsburg Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waitsburg Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Waitsburg, WA.
School address
District: Waitsburg School District · Washington
NCES ID 530939001596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waitsburg Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waitsburg Elementary School
Waitsburg Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Waitsburg, Washington, enrolling 148 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.8% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 148 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 133 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #122, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 14/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Waitsburg School District also operates Waitsburg High School (87 students) and Preston Hall Middle School (74 students) alongside Waitsburg 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 Waitsburg Elementary School compares
Waitsburg 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 20% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.8% | ▼ 5% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 148 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
148
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in Washington - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$16,114
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 92.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Two or More 2.7%
African American 1.4%
Largest group: White at 92.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.0, Waitsburg Elementary School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waitsburg School District, which includes Waitsburg Elementary School.
$16,114
Per student
-17%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.7%
State 73.0%
Federal 10.2%
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 Waitsburg Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waitsburg High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Preston Hall Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waitsburg Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 87
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 74
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~148 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waitsburg Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Waitsburg Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waitsburg 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 Waitsburg Elementary School
How many students attend Waitsburg Elementary School?
Waitsburg Elementary School has 148 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waitsburg, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waitsburg Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waitsburg Elementary School is 21.1:1, which is 20% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waitsburg Elementary School?
42.8% of students at Waitsburg Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waitsburg Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Waitsburg Elementary School is White at 92.6% of enrollment, in Waitsburg, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waitsburg Elementary School?
Waitsburg Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Waitsburg Elementary School rank among public schools in Waitsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Waitsburg Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Waitsburg, 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 Waitsburg on the city page.
Is Waitsburg Elementary School a good school?
Waitsburg Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Washington schools. It is also less 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 Waitsburg School District?
Besides Waitsburg Elementary School, Waitsburg School District also operates Waitsburg High School (87 students) and Preston Hall Middle School (74 students). See the Waitsburg 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.