- Enrollment
- 1,815
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Waller Road Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Waller Road Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530696001042
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waller Road Elementary earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Washington schools.
- #2 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.3:1
- small classes for Washington
- 47.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Waller Road Elementary has class sizes smaller than 83% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waller Road Elementary ranks #2 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Puyallup School District · Washington
NCES ID 530696001042 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Waller Road Elementary held near 295 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 23.5 → 23.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-15 students YoY 530696001042 · Tacoma, WA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
306 enr · 13.3:1 · 47.7% lunch · RII 56
Nearest enrollment peer: Puyallup High School (1,815 students)
Waller Road Elementary held near 295 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount). Teacher FTE held 23.5 → 23.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Waller Road Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Puyallup High
Puyallup High School
1,815 students
- Gov John Roger
Gov John Rogers High School
1,788 students
- Emerald Ridge
Emerald Ridge High School
1,599 students
- Dessie F Evans
Dessie F Evans Elementary
919 students
- Ballou Jr High
Ballou Jr High
852 students
- This school 306
Waller Road Elementary
306 students
What this shows Waller Road Elementary reports 306 students on the CCD universe file.
How Waller Road Elementary compares
Waller Road Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▼ 24% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.7% | ▲ 6% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 306 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
306
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
47.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 17% in Washington - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.1%
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
$16,882
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 306 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 52.0%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Two or More 13.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.2%
Asian 4.9%
African American 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: White at 52.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Waller Road Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Puyallup School District reports $16,882 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Waller Road Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puyallup High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gov John Rogers High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerald Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dessie F Evans Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballou Jr High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waller Road Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Tacoma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fife Elementary School
Standard public school
866 students 17:1 students per teacher
Clover Creek Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Naches Trail Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~306 students)
Frequently asked questions about Waller Road Elementary
How many students attend Waller Road Elementary?
Waller Road Elementary has 306 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA. CCD year-over-year: 310 (2022-23) → 295 (2023-24), nearly flat (-15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waller Road Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Waller Road Elementary is 13.3:1, which is 24% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 15% 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 Waller Road Elementary?
47.7% of students at Waller Road Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waller Road Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Waller Road Elementary is White at 52.0% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waller Road Elementary?
Waller Road Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Waller Road Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Waller Road Elementary ranks #2 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma on the city page.
What other schools are in Puyallup School District?
Besides Waller Road Elementary, Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students), Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students), and Emerald Ridge High School (1,599 students). See the Puyallup School District district page for the complete list.