Enrollment
195
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sault Sainte Marie, MI
Washington Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Washington Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263099006727
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Sault Sainte Marie · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 63.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Sault Sainte Marie, MI.
School address
District: Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263099006727 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington Elementary School
Washington Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, enrolling 195 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 195 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 327 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #198.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools also operates Sault Area High School (688 students) and Sault Area Middle School (498 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington Elementary School compares
Washington Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 26% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.8% | ▲ 17% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 195 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
195
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 17% in Michigan - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
71.3%
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
$11,391
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 48.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 33.3%
Two or More 12.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
African American 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 48.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, Washington Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools, which includes Washington Elementary School.
$11,391
Per student
-16%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.2%
State 55.4%
Federal 16.4%
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 Washington Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sault Area High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sault Area Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Malcolm High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 688
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 342
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 71
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~195 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Washington Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools'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 Washington Elementary School
How many students attend Washington Elementary School?
Washington Elementary School has 195 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sault Sainte Marie, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington Elementary School is 13:1, which is 26% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 17% 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 Washington Elementary School?
63.8% of students at Washington Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Washington Elementary School is White at 48.7% of enrollment, in Sault Sainte Marie, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington Elementary School?
Washington Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Washington Elementary School rank among public schools in Sault Sainte Marie?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Sault Sainte Marie, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Sault Sainte Marie on the city page.
Is Washington Elementary School a good school?
Washington Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan 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 Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools?
Besides Washington Elementary School, Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools also operates Sault Area High School (688 students), Sault Area Middle School (498 students), and Lincoln School (342 students). See the Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools 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.