Enrollment
637
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bellingham, WA
Whatcom Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Whatcom Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530042000117
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whatcom Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #3 of 4
- middle schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- students per teacher
- 37.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Whatcom Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whatcom Middle School ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000117 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whatcom Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whatcom Middle School
Whatcom Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 637 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 37.2% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 637 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 441 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #132.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 314 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Bellingham's middle schools, it stands alongside Shuksan Middle School (606 students): Whatcom Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 16.8:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Bellingham High School (1,165 students) alongside Whatcom Middle 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 Whatcom Middle School compares
Whatcom Middle 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.2% | ▼ 17% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 637 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
637
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 62% in Washington - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,802
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 314 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.7 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 59.7%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 7.6%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 59.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Whatcom Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Whatcom Middle School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
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 Whatcom Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellingham High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fairhaven Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whatcom Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle schools in Bellingham
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~637 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whatcom Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Whatcom Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham 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 Whatcom Middle School
How many students attend Whatcom Middle School?
Whatcom Middle School has 637 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whatcom Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whatcom Middle School is 17.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Whatcom Middle School?
37.2% of students at Whatcom Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whatcom Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Whatcom Middle School is White at 59.7% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whatcom Middle School?
Whatcom Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Whatcom Middle School rank among middle schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Whatcom Middle School ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Whatcom Middle School a good school?
Whatcom Middle School earns 47/100 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 Bellingham School District?
Besides Whatcom Middle School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Bellingham High School (1,165 students), and Sehome High School (1,116 students). See the Bellingham 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.