Enrollment
527
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Seattle, WA
White Center Heights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for White Center Heights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530354000557
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White Center Heights Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #4 of 13
- schools in Seattle · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 62.1%
- free-lunch eligible
White Center Heights Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White Center Heights Elementary ranks #4 of 13 schools in Seattle, WA.
School address
District: Highline School District · Washington
NCES ID 530354000557 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.1%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White Center Heights Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at White Center Heights Elementary
White Center Heights Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 527 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 527 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 416 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #53.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (37%) and Asian (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 264 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Seattle's public schools, it stands alongside Summit Public School: Atlas (566 students): White Center Heights Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.6:1 vs 18.9:1).
Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students) and Highline High School (1,423 students) alongside White Center Heights Elementary.
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 White Center Heights Elementary compares
White Center Heights Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.6:1 | ▼ 0% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.1% | ▲ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 527 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
527
Bigger than 65% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 61% in Washington - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.4%
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
$19,077
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 264 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 36.9%
Asian 23.2%
African American 22.2%
Two or More 9.5%
White 7.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 36.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.6, White Center Heights Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Highline School District, which includes White Center Heights Elementary.
$19,077
Per student
-2%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 55.7%
Federal 14.6%
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 White Center Heights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highline High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glacier Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cascade Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White Center Heights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,846
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools in Seattle
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Summit Public School: Atlas
Standard public school
566 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Hilltop Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Mount View Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 20:1 students per teacher
Louisa Boren Stem K-8
Standard public school
437 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Beverly Park Elem at Glendale
Standard public school
411 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Cedar Park Elementary School
Standard public school
254 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~527 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White Center Heights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare White Center Heights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Highline 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 White Center Heights Elementary
How many students attend White Center Heights Elementary?
White Center Heights Elementary has 527 students enrolled. It is a public school in Seattle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White Center Heights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at White Center Heights Elementary is 17.6:1, which is 0% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at White Center Heights Elementary?
62.1% of students at White Center Heights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White Center Heights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at White Center Heights Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 36.9% of enrollment, in Seattle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White Center Heights Elementary?
White Center Heights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 White Center Heights Elementary rank among schools in Seattle?
By Resource Investment Index, White Center Heights Elementary ranks #4 of 13 schools in Seattle, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Seattle on the city page.
Is White Center Heights Elementary a good school?
White Center Heights Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more 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 Highline School District?
Besides White Center Heights Elementary, Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students), Highline High School (1,423 students), and Evergreen High School (1,080 students). See the Highline 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.