Enrollment
360
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buckley, WA
White River Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for White River Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530978003722
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White River Early Learning Center earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Buckley · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Washington
- 29.7%
- free-lunch eligible
White River Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 71% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White River Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Buckley, WA.
School address
District: White River School District · Washington
NCES ID 530978003722 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White River Early Learning Center compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at White River Early Learning Center
White River Early Learning Center is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Buckley, Washington, enrolling 360 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 360 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 396 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #370, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 360 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding White River School District spends $13,938 per pupil, 28% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Buckley's public schools, it stands alongside Elk Ridge Elementary (564 students): White River Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.9:1 vs 17.1:1).
White River School District also operates White River High School (1,340 students) and Glacier Middle School (999 students) alongside White River Early Learning Center.
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 River Early Learning Center compares
White River Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.7% | ▼ 34% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 360 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
360
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 71% in Washington - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$13,938
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 360 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 68.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 2.8%
African American 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 68.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.0, White River Early Learning Center is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for White River School District, which includes White River Early Learning Center.
$13,938
Per student
-28%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.1%
State 63.6%
Federal 5.3%
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 River Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| White River High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glacier Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elk Ridge Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foothills Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain Meadow Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White River Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,340
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 443
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Buckley
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~360 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White River Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare White River Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- White River 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 River Early Learning Center
How many students attend White River Early Learning Center?
White River Early Learning Center has 360 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buckley, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White River Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at White River Early Learning Center is 18.9:1, which is 7% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at White River Early Learning Center?
29.7% of students at White River Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White River Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at White River Early Learning Center is White at 68.9% of enrollment, in Buckley, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White River Early Learning Center?
White River Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 White River Early Learning Center rank among public schools in Buckley?
By Resource Investment Index, White River Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Buckley, 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 Buckley on the city page.
Is White River Early Learning Center a good school?
White River Early Learning Center earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of 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 White River School District?
Besides White River Early Learning Center, White River School District also operates White River High School (1,340 students), Glacier Middle School (999 students), and Elk Ridge Elementary (564 students). See the White River 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.