Enrollment
305
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Whittier Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530870001511
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Elementary School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #38 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 45.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #38 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001511 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Elementary School
Whittier Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 305 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 45.4% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 305 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 340 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #330, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and Two or More (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 305 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Whittier Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 20.6:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Whittier 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 Whittier Elementary School compares
Whittier Elementary 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.4% | ▲ 1% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 305 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
305
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 64% in Washington - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
59.7%
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
$17,575
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 305 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 33.8%
Two or More 23.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%
African American 16.1%
Asian 5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.3%
Largest group: White at 33.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.2, Whittier Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tacoma School District, which includes Whittier Elementary School.
$17,575
Per student
-10%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 57.0%
Federal 12.8%
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 Whittier Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,700
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,556
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,410
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Tacoma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Columbia Junior High School
Standard public school
619 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Sheridan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Geiger Montessori School
Standard public school
521 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Boze Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
483 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 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 (~305 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tacoma 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 Whittier Elementary School
How many students attend Whittier Elementary School?
Whittier Elementary School has 305 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 2% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Whittier Elementary School?
45.4% of students at Whittier Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Elementary School is White at 33.8% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elementary School?
Whittier Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower 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 Whittier Elementary School rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary School ranks #38 of 42 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 schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Whittier Elementary School a good school?
Whittier Elementary School earns 24/100 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 Tacoma School District?
Besides Whittier Elementary School, Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students), Lincoln High School (1,556 students), and Mount Tahoma High School (1,410 students). See the Tacoma 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.