Enrollment
427
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Yelm, WA
Yelm Prairie Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Yelm Prairie Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 531014001916
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Yelm Prairie Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Yelm · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- students per teacher
- 48.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Yelm Prairie Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Yelm Prairie Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Yelm, WA.
School address
District: Yelm School District · Washington
NCES ID 531014001916 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Yelm Prairie Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Yelm Prairie Elementary
Yelm Prairie Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Yelm, Washington, enrolling 427 students.
At 17.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.6% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 427 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 503 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #267.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Yelm's public schools, it stands alongside Southworth Elementary (671 students): Yelm Prairie Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.1:1 vs 18.1:1).
Yelm School District also operates Yelm High School 12 (1,693 students) and Southworth Elementary (671 students) alongside Yelm Prairie 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 Yelm Prairie Elementary compares
Yelm Prairie 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 | 17.1:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.6% | ▲ 8% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 427 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
427
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 57% in Washington - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,437
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 427 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 64.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.0%
Two or More 9.6%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, Yelm Prairie Elementary is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Yelm School District, which includes Yelm Prairie Elementary.
$16,437
Per student
-16%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.8%
State 67.7%
Federal 13.6%
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 Yelm Prairie Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yelm High School 12 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southworth Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Yelm Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridgeline Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fort Stevens Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Yelm Prairie Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,693
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 652
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Yelm
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southworth Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Fort Stevens Elementary
Standard public school
462 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Mill Pond Elementary School
Standard public school
374 students 17:1 students per teacher
Lackamas Elementary
Standard public school
290 students 12.6:1 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 (~427 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Yelm Prairie Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Yelm Prairie Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Yelm 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 Yelm Prairie Elementary
How many students attend Yelm Prairie Elementary?
Yelm Prairie Elementary has 427 students enrolled. It is a public school in Yelm, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Yelm Prairie Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Yelm Prairie Elementary is 17.1:1, which is 3% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 9% higher 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 Yelm Prairie Elementary?
48.6% of students at Yelm Prairie Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Yelm Prairie Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Yelm Prairie Elementary is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Yelm, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Yelm Prairie Elementary?
Yelm Prairie Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Yelm Prairie Elementary rank among schools in Yelm?
By Resource Investment Index, Yelm Prairie Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Yelm, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Yelm on the city page.
Is Yelm Prairie Elementary a good school?
Yelm Prairie Elementary earns 44/100 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 Yelm School District?
Besides Yelm Prairie Elementary, Yelm School District also operates Yelm High School 12 (1,693 students), Southworth Elementary (671 students), and Yelm Middle School (652 students). See the Yelm 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.