WashingtonSchoolsMount Rainier High School

Mount Rainier High School

PublicRegular
Des Moines, Washington · Highline School District
Teachers77.0FTE
Ratio24.5:1students per teacher
Students1,889enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students1,889
Grade Span9–12
Student:Teacher24.5:1
Free/Reduced Lunch61%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
24.3:1
0.8%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
76
1.3%vs prior yr
Enrollment
1,846
2.3%vs prior yr
Avg Experience
13
years
Counselors
1:1,767
514%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:1,767
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:1,767
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.7:116.8:118.9:121.0:123.1:125.2:12020202120222023202423.6:123.9:124.3:124.5:124.3:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

1,6851,7291,7731,8161,8601,904717273757677202020212022202320241,7671,7001,8731,8891,8467571777776EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment1,7671,7001,8731,8891,846
Teacher FTE7571777776
Pupil : Teacher ratio23.6:123.9:124.3:124.5:124.3:115.4:1

Teacher Experience & Qualifications (2024)

Average years of experience12.5 yrs
Novice teachers (< 3 yrs)0%
Hold advanced degree84%
Source: State Department of Education teacher workforce reports.

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:3821:7631:1,1451:1,5271:1,908201720201:2881:1,767Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:3821:7631:1,1451:1,5271:1,908201720201:1,7671:1,767Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)61
Nurses (FTE)1
Psychologists (FTE)1
Social Workers (FTE)
Counselor : Pupils1:2881:1,7671:250
Nurse : Pupils1:1,7671:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:1,7671:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20172020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.