Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 25 schools in district

Birchwood Elementary School

3200 Pinewood Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225Bellingham School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
369
Students
Total enrolled
$23,302
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 62% vs nat'l
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 10% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 369 students in grades PK–05 in Bellingham, Washington.
62% above average funding
District spends $23,302 per pupil, 62% more than the national average of $14,347.
13.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Birchwood Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Bellingham, Washington, serving grades PK–05 with 369 students. The district invests $23,302 per student — 62% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Birchwood Elementary School

369
Total Students
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
60%
Free Lunch
27
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution195 male · 173 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility60%
National avg 52% · 223 students
Student Composition
43%
41%
10%
Asian4%
White43%
Hispanic / Latino41%
Black1%
Multiracial10%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530042000100

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$23,302Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$23,302
State avg
$50,309
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,253
Student Support$4,427
Administration$2,796
Operations$3,495
Other$2,330
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $23,302 spent per student, an estimated $10,323 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
59%
31%
State government
59.5%
Local (property tax)
30.6%
Federal programs
9.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $23,302/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Happy Valley Elementary SchoolGeneva Elementary SchoolNorthern Heights Elementary SchlParkview Elementary School
+9 more
↓
Middle
Kulshan Middle SchoolWhatcom Middle SchoolFairhaven Middle SchoolShuksan Middle School
↓
High School
Squalicum High SchoolBellingham High SchoolSehome High SchoolOptions High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyWhatcom County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBellingham School District →
Phone: (360)676-6466
NCES ID: 530042000100
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Bellingham seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Bellingham School District
High
Squalicum High School
1,280 students · 09–12
45% FRL
High
Bellingham High School
1,218 students · 09–12
34% FRL
High
Sehome High School
1,163 students · 09–12
25% FRL
Mid
Kulshan Middle School
623 students · 06–08
● 49 opp30% FRL
Mid
Whatcom Middle School
600 students · 06–08
43% FRL
Mid
Fairhaven Middle School
597 students · 06–08
37% FRL
Mid
Shuksan Middle School
579 students · 06–08
60% FRL
Elem
Happy Valley Elementary School
456 students · PK–05
38% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3200 Pinewood Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.