Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 24 schools in district

North Thurston High School

600 Sleater Kinney Rd NE, Lacey, WA 98506North Thurston Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,440
Students
Total enrolled
86%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$19,649
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 37% vs nat'l
20.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 30% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,440 students in grades 09–12 in Lacey, Washington.
37% above average funding
District spends $19,649 per pupil, 37% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

North Thurston High School is a very large high in Lacey, Washington, serving grades 09–12 with 1,440 students. The district invests $19,649 per student — 37% above the national average of $14,347, with a 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 47% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at North Thurston High School

1,440
Total Students
20.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
47%
Free Lunch
72
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution750 male · 681 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility47%
National avg 52% · 676 students
Student Composition
11%
44%
24%
13%
Asian11%
White44%
Hispanic / Latino24%
Black4%
Multiracial13%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530585000869

Academic Outcomes at North Thurston High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
86
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
86%
State avg
82%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 30th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 98506

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,649Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,649
State avg
$50,309
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,646
Student Support$3,733
Administration$2,358
Operations$2,947
Other$1,965
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,649 spent per student, an estimated $8,705 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
61%
30%
State government
61.3%
Local (property tax)
30.4%
Federal programs
8.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 86% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $19,649/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 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
Meadows ElementaryPleasant Glade ElementaryMountain View ElementaryOlympic View Elementary
+10 more
↓
Middle
Nisqually Middle SchoolChinook Middle SchoolSalish Middle SchoolKomachin Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
River Ridge High SchoolTimberline High SchoolEnvision Career Academy
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyThurston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNorth Thurston Public Schools →
Phone: (360)412-4800
NCES ID: 530585000869
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lacey seeking a public high 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 North Thurston Public Schools
High
River Ridge High School
1,476 students · 09–12
● 43 opp44% FRL
High
Timberline High School
1,404 students · 09–12
36% FRL
Mid
Nisqually Middle School
831 students · 06–08
57% FRL
Mid
Chinook Middle School
788 students · 06–08
● 41 opp54% FRL
Elem
Meadows Elementary
759 students · PK–05
● 43 opp37% FRL
Mid
Salish Middle School
735 students · 06–08
● 41 opp52% FRL
Elem
Pleasant Glade Elementary
644 students · PK–05
● 41 opp55% FRL
Mid
Komachin Middle School
643 students · 06–08
50% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
600 Sleater Kinney Rd NE, Lacey, WA 98506
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.