Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 44 schools in district

Meridian Elementary School

25621 140th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98042Kent School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–06Non-Charter
555
Students
Total enrolled
$19,780
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 38% vs nat'l
16.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 9% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 555 students in grades PK–06 in Kent, Washington.
38% above average funding
District spends $19,780 per pupil, 38% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Meridian Elementary School is a large elementary in Kent, Washington, serving grades PK–06 with 555 students. The district invests $19,780 per student — 38% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 52% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Meridian Elementary School

555
Total Students
16.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
52%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution267 male · 288 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility52%
National avg 52% · 287 students
Student Composition
20%
37%
19%
10%
11%
Asian20%
White37%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black10%
Multiracial11%
Pacific Islander2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530396000625

Academic Outcomes at Meridian Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 76th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 98042

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,780Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,780
State avg
$50,309
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,703
Student Support$3,758
Administration$2,374
Operations$2,967
Other$1,978
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,780 spent per student, an estimated $8,763 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
61%
26%
State government
61.2%
Local (property tax)
25.6%
Federal programs
13.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,780/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
River Ridge ElementaryCovington Elementary SchoolKent Elementary SchoolScenic Hill Elementary School
+16 more
↓
Middle
Mill Creek Middle SchoolMattson Middle SchoolCedar Heights Middle SchoolMeeker Middle School
+2 more
↓
High School
Kent-Meridian High SchoolKentridge High SchoolKentwood High SchoolKentlake High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 06
Location—
CountyKing County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictKent School District →
Phone: (253)373-7664
NCES ID: 530396000625
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Kent 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 Kent School District
High
Kent-Meridian High School
2,128 students · 09–12
77% FRL
High
Kentridge High School
2,034 students · 09–12
● 48 opp42% FRL
High
Kentwood High School
1,733 students · 09–12
● 49 opp49% FRL
High
Kentlake High School
1,440 students · 09–12
● 49 opp54% FRL
Mid
Mill Creek Middle School
794 students · 07–08
● 40 opp83% FRL
Elem
River Ridge Elementary
678 students · PK–06
● 45 opp77% FRL
Elem
Covington Elementary School
631 students · PK–06
● 49 opp61% FRL
Mid
Mattson Middle School
617 students · 07–08
● 49 opp54% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
25621 140th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98042
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.