WashingtonSchoolsBellingham High School

Bellingham High School

PublicRegular
Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham School District
Teachers54.0FTE
Ratio22.0:1students per teacher
Students1,188enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students1,188
Grade Span9–12
Student:Teacher22.0:1
Free/Reduced Lunch37%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
21.6:1
1.8%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
54
0.0%vs prior yr
Enrollment
1,165
1.9%vs prior yr
Avg Experience
16
years
Counselors
1:299
0.1%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.9:116.4:117.9:119.5:121.0:122.5:12020202120222023202421.3:119.5:121.0:122.0:121.6:1Bellingham High SchoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

1,1611,1731,1851,1981,2101,222545556585960202020212022202320241,1941,1721,2181,1881,1655660585454EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment1,1941,1721,2181,1881,165
Teacher FTE5660585454
Pupil : Teacher ratio21.3:119.5:121.0:122.0:121.6:115.4:1

Teacher Experience & Qualifications (2024)

Average years of experience15.6 yrs
Novice teachers (< 3 yrs)0%
Hold advanced degree74%
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)

1:01:641:1291:1931:2581:322201720201:2981:299Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)44
Nurses (FTE)
Psychologists (FTE)
Social Workers (FTE)
Counselor : Pupils1:2981:2991:250
Nurse : Pupils1:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:500
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.