WashingtonSchoolsBallou Jr High

Ballou Jr High

PublicRegular
Puyallup, Washington · Puyallup School District
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students863
Grade Span7–9
Student:Teacher22.7:1
Free/Reduced Lunch51%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
22.4:1
1.3%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
38
0.0%vs prior yr
Enrollment
852
1.3%vs prior yr
Avg Experience
13
years
Counselors
1:449
5.4%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

14.8:116.6:118.3:120.1:121.8:123.6:12020202120222023202423.0:120.8:122.2:122.7:122.4:1Ballou Jr HighUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

848859869880890901383940404142202020212022202320248978738908638523942403838EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment897873890863852
Teacher FTE3942403838
Pupil : Teacher ratio23.0:120.8:122.2:122.7:122.4:115.4:1

Teacher Experience & Qualifications (2024)

Average years of experience12.8 yrs
Novice teachers (< 3 yrs)0%
Hold advanced degree77%
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)

1:01:971:1941:2911:3881:484201720201:4261:449Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)22
Nurses (FTE)
Psychologists (FTE)
Social Workers (FTE)
Counselor : Pupils1:4261:4491:250
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.