What does the student-to-teacher ratio tell me?

The student-to-teacher ratio is the number of students divided by the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers. Lower ratios generally mean smaller class sizes and more individual attention, though the ratio does not directly equal class size since teachers have planning periods and may teach specialized subjects.

What types of staff are included?

School staff includes classroom teachers, special education teachers, instructional aides, counselors, administrators, librarians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and support staff. The staffing breakdown shows how the district allocates its workforce across these roles.

Where does school staffing data come from?

Staffing data is reported annually by school districts to the state Board of Education as part of the School Report Card. It includes full-time equivalent counts, teacher qualifications, experience levels, and salary information.

Bellingham, WA School Staffing — Teacher Counts & Ratios

Select Your District

Your assigned district depends on your home address within town.

School Staff — 2025i

NCES

Who teaches and supports students in your school districts.

Student:Teacheri

17.7:1

Local Median Incomei

$67K

By District

Bellingham School DistrictTraditional · 22,800 students

Staff Breakdowni

686 total FTE

651 Teachers (95%)

35 Counselors (5%)

Teachers

Student:Teacher

17.4:1

Support Staff

Counselorsi

1 per 651 students

Meridian School DistrictTraditional · 3,846 students

Staff Breakdowni

109 total FTE

103 Teachers (94%)

6 Counselors (6%)

Teachers

Student:Teacher

18.5:1

Support Staff

Counselorsi

1 per 641 students

Meridian School DistrictTraditional · 2,564 students

Staff Breakdowni

73 total FTE

69 Teachers (94%)

4 Counselors (6%)

Teachers

Student:Teacher

18.5:1

Support Staff

Counselorsi

1 per 641 students

Ferndale School DistrictTraditional · 807 students

Staff Breakdowni

23 total FTE

22 Teachers (96%)

1 Counselors (4%)

Teachers

Student:Teacher

17.9:1

Support Staff

Counselorsi

0.9

1 per 897 students

Blaine School DistrictTraditional · 669 students

Staff Breakdowni

18 total FTE

17 Teachers (96%)

1 Counselors (4%)

Teachers

Student:Teacher

19.3:1

Support Staff

Counselorsi

0.8

1 per 836 students

Intergenerational High SchoolTraditional · 216 students

Teachers

Student:Teacher

13.4:1

ESD 189 acting as a school districtTraditional · 29 students