Best Public Schools in Spanaway, WA

Summary:

The Bethel School District serves approximately 9,785 students across 16 schools in Spanaway, Washington, ranging from preschool through high school, including traditional, alternative, and virtual programs.

Parents will find a mix of school performance within the district. For elementary schools, Pioneer Valley Elementary and Camas Prairie Elementary stand out for their strong test scores, with Camas Prairie performing well despite a high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Elk Plain School of Choice (K-8) also performs solidly. Among high schools, Bethel High School has the highest graduation rate and test scores, while Challenger High School maintains a good graduation rate for an alternative program.

However, the district faces significant challenges in mathematics, with proficiency rates notably below state averages, especially in middle and high school. Some schools, like Acceleration Academy and Cedarcrest Middle School, show particularly low performance metrics. The Bethel Virtual Academy also shows lower academic results compared to in-person schools. A strength for the Bethel School District overall is its above-average graduation rate and below-average dropout rate compared to the state.

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)				SBAC English Language Arts (2025)								SBAC Math (2025)								% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science 11th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 10th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math 10th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bethel High School	Public	9-12	22215 38th Avenue East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-7000	1,688	78	21.5	50.8%	716 (42.4%)	102 (6.0%)	392 (23.2%)	63 (3.7%)	15 (0.9%)	84 (5.0%)	308 (18.2%)	48.6	208^th of 438 public high schools	52.5%		44.4	244^th of 437 public high schools	44.2%	36			49.4	49.4							64.7	64.7							26.7	26.7											$17,225	$1,187	$16,038
Bethel Middle School	Public	6-8	22201 38th Avenue East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-7200	661	32	20.8	63.5%	228 (34.5%)	51 (7.7%)	176 (26.6%)	19 (2.9%)	4 (0.6%)	55 (8.3%)	128 (19.4%)	38.7	314^th of 534 public middle schools	41.2%		36.2	326^th of 535 public middle schools	39.1%	12		38.9		38.9				49.1	51.5	46.1		48.8				28.6	30.4	30.4		29.8											$17,482	$938	$16,544
Elk Plain School of Choice	Public	K-8	22015 22nd Avenue East	Spanaway	98397	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-7900	574	34	17.0	39.7%	322 (56.1%)	50 (8.7%)	76 (13.2%)	17 (3.0%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.9%)	101 (17.6%)	54.1	502^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	56.7%		58	469^th of 1168 public elementary schools	59.8%	33	54.7	46.5		50.7	53.2	45.5	55.3	45.6	63.3	53.5		53.1	63.8	45.5	45.3	43.0	47.4	45.1		47.4	88.6	88.6	93.2	93.2	93.2	88.6	88.6	90.9	88.6	88.6	$18,221	$745	$17,476
Spanaway Elementary	Public	K-5	412 165th St S	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-5300	371	26	14.3	70.9%	127 (34.2%)	31 (8.4%)	90 (24.3%)	14 (3.8%)	4 (1.1%)	31 (8.4%)	74 (19.9%)	35.3	744^th of 1160 public elementary schools	35.9%		23.6	922^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	21.1%	178	37.3			37.3	35.5	31.5	57.7					41.1	41.9	40.0	48.1					43.2	88.7	94.4	93.0	93.0	93.0	94.4	97.2	91.6	94.4	94.4	$21,595	$1,533	$20,062
Evergreen Elementary	Public	K-5	1311 172nd Street East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-8200	530	36	14.6	66.4%	187 (35.3%)	42 (7.9%)	118 (22.3%)	28 (5.3%)	5 (0.9%)	33 (6.2%)	117 (22.1%)	30.8	815^th of 1160 public elementary schools	29.7%		40.6	671^st of 1168 public elementary schools	42.6%	144	34.4			34.4	36.5	43.0	46.7					42.1	46.4	39.2	32.2					39.1	86.8	89.0	89.0	89.0	89.0	86.8	92.3	89.0	86.8	86.8	$18,239	$1,631	$16,608
Shining Mountain Elementary	Public	K-5	21615 38th Ave E	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-5200	613	38	16.2	65.7%	173 (28.2%)	65 (10.6%)	155 (25.3%)	28 (4.6%)	2 (0.3%)	72 (11.7%)	118 (19.2%)	27.4	863^rd of 1160 public elementary schools	25.6%		34.6	761^st of 1168 public elementary schools	34.8%	102	43.8			43.8	29.7	45.3	46.1					39.8	35.6	37.6	25.8					33.6	90.0	94.0	95.0	95.0	95.0	91.0	96.0	94.0	91.0	91.0	$18,655	$1,501	$17,154
Cedarcrest Middle School	Public	6-8	191201 13th Avenue Crt. E.	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-7500	765	35	21.7	62.6%	191 (25.0%)	107 (14.0%)	174 (22.7%)	60 (7.8%)	5 (0.7%)	59 (7.7%)	169 (22.1%)	21.2	433^rd of 534 public middle schools	18.9%		21.5	437^th of 535 public middle schools	18.3%	4		25.3		25.3				45.5	41.1	35.1		40.7				21.6	24.2	14.3		20.0											$17,358	$1,243	$16,115
Spanaway Lake High School	Public	9-12	1305 168th Street East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-5600	1,787	79	22.7	60.5%	500 (28.0%)	243 (13.6%)	437 (24.5%)	126 (7.1%)	20 (1.1%)	158 (8.8%)	299 (16.7%)	32.1	305^th of 438 public high schools	30.4%		32.5	304^th of 437 public high schools	30.4%	1			44.2	44.2							55.7	55.7							16.9	16.9											$16,697	$1,532	$15,165
Challenger High School	Public	7-12	18117 A Street South	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-6800	318	20	15.9	62.3%	157 (49.4%)	13 (4.1%)	76 (23.9%)	4 (1.3%)	5 (1.6%)	7 (2.2%)	52 (16.4%)	17.5	369^th of 438 public high schools	15.8%		17.8	372^nd of 437 public high schools	14.9%	3		32.3	18.8	22.4					30.4	46.9	55.4	48.3					25.0	28.1	8.6	17.5											$19,563	$861	$18,702
Camas Prairie Elementary	Public	K-5	320 176th Street East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-7400	529	39	13.5	67.9%	151 (28.5%)	47 (8.9%)	140 (26.5%)	29 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	57 (10.8%)	104 (19.7%)	62.1	410^th of 1160 public elementary schools	64.7%		67.6	347^th of 1168 public elementary schools	70.3%	63	50.0			50.0	58.2	57.5	55.2					56.8	59.7	51.6	55.0					55.0	86.4	89.8	89.8	89.8	89.8	87.5	94.3	88.6	87.5	87.5	$20,664	$1,504	$19,160
Pioneer Valley Elementary	Public	K-5	7315 Eustis Hunt Road	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-8900	524	34	15.5	56.5%	213 (40.6%)	39 (7.4%)	120 (22.9%)	15 (2.9%)	2 (0.4%)	44 (8.4%)	91 (17.4%)	70	312^th of 1160 public elementary schools	73.1%		63.5	400^th of 1168 public elementary schools	65.8%	88	54.4			54.4	68.2	52.9	64.1					61.8	63.6	60.9	53.3					59.2	92.0	94.3	94.3	94.3	94.3	93.1	97.7	92.0	93.1	93.1	$18,584	$1,190	$17,394
Liberty Middle School	Public	6-8	7319 Eustis-Hunt Rd E	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-6500	857	41	21.1	54.0%	306 (35.7%)	97 (11.3%)	186 (21.7%)	53 (6.2%)	7 (0.8%)	52 (6.1%)	154 (18.0%)	33.4	351^st of 534 public middle schools	34.3%		41.5	300^th of 535 public middle schools	43.9%	51		26.7		26.7				41.5	47.3	47.7		45.5				29.8	33.2	30.1		31.0											$16,330	$1,035	$15,295
Acceleration Academy	Public	9-12	16218 Pacific Ave	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 267-1045	450	8	56.2	48.4%	183 (40.7%)	31 (6.9%)	116 (25.8%)	10 (2.2%)	5 (1.1%)	33 (7.3%)	71 (15.8%)								(n/a)			27.1	27.1																											$5,612	$721	$4,890
Bethel Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	7319 Eustis Hunt Rd	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	Yes	No	(253) 800-3100	482	24	20.4	61.8%	211 (43.8%)	31 (6.4%)	87 (18.0%)	8 (1.7%)	8 (1.7%)	42 (8.7%)	91 (18.9%)								(n/a)	30.0	24.4	25.9	26.1	52.6	33.3	40.0	45.2	47.6	34.9	44.3	42.6	36.8	19.1		23.3	12.2	22.7	10.3	17.8	46.2	69.2	61.5	61.5	61.5	53.9	69.2	61.5	53.9	53.9	$14,403	$1,521	$12,882
Bethel Hope Early Learning Center	Public	PK-K	214 167th St. S	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-4100	163	7	23.2	74.2%	56 (34.4%)	13 (8.0%)	51 (31.3%)	3 (1.8%)	6 (3.7%)	5 (3.1%)	29 (17.8%)								(n/a)																															$20,475	$1,175	$19,300
Transition 18-21 Program	Public	12	516 176th St E	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(253) 800-2300	58	0		50.0%	23 (39.7%)	6 (10.3%)	14 (24.1%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	13 (22.4%)								(n/a)																															$5,612	$721	$4,890

Cities Near Spanaway

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Tacoma	1.88 mi	101	192^nd
Puyallup	2.89 mi	38	116^th
Graham	3.46 mi	9	115^th
Joint Base Lewis McChord	6.88 mi	6	112^th
Lakewood	7.24 mi	29	248^th

See the top WA Washington cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.