Best Public Schools in Tumwater, WA

Summary:

Tumwater, Washington is served by 12 public schools across elementary, middle, and high school levels, primarily within the well-regarded Tumwater School District, which ranks in the top quarter of districts statewide.

Parents will find a mix of strong performers and schools facing challenges. Standout schools include A G West Black Hills High School, ranking in the 81st percentile with exceptional science scores and a 91.9% graduation rate, and Michael T Simmons Elementary, which boasts the highest math proficiency and a favorable student-teacher ratio. Tumwater High School also shows strength in English Language Arts with an impressive 81.18% proficiency and a 96.8% graduation rate.

However, significant disparities exist, particularly at Cascadia High School, which ranks in the bottom 11th percentile with low proficiency rates and a 62.7% graduation rate, and the online Washington Connections Academy under the Mary M Knight School District, which has consistently struggled. The district's middle schools, like Tumwater Middle School, show consistent, above-average performance, providing a stable foundation for students.

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
Education Service District 113 Consortium Reengagement Program	Public, Magnet	11-12	6005 Tyee Dr. SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Capital Region Education Service District 113	No	Yes	No	No	(360) 464-6700	344	0			194 (56.4%)	8 (2.3%)	86 (25.0%)	7 (2.0%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.2%)	25 (7.3%)								(n/a)
Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight	Public, Virtual	K-8	111 Tumwater Blvd SE	Tumwater	98501	Thurston County	Mary M Knight School District	No	No	Yes	No	(360) 338-6340	600	26	23.5	32.8%	348 (58.0%)	7 (1.2%)	95 (15.8%)	7 (1.2%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	137 (22.8%)	24.9	909^th of 1160 public elementary schools	21.6%		24.8	901^st of 1168 public elementary schools	22.9%	8	40.7	51.8		47.2	40.0	39.2	46.7	47.6	40.3	51.2		44.6	34.0	23.5	20.3	18.8	23.1	25.9		24.1	89.7	92.3	92.3	92.3	92.3	92.3	92.3	89.7	92.3	92.3	$10,689	$00	$10,689
Michael T Simmons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 2nd Avenue SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 709-7100	457	35	13.1	43.5%	291 (63.7%)	13 (2.8%)	76 (16.6%)	22 (4.8%)	9 (2.0%)	4 (0.9%)	42 (9.2%)	67.5	346^th of 1160 public elementary schools	70.2%		69.6	324^th of 1168 public elementary schools	72.3%	22	62.4			62.4	50.0	60.3	57.0					55.8	60.3	65.3	51.8					58.7	93.9	98.5	98.5	98.5	98.5	95.4	96.9	96.9	95.4	95.4	$19,675	$1,121	$18,554
Peter G Schmidt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	237 Dennis Street SE	Tumwater	98501	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 709-7200	606	40	15.0	44.9%	361 (59.6%)	8 (1.3%)	107 (17.7%)	14 (2.3%)	8 (1.3%)	6 (1.0%)	101 (16.7%)	46.1	601^st of 1160 public elementary schools	48.2%		58.3	465^th of 1168 public elementary schools	60.2%	136	55.6			55.6	52.0	49.4	46.5					49.3	60.0	37.7	30.2					43.2	94.6	96.8	97.9	97.9	97.9	97.9	95.7	96.8	97.9	97.9	$18,168	$1,041	$17,127
Tumwater High School	Public	9-12	700 Israel Road	Tumwater	98501	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7600	1,117	52	21.3	30.6%	779 (69.7%)	33 (3.0%)	171 (15.3%)	28 (2.5%)	4 (0.4%)	4 (0.4%)	98 (8.8%)	60.6	147^th of 438 public high schools	66.4%		67.2	119^th of 437 public high schools	72.8%	28			35.3	35.3							81.2	81.2							42.6	42.6											$16,050	$274	$15,776
Tumwater Middle School	Public	6-8	6335 Littlerock Road SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7500	665	34	19.5	35.6%	409 (61.5%)	19 (2.9%)	118 (17.7%)	26 (3.9%)	7 (1.1%)	8 (1.2%)	77 (11.6%)	70.2	137^th of 534 public middle schools	74.3%		68.1	148^th of 535 public middle schools	72.3%	11		56.0		56.0				65.1	57.7	61.4		61.3				48.4	46.1	44.3		46.2											$16,737	$470	$16,267
George Bush Middle School	Public	6-8	2120 83rd Avenue SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7400	762	42	18.0	39.0%	491 (64.4%)	17 (2.2%)	154 (20.2%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.7%)	76 (10.0%)	65.6	164^th of 534 public middle schools	69.3%		63.6	177^th of 535 public middle schools	66.9%	13		45.4		45.4				63.4	61.6	57.1		60.7				55.2	44.6	37.1		45.5											$16,333	$274	$16,059
New Market Skills Center	Public	11-12	7299 New Market Street SW	Tumwater	98501	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 570-4500	86	2	50.5	15.1%	47 (54.7%)	4 (4.7%)	16 (18.6%)	2 (2.3%)	2 (2.3%)	3 (3.5%)	12 (14.0%)								(n/a)																															$16,979	$393	$16,586
Thurs County Juvenile Det/Tumwater West E	Public	6-12	2801 32nd Avenue SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-3198	5	1	5.0		3 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																															$27,925	$3,742	$24,183
Tumwater Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3120 Ridgeview St SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7300	400	24	16.4	37.5%	215 (53.8%)	14 (3.5%)	85 (21.3%)	35 (8.8%)	5 (1.3%)	2 (0.5%)	43 (10.8%)	55.2	492^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	57.6%		50.3	557^th of 1168 public elementary schools	52.3%	65	47.6			47.6	61.5	51.5	57.1					56.6	67.7	43.3	36.5					49.2	91.8	100.0	98.4	98.4	98.4	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	$17,741	$871	$16,870
A G West Black Hills High School	Public	9-12	7741 Littlerock Road SW	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7800	753	33	22.5	31.2%	497 (66.0%)	20 (2.7%)	97 (12.9%)	37 (4.9%)	6 (0.8%)	10 (1.3%)	86 (11.4%)	74.9	84^th of 438 public high schools	80.8%		44	247^th of 437 public high schools	43.5%	163			62.8	62.8							75.6	75.6							40.2	40.2											$17,443	$274	$17,169
Cascadia High School	Public	8-12	7299 New Market St SW Bldg E	Tumwater	98512	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 709-7760	134	6	23.0	56.0%	89 (66.4%)	5 (3.7%)	22 (16.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	16 (11.9%)	13.6	392^nd of 438 public high schools	10.5%		4.4	432^nd of 437 public high schools	1.1%	40			31.0	31.0							40.0	40.0							13.3	13.3											$14,063	$274	$13,789
New Market High School	Public	10-12	7299 New Market Street SW	Tumwater	98501	Thurston County	Tumwater School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 570-4500	61	2	30.5	34.4%	42 (68.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.3%)	1 (1.6%)	4 (6.6%)								(n/a)			33.3	33.3																											$14,439	$274	$14,166

Cities Near Tumwater

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Olympia	1.11 mi	26	58^th
Lacey	2.26 mi	25	141^st
Tenino	9.01 mi	4	169^th
Yelm	11.02 mi	9	152^nd
Rainier	11.34 mi	3	92^nd

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.