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Tacoma School District


At a glance
157thof 247 Washington districts▼ 5
Better than 36% of Washington districts
601 S 8th
Tacoma, WA 98401-1357
·(253) 571-1000·All Washington district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2025
2025: better than 36.4% of districts
68
Schools
28,847
Students
1
5-star school
Top rankedBrowns Point Elementary School111th of 1,160 Washington elementary schools
Biggest riser
Bryant Montessori School up 254 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Bryant Montessori Middle School 5.9 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
3★
2★
1★
0★
13 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Tacoma School District is a large, diverse system of 64 schools serving about 30,000 students from preschool through high school, though its overall state ranking falls in the lower half.

Performance varies dramatically across schools, with clear standouts like Stadium High School, known for its very high graduation rate, and Science and Math Institute (SAMi), which excels in science and English. At the elementary level, Browns Point Elementary and Sherman Elementary are top performers, while Edna Travis Elementary faces significant challenges. Specialized programs, such as the Tacoma School of the Arts and Industrial Design Engineering and Arts (IDEA), consistently rank well, suggesting these models are effective.

While the district's graduation rate is strong, proficiency in core subjects like math lags behind the state average. Some schools, including Dr. Dolores Silas High School, achieve excellent graduation outcomes despite lower test scores, highlighting different measures of success. Conversely, schools like Foss High School and Tacoma Open Doors struggle with very low proficiency or high dropout rates, even with substantial per-student funding in some cases, indicating that complex factors beyond spending influence results.

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Ranking:
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E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private





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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.





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