Summary:
This analysis examines three public schools serving grades K-12 in zip code 98403, part of the Tacoma School District, revealing significant variation in performance and resources within this Tacoma, WA area.
Lowell Elementary School stands out as the top performer, consistently ranking in the top 15% of elementary schools statewide with test scores far exceeding district and state averages in all subjects. In contrast, Hilltop Heritage Middle School shows notable academic challenges, particularly in math where only 25% of students are proficient, and it underperforms the district average despite having the highest per-student spending. Stadium High School demonstrates a strong improving trajectory with an exceptional 96.8% graduation rate, the best among these schools, even though it operates with the lowest per-student funding.
Key insights for parents include a dramatic drop in test scores as students move from the highly-rated elementary school to the struggling middle school, suggesting potential transition challenges. The high school successfully rebounds from this, achieving excellent graduation outcomes. Science is a relative strength across all levels compared to the district, while math is the most challenging subject. The data shows an inverse relationship between spending and results in this area, with the highest-funded school having the lowest scores and the lowest-funded having the highest graduation rate.
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