Summary:
ZIP code 98408 has three public elementary schools serving prekindergarten through fifth grade: Birney Elementary School, Whitman Elementary School, and Mann Elementary School, all part of the Tacoma School District. Together, they serve 1,181 students in an area where approximately two-thirds to more than seven-tenths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Mann Elementary School is the clear academic standout. It ranks 581st out of 1,138 Washington elementary schools, placing it in the 49th percentile, compared with the 18th percentile for Whitman Elementary School and the 14th percentile for Birney Elementary School. Mann leads locally in English language arts, math, and science, with especially strong results in science, where 63.83% of students were proficient compared with 30.36% at Whitman and 28.57% at Birney. Mann also performs above the district average in all three subjects and nearly matches the state in math. Its strongest grade-level pattern is rising ELA performance from third through fifth grade.
Whitman Elementary School shows encouraging ELA momentum, improving by 7.25 percentage points over the previous year, while its ELA results rise from third to fifth grade. However, its science performance declined notably year over year. Birney Elementary School improved its statewide ranking and math results but remains below district and state averages in all major subjects. Fifth-grade math is the most consistent challenge across the area, with proficiency below the district and state at all three schools. Reported spending, enrollment, and student-teacher ratios do not align directly with outcomes, so families should consider academic results alongside school programs, support services, and their child’s individual needs.
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