Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98418

ZIP code 98418 has two public schools serving students from prekindergarten through grade 12: Reed Elementary School for prekindergarten–5th grade and Lincoln High School for grades 9–12, with no middle school listed; both are part of the Tacoma School District.

The two schools serve about 1,982 students combined, although Lincoln High School is much larger, with 1,556 students compared with 426 at Reed Elementary School. Their reported free- and reduced-price lunch rates are nearly identical, at about 73%. Reed Elementary School has the lower student-teacher ratio—16.3 versus 20.5—and higher reported spending per student. Academically, Lincoln High School has stronger English language arts results, with 41.06% of students proficient compared with 35.48% at Reed Elementary School. However, its math proficiency was notably low at 10.49%, while Reed Elementary School reached 31.17%, essentially matching the district average.

For parents evaluating the schools, Lincoln High School’s clearest strength is student completion: its 91.6% graduation rate is well above the state rate, and its dropout rate is slightly below the district rate. Its main concern is math, which declined from the previous year; science is also a shared challenge, with both schools near 33% proficiency and below district and state results. Reed Elementary School improved in English, math, and science, with its largest gain in math, though results vary by grade and fifth-grade science and fourth-grade math remain areas to watch. Both schools’ recent statewide ranking percentiles improved, but the Tacoma School District remains below the statewide midpoint overall.