Summary:
This analysis examines six elementary schools in Tacoma's 98445 zip code, serving over 2,300 students from preschool through 5th grade across the Bethel School District, Franklin Pierce School District, and Tacoma School District, all of which serve predominantly low-income communities.
Among these schools, Midland Elementary stands out as the top performer, ranking in the 39th percentile statewide and leading in English, math, and science proficiency, with its 5th graders particularly excelling. Other traditional elementary schools, like Chester H Thompson Elementary and Larchmont Elementary School, rank lower, while Harvard Elementary and Elmhurst Elementary School are in the bottom 11th percentile, though Harvard shows a relative strength in science. Thompson Preschool is a unique case as a preschool-only program with different staffing and spending metrics.
Key takeaways for parents are that while all area schools face economic challenges, performance varies significantly, suggesting school-level practices matter. Midland's improvement to become the highest-ranked school is notable, and many schools show a drop in proficiency by 5th grade. There is no clear link between per-student spending and test results, as the highest-spending school does not have the highest scores, indicating other factors are at play in student achievement.
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