Franklin Pierce School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Tacoma, Washington - 14 schools

An equity score of 61/100 ranks Franklin Pierce School District #70 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,349 per pupil, Franklin Pierce School District ranks #142 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,425
Total Enrollment
14
Schools
$17,349
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Franklin Pierce School District operates 14 public schools serving 7,425 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 5 elementary, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Pierce County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,349 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 22.0% local, 64.5% state, and 13.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 61/100, ranked #70 of 238 in Washington against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 14 schools offering Advanced Placement (24 AP courses district-wide), a 336.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 23.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 33.8% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% White, 11.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Midland Elementary, with a diversity index of 79.9/100.

Its largest campus is Washington High School, enrolling 989 students (14% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Gates Secondary School, at 104 students, a 10x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Franklin Pierce School District school enrollment varies 9.5× across entities

Franklin Pierce School District school enrollment ranges from 104 students (lowest) to 989 students (highest), a spread of 885 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Franklin Pierce School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 59.4% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Franklin Pierce School District student-counselor ratio is 336:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Franklin Pierce School District is typically wider than the Franklin Pierce School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Franklin Pierce School District chronic absenteeism rate is 23.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Franklin Pierce School District is typically wider than the Franklin Pierce School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.5%
Federal
64.5%
State
22.0%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
70 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 14 schools in Franklin Pierce School District.

White 26.0%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
African American 11.9%
Asian 5.8%
Multiracial 15.2%
Other 7.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 75.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Franklin Pierce School District's schools, above the Washington average of 53.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Midland Elementary 79.9
  2. 2 Christensen Elementary 79.1
  3. 3 Washington High School 78.5
  4. 4 Elmhurst Elementary School 78.5
  5. 5 Perry G Keithley Middle School 78.2

Programs & Resources

2 / 14
Schools with AP
24 AP courses total
336.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Franklin Pierce School District

School Enrollment
Washington High School
989
Franklin Pierce High School
977
Morris Ford Middle School
831
Perry G Keithley Middle School
804
Brookdale Elementary
483
Collins Elementary
466
Harvard Elementary
445
Midland Elementary
399
James Sales Elementary
387
Central Avenue Elementary
355
Christensen Elementary
346
Elmhurst Elementary School
335
Early Learning Center
266
Gates Secondary School
104

How Franklin Pierce School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Wenatchee School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Camas School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Snoqualmie Valley School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mount Vernon School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Tumwater School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Franklin Pierce School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Washington

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Seattle School District No. 1
51,238 students · 109 schools · $20,430/pupil
Compare vs Franklin Pierce School District →
Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $17,305/pupil
Compare vs Franklin Pierce School District →
Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $17,575/pupil
Compare vs Franklin Pierce School District →
Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $17,678/pupil
Compare vs Franklin Pierce School District →

Compare Franklin Pierce School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Seattle School District No. 1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Franklin Pierce School District?

Franklin Pierce School District has 14 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 5 combined, 5 elementary. Total enrollment is 7,425 students.

How much does Franklin Pierce School District spend per student?

Franklin Pierce School District spends $17,349 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #70 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Franklin Pierce School District?

Franklin Pierce School District students are 33.8% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% White, 11.9% African American, 5.8% Asian, averaged across 14 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Franklin Pierce School District?

Franklin Pierce School District has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #70 out of 238 districts in Washington.