Tacoma School District operates 66 public schools serving 28,311 students, placing it among the larger districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 34 other, 12 high, 12 middle, 8 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 28,905 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Pierce County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $23,190 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 30.2% local, 57.0% state, and 12.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $99,149 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 57/100, ranked #84 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 9 of 66 schools offering Advanced Placement (84 AP courses district-wide), a 328.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 57.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 34.5% White, 22.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% African American across the district's schools.
Tacoma School District school enrollment varies 189× across entities
Tacoma School District school enrollment ranges from 9 students (lowest) to 1,700 students (highest), a spread of 1,691 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Tacoma School District student-counselor ratio is 329:1 — 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 Tacoma School District is typically wider than the Tacoma School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Tacoma School District chronic absenteeism rate is 57.2% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Tacoma School District has 66 schools, including 12 high, 12 middle, 34 other, 8 elementary. Total enrollment is 28,311 students.
How much does Tacoma School District spend per student?
Tacoma School District spends $23,190 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #84 in Washington.
What is the average teacher salary in Tacoma School District?
The average teacher salary in Tacoma School District is $99,149 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Tacoma School District?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pierce County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Tacoma School District?
Tacoma School District students are 34.5% White, 22.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% African American, 7.2% Asian, averaged across 66 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Tacoma School District?
Tacoma School District has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #84 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.