Tumwater School District

TUMWATER, Washington — 15 schools

6,461
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$18,096
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Tumwater School District operates 15 public schools serving 6,461 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 other, 4 high, 3 elementary, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 6,474 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Thurston County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,096 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 29.6% local, 62.2% state, and 8.2% 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 $89,879 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 20/100, ranked #231 of 240 in Washington against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 15 schools offering Advanced Placement (18 AP courses district-wide), a 392.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 24.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 64.4% White, 18.6% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian across the district's schools.

Tumwater High School accounts for 17.3% of all Tumwater School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Tumwater School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Tumwater School District school enrollment varies 223× across entities

Tumwater School District school enrollment ranges from 5 students (lowest) to 1,117 students (highest), a spread of 1,112 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.

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

Tumwater School District student-counselor ratio is 393:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Tumwater School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.1% — 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 Tumwater School District is typically wider than the Tumwater 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?

8.2%
Federal
62.2%
State
29.6%
Local

Funding Equity

20
Equity Score
231 / 240
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Thurston County county, where this district is located.

$1,538
Studio/mo
$1,682
1 BR/mo
$1,960
2 BR/mo
$2,613
3 BR/mo
$3,288
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$89,879
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 15 schools in Tumwater School District.

White 64.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
African American 2.2%
Asian 2.9%
Multiracial 10.0%
Other 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 15
Schools with AP
18 AP courses total
392.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Tumwater School District

School Enrollment
Tumwater High School
1,117
George Bush Middle School
762
A G West Black Hills High School
753
Tumwater Middle School
665
Peter G Schmidt Elementary
606
East Olympia Elementary
579
Michael T Simmons Elementary
457
Tumwater Hill Elementary
400
Black Lake Elementary
382
Littlerock Elementary School
343
Cascadia High School
134
Tumwater Virtual Academy
124
New Market Skills Center
86
New Market High School
61
Thurs Co Juv Det/Tumwater West E
5

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 · $25,927/pupil
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Lake Washington School District
30,991 students · 58 schools · $19,952/pupil
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Spokane School District
28,714 students · 68 schools · $24,487/pupil
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Tacoma School District
28,311 students · 69 schools · $23,190/pupil
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Kent School District
25,586 students · 45 schools · $19,780/pupil
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Compare Tumwater School District

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Tumwater School District?

Tumwater School District has 15 schools, including 4 high, 2 middle, 6 other, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 6,461 students.

How much does Tumwater School District spend per student?

Tumwater School District spends $18,096 per student. The district has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #231 in Washington.

What is the average teacher salary in Tumwater School District?

The average teacher salary in Tumwater School District is $89,879 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Tumwater School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Thurston County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Tumwater School District?

Tumwater School District students are 64.4% White, 18.6% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, 2.2% African American, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Tumwater School District?

Tumwater School District has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #231 out of 240 districts in Washington. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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