Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA

Central Avenue Elementary

Federal NCES profile for Central Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.

2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530294000471
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10038/100
👥 S:T ratio
43
🌟 Gifted program
30
🎓 Counselors
29
📋 Attendance
48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Central Avenue Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.

#9 of 17
elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
38
Resource Index · Typical
14.2:1
small classes for Washington
50.9%
free-lunch eligible

Central Avenue Elementary has class sizes smaller than 75% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Central Avenue Elementary ranks #9 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.

School address

Tacoma, WA 98446
District: Franklin Pierce School District · Washington

NCES ID 530294000471 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-34 students YoY

Central Avenue Elementary shrank from 379 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-9.0%).

Teacher FTE added 25.0 → 27.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Shrinking CCD campus

-34 students YoY 530294000471 · Tacoma, WA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD

355 enr · 14.2:1 · 50.9% lunch · RII 38

Nearest enrollment peer: Washington High School (989 students)

Central Avenue Elementary shrank from 379 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-9.0%). Teacher FTE added 25.0 → 27.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →

Central Avenue Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Central Avenue Elementary reports 355 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Central Avenue Elementary compares

Central Avenue Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Washington Washington avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 14.2:1 ▼ 19% 17.6:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 50.9% ▲ 13% 45.0% 51.7%
Enrollment 355 top 55% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
50.9%
free-lunch eligible - 13% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher - 19% below state mean
Top 25% in Washington - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$19,065
per pupil, district-wide - below Washington avg of $20,912
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 34.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Two or More 12.1%
African American 10.7%
Asian 10.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%

Largest group: White at 34.6% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 75.3/100

Simpson diversity index - at 75.3, Central Avenue Elementary is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.

Programs

District finance for Franklin Pierce School District reports $19,065 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Central Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Washington High School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Franklin Pierce High School Larger Similar economic need Similar S:T ratio
Morris Ford Middle School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Perry G Keithley Middle School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
Brookdale Elementary Larger Higher economic need Similar S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Central Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Franklin Pierce School District · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Similar elementary schools in Tacoma

6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.

Fife Elementary School
Standard public school
866 students 17:1 students per teacher
Clover Creek Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Naches Trail Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Crescent Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Harvard Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 14.8:1 students per teacher

Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Similar enrollment (~355 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)

Frequently asked questions about Central Avenue Elementary

How many students attend Central Avenue Elementary?

Central Avenue Elementary has 355 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA. CCD year-over-year: 379 (2022-23) → 345 (2023-24), down 34.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Avenue Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Central Avenue Elementary is 14.2:1, which is 19% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Avenue Elementary?

50.9% of students at Central Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Avenue Elementary?

The largest demographic group at Central Avenue Elementary is White at 34.6% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.3/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Avenue Elementary?

Central Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Central Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?

By Resource Investment Index, Central Avenue Elementary ranks #9 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tacoma on the city page.

What other schools are in Franklin Pierce School District?

Besides Central Avenue Elementary, Franklin Pierce School District also operates Washington High School (989 students), Franklin Pierce High School (977 students), and Morris Ford Middle School (831 students). See the Franklin Pierce School District district page for the complete list.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .