Enrollment
639
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tacoma, WA
Mason Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Mason Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530870001483
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mason Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools.
- #11 of 14
- middle schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 22.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mason Middle School has class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mason Middle School ranks #11 of 14 middle schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001483 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mason Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mason Middle School
Mason Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 639 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 639 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 425 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #392, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tacoma's middle schools, it stands alongside Morris Ford Middle School (831 students): Mason Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 15.7:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Mason Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Mason Middle School compares
Mason Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.0% | ▼ 51% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 639 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
639
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in Washington - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$17,575
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 66.9%
Two or More 14.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Asian 3.1%
African American 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Mason Middle School is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tacoma School District, which includes Mason Middle School.
$17,575
Per student
-10%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 57.0%
Federal 12.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Mason Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mason Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,700
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,556
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,410
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle schools in Tacoma
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Morris Ford Middle School
Standard public school
831 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Spanaway Middle School
Standard public school
766 students 22.5:1 students per teacher
Baker Middle School
Standard public school
687 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Stewart Middle School
Standard public school
650 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
First Creek Middle School
Standard public school
584 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Meeker Middle School
Standard public school
567 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~639 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mason Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Mason Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Tacoma School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Mason Middle School
How many students attend Mason Middle School?
Mason Middle School has 639 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mason Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mason Middle School is 20.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mason Middle School?
22.0% of students at Mason Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mason Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Mason Middle School is White at 66.9% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mason Middle School?
Mason Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mason Middle School rank among middle schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Mason Middle School ranks #11 of 14 middle 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 middle schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Mason Middle School a good school?
Mason Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Tacoma School District?
Besides Mason Middle School, Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students), Lincoln High School (1,556 students), and Mount Tahoma High School (1,410 students). See the Tacoma School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.