Enrollment
337
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Mccarver Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mccarver Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530870001484
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mccarver Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #3 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Washington
- 81.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Mccarver Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mccarver Elementary School ranks #3 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001484 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mccarver Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mccarver Elementary School
Mccarver Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 337 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 81.7% of students qualify for free meals, 82% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 337 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 185 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (25%) and Two or More (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 80/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 187 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 43 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Mccarver Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 20.6:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Mccarver Elementary 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 Mccarver Elementary School compares
Mccarver Elementary 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 23% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.7% | ▲ 82% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 337 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
337
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 19% in Washington - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
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
Counselors1.8 FTE
Per 187 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 45 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 43 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
African American 25.2%
Two or More 22.3%
White 20.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.2%
Asian 5.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.9%
Largest group: African American at 25.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 79.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 79.7, Mccarver Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tacoma School District, which includes Mccarver Elementary 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 Mccarver Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mccarver Elementary 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 other schools in Tacoma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Columbia Junior High School
Standard public school
619 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Sheridan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Geiger Montessori School
Standard public school
521 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Boze Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
483 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~337 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mccarver Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mccarver Elementary 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 Mccarver Elementary School
How many students attend Mccarver Elementary School?
Mccarver Elementary School has 337 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mccarver Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mccarver Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 23% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 14% 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 Mccarver Elementary School?
81.7% of students at Mccarver Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mccarver Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mccarver Elementary School is African American at 25.2% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 79.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mccarver Elementary School?
Mccarver Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mccarver Elementary School rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Mccarver Elementary School ranks #3 of 42 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 schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Mccarver Elementary School a good school?
Mccarver Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Mccarver Elementary 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.