Enrollment
301
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Point Defiance Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Point Defiance Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530870001493
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Point Defiance Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #4 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 21.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Point Defiance Elementary School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Point Defiance Elementary School ranks #4 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001493 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Point Defiance Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Point Defiance Elementary School
Point Defiance Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 301 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 301 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 228 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #120.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 301 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Point Defiance Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 17:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Point Defiance 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 Point Defiance Elementary School compares
Point Defiance 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 | 15.1:1 | ▼ 14% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.0% | ▼ 53% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 301 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
301
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 35% in Washington - lower ratio than 65% 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 63.5%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 10.3%
Asian 5.3%
African American 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 63.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.4, Point Defiance 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 Point Defiance 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 Point Defiance Elementary 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Tahoma High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Dolores Silas High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Point Defiance 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 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
Similar elementary 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 (~301 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Point Defiance Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Point Defiance 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 Point Defiance Elementary School
How many students attend Point Defiance Elementary School?
Point Defiance Elementary School has 301 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Point Defiance Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Point Defiance Elementary School is 15.1:1, which is 14% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 4% 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 Point Defiance Elementary School?
21.0% of students at Point Defiance Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Point Defiance Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Point Defiance Elementary School is White at 63.5% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Point Defiance Elementary School?
Point Defiance Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Point Defiance Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Point Defiance Elementary School ranks #4 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.
Is Point Defiance Elementary School a good school?
Point Defiance Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Point Defiance 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.