Enrollment
432
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tacoma, WA
Sherman Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sherman Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530870001501
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sherman Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Washington schools.
- #13 of 17
- elementary schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 10.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sherman Elementary School has class sizes larger than 76% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sherman Elementary School ranks #13 of 17 elementary schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870001501 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sherman Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sherman Elementary School
Sherman Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 432 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.6% free-meal eligibility runs 76% below the Washington average.
With 432 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 280 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #259, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 432 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Among Tacoma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fife Elementary School (866 students): Sherman Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.6:1 vs 17:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Sherman 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 Sherman Elementary School compares
Sherman 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.6% | ▼ 76% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 432 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
432
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Washington - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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 432 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 73.1%
Two or More 11.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Asian 3.0%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 73.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.9, Sherman Elementary School is less 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 Sherman 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 Sherman Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar 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 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sherman 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 (~432 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sherman Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sherman 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 Sherman Elementary School
How many students attend Sherman Elementary School?
Sherman Elementary School has 432 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sherman Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sherman Elementary School is 19.6:1, which is 11% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sherman Elementary School?
10.6% of students at Sherman Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sherman Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sherman Elementary School is White at 73.1% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sherman Elementary School?
Sherman Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Sherman Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Sherman Elementary School ranks #13 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 Sherman Elementary School a good school?
Sherman Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Sherman 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.