Enrollment
658
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tacoma, WA
Tacoma School of the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Tacoma School of the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530870002846
👥 S:T ratio 22
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tacoma School of the Arts earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Washington schools.
- #10 of 16
- high schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.4:1
- large classes for Washington
- 38.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Tacoma School of the Arts has class sizes larger than 75% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tacoma School of the Arts ranks #10 of 16 high schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Tacoma School District · Washington
NCES ID 530870002846 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tacoma School of the Arts compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tacoma School of the Arts
Tacoma School of the Arts is a mid-sized high school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 658 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 38.8% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 658 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 432 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #393, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 71/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 67.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Tacoma's high schools, it stands alongside Stadium High School (1,700 students): Tacoma School of the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.4:1 vs 25.4:1).
Tacoma School District also operates Stadium High School (1,700 students) and Lincoln High School (1,556 students) alongside Tacoma School of the Arts.
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 Tacoma School of the Arts compares
Tacoma School of the Arts on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.4:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.8% | ▼ 14% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 658 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
658
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Washington - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
67.6%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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.
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 45.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.9%
Two or More 17.6%
African American 10.0%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: White at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.7, Tacoma School of the Arts is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tacoma School District, which includes Tacoma School of the Arts.
$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 Tacoma School of the Arts 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 | 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baker Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tacoma School of the Arts'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 high schools in Tacoma
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Stadium High School
Standard public school
1,700 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Lincoln High School
Standard public school
1,556 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Mount Tahoma High School
Standard public school
1,410 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Dr. Dolores Silas High School
Standard public school
1,160 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Washington High School
Standard public school
989 students 16:1 students per teacher
Fife High School
Standard public school
885 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~658 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tacoma School of the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Tacoma School of the Arts 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 Tacoma School of the Arts
How many students attend Tacoma School of the Arts?
Tacoma School of the Arts has 658 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tacoma School of the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Tacoma School of the Arts is 19.4:1, which is 10% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tacoma School of the Arts?
38.8% of students at Tacoma School of the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tacoma School of the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Tacoma School of the Arts is White at 45.5% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tacoma School of the Arts?
Tacoma School of the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Tacoma School of the Arts rank among high schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Tacoma School of the Arts ranks #10 of 16 high 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 high schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Tacoma School of the Arts a good school?
Tacoma School of the Arts earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Tacoma School of the Arts, 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.