Enrollment
227
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Thompson Preschool
Federal NCES profile for Thompson Preschool, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530048003091
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thompson Preschool earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #22 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 59.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 227
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Preschool ranks #22 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048003091 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
59.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+32% vs state
What stands out at Thompson Preschool
Thompson Preschool is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 227 students.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 227 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 196 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #155, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Columbia Junior High School (619 students): Thompson Preschool is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside Thompson Preschool.
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 Thompson Preschool compares
Thompson Preschool on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.3% | ▲ 32% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 227 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
227
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Engagement
25.1%
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
$15,195
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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 34.8%
Hispanic or Latino 24.7%
Two or More 19.8%
African American 9.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 6.2%
Asian 4.8%
Largest group: White at 34.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.3, Thompson Preschool is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes Thompson Preschool.
$15,195
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.6%
State 66.9%
Federal 8.5%
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 Thompson Preschool Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Spanaway Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Thompson Preschool's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,688
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thompson Preschool's federal record.
- Compare Thompson Preschool against another school. Compare schools
- Bethel 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 Thompson Preschool
How many students attend Thompson Preschool?
Thompson Preschool has 227 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thompson Preschool?
59.3% of students at Thompson Preschool are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thompson Preschool?
The largest demographic group at Thompson Preschool is White at 34.8% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thompson Preschool?
Thompson Preschool has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Thompson Preschool rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Preschool ranks #22 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 Thompson Preschool a good school?
Thompson Preschool earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Bethel School District?
Besides Thompson Preschool, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students), and Bethel High School (1,688 students). See the Bethel 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.