Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Collins Elementary

1920 128th Street E, Tacoma, WA 98444Franklin Pierce School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
462
Students
Total enrolled
$21,076
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 47% vs nat'l
15.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 462 students in grades PK–05 in Tacoma, Washington.
47% above average funding
District spends $21,076 per pupil, 47% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Collins Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Tacoma, Washington, serving grades PK–05 with 462 students. The district invests $21,076 per student — 47% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 56% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Collins Elementary

462
Total Students
15.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
56%
Free Lunch
30
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution240 male · 217 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility56%
National avg 52% · 257 students
Student Composition
8%
38%
27%
15%
Asian8%
White38%
Hispanic / Latino27%
Black6%
Multiracial15%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530294000473

Academic Outcomes at Collins Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 18th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 98444

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$21,076Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$21,076
State avg
$50,309
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,274
Student Support$4,005
Administration$2,529
Operations$3,161
Other$2,108
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $21,076 spent per student, an estimated $9,337 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
65%
22%
State government
64.5%
Local (property tax)
22.0%
Federal programs
13.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $21,076/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Brookdale ElementaryMidland ElementaryHarvard ElementaryJames Sales Elementary
+3 more
↓
Middle
Morris Ford Middle SchoolPerry G Keithley Middle School
↓
High School
Franklin Pierce High SchoolWashington High SchoolGates Secondary School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyPierce County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFranklin Pierce School District →
Phone: (253)298-3405
NCES ID: 530294000473
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Tacoma seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Franklin Pierce School District
High
Franklin Pierce High School
1,141 students · 09–12
● 45 opp59% FRL
High
Washington High School
997 students · 09–12
● 38 opp67% FRL
Mid
Morris Ford Middle School
882 students · 06–08
● 45 opp64% FRL
Mid
Perry G Keithley Middle School
787 students · 06–08
● 38 opp68% FRL
Elem
Brookdale Elementary
486 students · PK–05
● 38 opp69% FRL
Elem
Midland Elementary
469 students · KG–05
● 45 opp75% FRL
Elem
Harvard Elementary
408 students · KG–05
● 45 opp75% FRL
Elem
James Sales Elementary
401 students · KG–05
● 38 opp71% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1920 128th Street E, Tacoma, WA 98444
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.