Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Harvard Elementary

1709 85th Street E, Tacoma, WA 98445Franklin Pierce School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
408
Students
Total enrolled
$21,076
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 47% vs nat'l
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 12% vs nat'l
45/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 11% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 408 students in grades KG–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 45th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Harvard Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Tacoma, Washington, serving grades KG–05 with 408 students. The district invests $21,076 per student — 47% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 75% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Harvard Elementary

408
Total Students
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
75%
Free Lunch
30
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution197 male · 211 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility75%
National avg 52% · 305 students
Student Composition
15%
60%
8%
9%
Asian5%
White15%
Hispanic / Latino60%
Black8%
Multiracial9%
Pacific Islander3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530294000476

Academic Outcomes at Harvard Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
45
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 45th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 55th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 98445

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
  • 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 75% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Brookdale ElementaryMidland ElementaryCollins 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
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyPierce County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFranklin Pierce School District →
Phone: (253)298-4105
NCES ID: 530294000476
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
Collins Elementary
462 students · PK–05
● 38 opp56% FRL
Elem
James Sales Elementary
401 students · KG–05
● 38 opp71% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1709 85th Street E, Tacoma, WA 98445
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.