Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 15 schools in district

Washington High School

12420 Ainsworth Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98444Franklin Pierce School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
997
Students
Total enrolled
87%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$21,076
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 47% vs nat'l
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 997 students in grades 09–12 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

Washington High School is a large high in Tacoma, Washington, serving grades 09–12 with 997 students. The district invests $21,076 per student — 47% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 67% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. 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 Washington High School

997
Total Students
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
67%
Free Lunch
62
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution519 male · 478 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility67%
National avg 52% · 671 students
Student Composition
24%
31%
12%
16%
10%
Asian6%
White24%
Hispanic / Latino31%
Black12%
Multiracial16%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530294000483

Academic Outcomes at Washington High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
87
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
87%
State avg
82%
National avg
87%
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
  • 87% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • 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 ElementaryCollins ElementaryHarvard Elementary
+4 more
↓
Middle
Morris Ford Middle SchoolPerry G Keithley Middle School
↓
High School
Franklin Pierce High SchoolGates Secondary School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyPierce County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFranklin Pierce School District →
Phone: (253)298-4705
NCES ID: 530294000483
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Tacoma seeking a public high 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
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
Harvard Elementary
408 students · KG–05
● 45 opp75% FRL
Elem
James Sales Elementary
401 students · KG–05
● 38 opp71% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
12420 Ainsworth Ave S, 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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.