Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 18 schools in district

Peninsula Alternative Programs

8402 Skansie Avenue, Gig Harbor, WA 98332Peninsula School District →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades PK–12Non-Charter
118
Students
Total enrolled
$24,585
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 71% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 118 students in grades PK–12 in Gig Harbor, Washington.
71% above average funding
District spends $24,585 per pupil, 71% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Peninsula Alternative Programs is a small other in Gig Harbor, Washington, serving grades PK–12 with 118 students. The district invests $24,585 per student — 71% above the national average of $14,347. About 32% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Peninsula Alternative Programs

118
Total Students
—
Student:Teacher
32%
Free Lunch
0
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution57 male · 60 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility32%
National avg 52% · 38 students
Student Composition
73%
8%
13%
Asian5%
White73%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Multiracial13%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 530669003828

Academic Outcomes at Peninsula Alternative Programs

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 77th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 98332

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$24,585Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$24,585
State avg
$50,309
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,818
Student Support$4,671
Administration$2,950
Operations$3,688
Other$2,459
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $24,585 spent per student, an estimated $10,891 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
68%
24%
State government
68.0%
Local (property tax)
23.8%
Federal programs
8.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $24,585/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
Pioneer Elementary SchoolPurdy Elementary SchoolSwift Water ElementaryVoyager Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Harbor Ridge Middle SchoolKey Peninsula Middle SchoolKopachuck Middle SchoolGoodman Middle School
↓
High School
Gig Harbor HighPeninsula High SchoolHenderson Bay Alt High School
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelOther
GradesPK – 12
Location—
CountyPierce County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPeninsula School District →
Phone: (253)530-1700
NCES ID: 530669003828
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Gig Harbor seeking a public 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 Peninsula School District
High
Gig Harbor High
1,435 students · 09–12
● 49 opp15% FRL
High
Peninsula High School
1,372 students · 09–12
● 49 opp28% FRL
Mid
Harbor Ridge Middle School
596 students · 06–08
● 49 opp19% FRL
Elem
Pioneer Elementary School
506 students · KG–05
● 49 opp13% FRL
Elem
Purdy Elementary School
484 students · PK–05
● 49 opp22% FRL
Elem
Swift Water Elementary
473 students · KG–05
● 49 opp15% FRL
Mid
Key Peninsula Middle School
469 students · 06–08
● 41 opp42% FRL
Mid
Kopachuck Middle School
462 students · 06–08
● 49 opp18% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8402 Skansie Avenue, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
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.

Other
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.