United StatesWAFife School District

Public school district or agency · Official NCES ID 5302880

Fife School District

Tacoma, WA

Students3,916

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools7

schools in the 2023–24 NCES record

Students3,916

students enrolled in 2023–24

Latest attendance year2022–23

latest nationwide attendance file

Latest finance record$17,662

current spending per student

What is available here?

Broad coverage

8 of 8 core data areas available

Every available section is tied to this district’s official NCES ID. The year shown is the year the data describes, not the date we added it.

Academic results2025Current releaseAttendance2022–23Current releaseSpending2022–23Current releaseEnrollment & staffing2023–24Current releaseStudent support2021–22Older federal releaseSafety & civil rights2021–22Older federal releaseCommunity context2023Current releasePrograms & opportunities2021–22Older federal release

Five things to know

The district at a glance

Open any question to see the supporting numbers, comparison and reporting year.

Explore outcomes by student group →

Student outcomes

How are students doing?

Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.

Nationally comparable trend · 2019–2025

Are results improving over time?

38thlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025

4 percentile points lower than 2019.

Annual dropout · 2023–24

How many high-school students left during the year?

3.0%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District3.0%
WA4.2%
U.S.2.3%

Lower is better. This annual rate is not the opposite of the graduation rate because the measures use different students and time periods.

State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

What has changed?

The district’s recent direction

Each card uses its own clearly labeled period. Measures from different sources are never blended.

Academic standing5 percentile points

Lower than the first comparable year.

2019–2025 · Stanford research estimate
Chronic absence9.3 points

Higher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.

2020–21–2022–23
Enrollment+3.3%

Student enrollment grew.

2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCES
Operating spending+5.3%

Spending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.

FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33
Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K34 students
0.9%
Kindergarten–grade 51,730 students
44.2%
Grades 6–8965 students
24.6%
Grades 9–121,187 students
30.3%
See enrollment for every grade
Pre-Kindergarten34
Kindergarten261
Grade 1285
Grade 2285
Grade 3292
Grade 4319
Grade 5288
Grade 6319
Grade 7348
Grade 8298
Grade 9304
Grade 10269
Grade 11297
Grade 12317

Students by race and ethnicity

White1,468 (37.5%)
Hispanic/Latino911 (23.3%)
Two or more races518 (13.2%)
Asian375 (9.6%)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander310 (7.9%)
Black or African American273 (7.0%)
American Indian or Alaska Native32 (0.8%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

34Students enrolled in pre-K
3Pre-K teachers, full-time equivalent
11.3:1Reported pre-K students per pre-K teacher

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District0.9%
WA2.3%
United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

423.1All district staff, full-time equivalent
214.1Teachers, full-time equivalent
11School counselors, full-time equivalent
4.5School psychologists, full-time equivalent
48Instructional aides, full-time equivalent
3.5Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent
13.2School administrators, full-time equivalent
12.2Student support staff, full-time equivalent
See detailed staffing
Pre-K teachers3 FTE
Kindergarten teachers19.9 FTE
Elementary teachers104.1 FTE
Secondary teachers87.1 FTE
Elementary school counselors4 FTE
Secondary school counselors7 FTE
Instructional coordinators11 FTE
District administrators10 FTE
District administrative support9.2 FTE
School administrative support13.1 FTE
Other support staff73.4 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

278Total completers
278Regular diplomas
36Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District100.0%
WA99.9%
United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District3.0%
WA4.2%
United States2.3%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Teachers and staff

Teacher workforce

Loading the district’s workforce comparison…

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

4,106children ages 5 to 17
458estimated to live in families below the poverty line
11.2%about 1 in 9 school-age children
District11.2%
WA10.6%
United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in WA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictWAUnited States
Academic standing2025Needs attention
38th percentile47th percentile45th percentile

This district is 9 percentile points lower than the state figure and 7 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23Mixed comparison
32.3%34.7%27.2%

This district is 2.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023Context only
$21,826$20,929$19,748

This district is $897 per student higher than the state figure and $2,078 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$17,662$17,891$15,908

This district is $229 per student lower than the state figure and $1,754 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023Context only
$2,754$2,224$2,035

This district is $530 per student higher than the state figure and $719 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$265$370$342

This district is $105 per student lower than the state figure and $77 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$2,540$2,555$1,855

This district is $15 per student lower than the state figure and $685 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023Context only
$11,043$10,907$8,849

This district is $136 per student higher than the state figure and $2,194 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023Context only
$3,980$4,087$3,859

This district is $107 per student lower than the state figure and $121 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023Context only
$34,897$14,468$12,224

This district is $20,429 per student higher than the state figure and $22,673 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023Context only
$2,002$1,217$907

This district is $785 per student higher than the state figure and $1,095 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24Needs attention
18:117:115:1

This district is 1.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 3.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
356:1361:1373:1

This district is 5 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 17 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24Needs attention
108.0113.1138.8

This district is 5.1 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 30.8 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24Needs attention
12.212.818.1

This district is 0.6 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 5.9 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
1.11.00.9

This district is 0.1 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.2 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
100.0%99.9%99.0%

This district is 0.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24Mixed comparison
3.0%4.2%2.3%

This district is 1.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24Context only
0.9%2.3%2.9%

This district is 1.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
13.3%12.8%11.8%

This district is 0.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
10.4%13.1%13.8%

This district is 2.7 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
2.3%3.5%4.0%

This district is 1.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.7 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
87.3%97.3%96.6%

This district is 10.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24Context only
+3.3%+1.1%+0.2%

This district is 2.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district recordsContext only
44.0%43.2%49.4%

This district is 0.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollmentNeeds attention
6.1%2.5%4.6%

This district is 3.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollmentMixed comparison
9.2%6.2%9.4%

This district is 3.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollmentNeeds attention
15.6%3.7%6.8%

This district is 11.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 8.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimateMixed comparison
11.2%10.6%14.4%

This district is 0.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

13.3%Students learning English497 students · 6 of 6 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District13.3%
WA12.8%
U.S.11.8%
10.4%Students receiving IDEA special-education services390 students · 6 of 6 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District10.4%
WA13.1%
U.S.13.8%
2.3%Students with Section 504 plans77 students · 5 of 6 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District2.3%
WA3.5%
U.S.4.0%
1.7%English learners also receiving IDEA services64 students · 6 of 6 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District1.7%
WA2.3%
U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

87.3%Teachers reported as certified
41Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District87.3%
WA97.3%
United States96.6%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Asian students342 assessments
57 out of 100
Students not economically disadvantaged1,540 assessments
52 out of 100
White students1,317 assessments
46 out of 100
Fem1,676 assessments
39 out of 100
Mal1,914 assessments
37 out of 100
Black students234 assessments
32 out of 100
Economically disadvantaged students2,050 assessments
28 out of 100
Hispanic students854 assessments
26 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

1Secondary schools
3Elementary schools
2High schools
1Middle schools
7Suburb setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

5.6%Federal
60.2%State
34.2%Local
Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$17,662Total current spending per student
$10,298Instruction per student
$6,730Support services per student
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
$4.8MFederal revenue5.6% of total revenue
$51.2MState revenue60.2% of total revenue
$29MLocal revenue34.2% of total revenue
How operating money was used
$10,298Instructionper student
$6,730Student and instructional supportper student
$2,540Special educationper student
$1,363Building operations and maintenanceper student
$796Student transportationper student
$482Food servicesper student
$261Technologyper student
People costs
$43MSalaries$11,043 per student
$15.5MEmployee benefits$3,980 per student
Equipment, buildings and debt
$1MEquipmentFY 2023
$10.7MCapital outlay$2,754 per student
$8.7MConstructionincluded in capital outlay
$135.9MDebt outstanding at year end$34,897 per student
$0New debt issuedFY 2023
$7.8MDebt principal retiredFY 2023
$6.4MInterest paid on debtFY 2023
Selected federal program revenue
$518KTitle I$133 per student
$919KIDEA special education$236 per student
$1.3MChild nutrition$342 per student
What changed since FY 2022
Operating spending per student
FY 2022$16,780
FY 2023$17,662+5.3% year over year
Capital spending per student
FY 2022$10,663
FY 2023$2,754-74.2% year over year
Debt outstanding per student
FY 2022$37,882
FY 2023$34,897-7.9% year over year

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2123%

860 of 3,736 students

2021–2218.6%

696 of 3,746 students

2022–2332.3%

1,249 of 3,861 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

0Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE6 reporting schools
2.4Security staff FTE6 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I2 reporting schools
100%
Calculus2 reporting schools
50%
Biology2 reporting schools
50%
Chemistry2 reporting schools
50%
Physics2 reporting schools
50%
Computer science2 reporting schools
50%
Advanced Placement2 reporting schools
50%
Dual enrollment2 reporting schools
100%
Gifted programs6 reporting schools
83%
International Baccalaureate2 reporting schools
0%
Athletics2 reporting schools
100%

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →

Keep exploring

Put this district in context

Compare the same measures across the state, explore a parent question, or read a practical guide.