The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Impact | Commencement Bay Elementary
Impact | Commencement Bay Elementary is a charter school district in Tacoma, Washington, serving grades PK through 5. It opened in Fall 2021 as the third school in the Impact Public Schools network. Because it is a single-school district, the district and school are essentially the same entity, and this account describes that school.
The school was a lasting addition to the Tacoma public school landscape. It describes its approach as decolonized project-based learning, with personalized learning plans, social-emotional mentorship, and free transportation. It offers partnerships for before- and after-school care.
The student body is diverse. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino, followed closely by students who are white and students who identify as two or more races. Black or African American students also make up a substantial share. The enrollment is small for the grade band.
State assessment data is available for one school year. In math, the share of students meeting the state standard sits below the midpoint of the state benchmark. In English language arts, the share also sits below that midpoint, though by a narrower margin. A single year of data is available, so a trend cannot be assessed. A parent may want to ask the school about its academic trajectory.
The school serves only early elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Staffing ratios, class sizes, and per-pupil spending figures are not available in the source data. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is also missing. A reader should confirm with the school what support services are in place for families.
Civil rights data, including discipline rates and special education identification, is not available in the source materials. The school's Title I status is not listed. A family with a child who has an individualized education program, or who is an English learner, may want to ask the school directly about the programs and accommodations it offers.
Because this is a new school operating as a charter district, there are no neighboring district comparison metrics available in the source data. The school stands alone as its own district rather than being part of a larger local system.
The housing market context for the area the school draws from is not provided in the source data. The district brief notes the school provides free transportation, which is a practical detail for families looking at school options across Tacoma.
For a family considering this school, the key strengths are the stated program model of project-based and personalized learning, the wraparound supports of free transportation and before- and after-school care partnerships, and the small size of the school. The state assessment results are a soft spot, with proficiency rates that are below the middle of the state range. A parent would want to ask the school how it uses those results to guide instruction and how it measures student growth outside of state tests. The school's recency means there is limited track record to examine, and some standard data points are simply not yet available.
See more original research from School Decision →