The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Elementary School
Franklin Elementary School sits in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, a mid-sized port city and the Pierce County seat. It is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is part of Tacoma School District, the largest district in the county. With an enrollment in the low hundreds for an elementary school, Franklin is a relatively small building that feeds into middle and high schools elsewhere in the district.
Academically, state assessment results for the most recent testing year show that across the grades tested—third, fourth, and fifth—the share of students meeting the state standard in math and English language arts clustered below the countywide average. In math, the proportion of proficient students varied by grade, and in ELA it followed a similar pattern. Fifth-grade science results were somewhat higher. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter when compared to other districts in Pierce County. That is a meaningful signal for a family considering this school: achievement levels are lower than those found at many neighboring schools, and a parent may want to ask the school about the specific supports and interventions available in literacy and math.
The student body is economically diverse. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the surrounding neighborhood’s income profile. Racially and ethnically, the school is mixed. More than a third of students are White, about a quarter identify as two or more races, and notable shares identify as Hispanic and Black. Smaller numbers identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and Asian. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the source materials, so it is not possible to assess those populations from this profile alone.
Because Franklin serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not offer high school pathways such as Advanced Placement or career and technical programs. The school’s curriculum is the standard elementary program within the Tacoma district.
The community context matters. Tacoma itself is a city with a working waterfront, a growing arts and dining scene, and several distinct neighborhoods. The Hilltop area where Franklin is located has seen redevelopment in recent years, though the city as a whole remains largely car-dependent, with walkability concentrated in pockets like downtown’s Museum District and the Proctor and Stadium districts. Housing in the zip code that serves the school is priced at a level that is somewhat above the national median for home values but below the Washington state median, with rents roughly in line with regional norms. The city has been growing steadily, with new housing units proposed through the city’s Home in Tacoma initiative, but homeownership rates trail the national average.
A few data gaps are worth noting. The state testing results represent a single year; no multi-year trend is available because prior-year comparisons were not provided. The school’s Title I status was not reported, nor were staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, or discipline data. A parent who wants a fuller picture of school climate and teacher experience would need to follow up directly with the school or the district.
Franklin Elementary fits a family looking for a neighborhood school in a racially and economically diverse setting within a large urban district. The academic numbers are soft relative to county peers, making it especially important for prospective parents to understand what academic supports are in place and how the school addresses gaps in proficiency. The surrounding city offers a range of cultural and civic amenities, but the school itself is a standard elementary program without special themes or magnet designations.
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