The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Roosevelt Elementary School
Roosevelt Elementary School is a regular public school in Tacoma, serving students from preschool through fifth grade. It operates as a neighborhood school within Tacoma School District, and its small size means most families within its attendance boundary will know the staff and each other by sight. The school sits in the east side of the city, and the broader community context is Tacoma itself—a mid-sized port city and county seat that blends a working waterfront, industrial port, and distinct residential neighborhoods such as Hilltop, Proctor, and the Stadium District. The city has a growing arts and dining scene, with a walkable downtown museum district and several performing arts venues, though most of the city remains car-dependent.
The student body is diverse and economically concentrated. More than three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a high share that signals a school where many families face economic strain. Hispanic students make up the largest group, followed by Black students, students who identify as two or more races, White students, Asian students, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, and a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. This mix gives the school a multicultural peer environment that reflects Tacoma’s broader population. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent with a child in those categories would want to ask the school directly what staffing and programs are in place.
Academically, state assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show that a modest share of students met proficiency standards in math and English language arts at each tested grade, and the share was especially low in fifth-grade math and fifth-grade ELA. Science proficiency for fifth graders also came in low. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index fell in the bottom quarter when compared with other school districts in Pierce County. This is a soft spot. The data covers only one year, and there is no prior year to compare, so it is unclear whether this represents a new trend or a long-standing pattern. A parent concerned about academic preparation would want to ask about instructional support, intervention programs, and any efforts underway to raise outcomes.
Because Roosevelt serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not offer the kinds of course pathways—AP, dual credit, career and technical programs—that are only relevant at the high school level. For families focused on early elementary education, the relevant question is how the school builds foundational skills.
The housing market in Tacoma offers a mix of older single-family homes, small apartment buildings, and some newer developments. Typical home values in the zip code that includes the school are around four hundred thousand dollars, and typical rents are above two thousand dollars per month, placing the area moderately above the national median for home values but still more affordable than the state benchmark. The city has seen steady population growth since 2020, and the median property value has risen. A municipal housing initiative has spurred a notable increase in proposed housing units, though the homeownership rate remains below the national average. For a family looking at this neighborhood, the school’s high rate of economic disadvantage is a direct reflection of the surrounding housing costs and income levels.
No recent district-level changes such as school closures or boundary adjustments were found in public reporting, so any shifts in attendance zones are not documented here. The school does not report on discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios, so a parent looking for details on school climate or class sizes will need to gather that information from the school or district office directly.
Roosevelt Elementary fits a family seeking a small, diverse neighborhood school in an urban setting, but the academic outcomes are low relative to the county, and the student body carries a high level of poverty. That combination makes it important for parents to investigate what academic interventions and enrichment opportunities are actually available in the building.
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