Whitman Elementary School, Tacoma WA

Original Research by School Decision on Whitman Elementary School

Whitman Elementary School serves a student body in the south end of Tacoma, a mid-sized port city that combines industrial heritage with a growing cultural district, several universities, and a set of residential neighborhoods. The school serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school within the Tacoma School District.

The student population reflects the diversity of the neighborhood it draws from. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body includes a mix of racial and ethnic backgrounds, with representation across several groups and no single group forming a majority. The school does not report data on the share of students with disabilities or those learning English, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the specific programs and supports in place for those populations.

On state assessments, which are a snapshot of performance in a given year, results show that proficiency rates in both math and English language arts are below the midpoint among schools in Pierce County. For each grade level tested, the percentage of students meeting the state standard in math is smaller than in English language arts. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, the proficiency rate is higher, though still below the county median. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places the school in the bottom quartile relative to other schools in the county. Because the data covers only a single school year, there is no trend to examine, and it is not possible to say whether these results reflect a stable pattern or a single year’s performance.

The school does not have a graduation rate to report because it does not serve high school grades. This is a normal gap for an elementary school. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, or staffing levels, so a parent should expect to ask about school climate and student support directly.

The neighborhood around Whitman Elementary sits in a city that is growing. Housing values have risen in recent years, and there is active discussion about increasing the housing supply. The median home value in the area reflects a price that is moderately above the national benchmark but below the Washington state average. Rents have also moved up. For families considering moving into the area, the housing market is competitive, consistent with the broader trends in the Tacoma region.

The Tacoma School District context matters here. The district has been managing enrollment changes and has undertaken boundary adjustments and school closures in recent years, processes that can affect which students attend which school. Parents should check what attendance area Whitman Elementary serves and whether any boundary changes are planned that could shift the student population or school resources.

This is a school where a family would want to dig into the academic side. The assessment results are soft, and the absence of data on special education and English learner services makes it harder to get a full picture without a conversation with the school. For a family that values test scores as a primary signal, Whitman would not be a strong match on that measure. For a family that is looking for a neighborhood school with a diverse student body and is willing to engage directly with the school to understand instruction, support programming, and the specific resources available, a visit and conversation would be the necessary next step.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 42% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 33% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 37% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 18% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 46% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 25% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Science

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 49% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

This schoolTacoma School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income14%Higher-income55%41 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income43%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income28%Higher-income46%18 pp gap