Spanaway Middle School

Summary:

Spanaway Middle School is a public middle school located in Tacoma, Washington, serving around 720 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Bethel School District, which is ranked 141 out of 247 school districts in Washington and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Spanaway Middle School has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (31.94%) and Pacific Islander (6.81%) students compared to nearby schools like Gray Middle School and Liberty Middle School. The school's academic performance has been inconsistent, with its ranking ranging from 250 to 419 out of 529-541 Washington middle schools over the past 8 years and its SchoolDigger rating fluctuating between 1 and 3 stars. While Spanaway Middle School performs particularly well for its African American and Hispanic student subgroups, its Asian and multi-racial student subgroups perform relatively lower compared to other schools in the state.

Spanaway Middle School's test scores in English Language Arts, Math, and Science are generally below the Bethel School District and Washington state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 15.78% to 56.64% across different grade levels and subjects. The school has a high percentage of students (64.54% to 70%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively low-income student population. However, the school has seen a significant increase in its per-student spending, from $10,828 in 2019-2020 to $18,392 in 2021-2022, which may indicate a concerted effort to improve the school's resources and support for students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 15701 B Street East
       Tacoma, WA  98445-1198


(253) 800-5400

District: Bethel School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
250th of 535 Washington Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,392 Help


Students who attend Spanaway Middle School usually attend:

High:    Spanaway Lake High School

Feeder schools for Spanaway Middle School:

Elementary:    Chester H Thompson Elementary
    Naches Trail Elementary
    Spanaway Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  20.7 Help
Number of students:  720

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
31.9%
White:
27.9%
Two or more races:
16.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Spanaway Middle School ranks better than 53.3% of middle schools in Washington. It also ranks 2nd among 6 ranked middle schools in the Bethel School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.56. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Spanaway Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (31.9%), White (27.9%), two or more races (16.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Bethel School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spanaway Middle School is 20.7, which is the 3rd best among 6 middle schools in the Bethel School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Spanaway Middle School employs 34.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spanaway Middle School is $18,392, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Bethel School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Spanaway Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Spanaway Middle School 250th of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Spanaway Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
Pacific Islander students:
White students:


Bethel School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bethel School District 141st of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Spanaway Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 17.09 369th 421 12.4%
2005 26.81 338th 425 20.5%
2006 11.41 417th 449 7.1%
2007 15.89 417th 463 9.9%
2008 30.09 348th 466 25.3%
2009 28.55 374th 476 21.4%
2010 21.42 408th 483 15.5%
2011 41.53 315th 492 36.0%
2012 23.08 405th 497 18.5%
2013 24.91 393rd 498 21.1%
2015 27.34 331st 445 25.6%
2016 25.50 339th 443 23.5%
2017 26.04 333rd 435 23.4%
2018 23.86 339th 437 22.4%
2019 19.63 431st 512 15.8%
2021 22.63 419th 529 20.8%
2022 46.27 253rd 541 53.2%
2023 43.36 277th 539 48.6%
2024 49.56 250th 535 53.3%
See the entire list of Washington Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.11 133rd 166 19.9%
2019 11.67 232nd 246 5.7%
2021 17.99 221st 250 11.6%
2022 31.39 179th 257 30.4%
2023 41.63 137th 244 43.9%
2024 44.48 126th 243 48.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 39.92 48th 100 52.0%
2023 37.88 22nd 57 61.4%
2024 42.69 35th 78 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.36 90th 199 54.8%
2023 43.12 87th 167 47.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.84 270th 349 22.6%
2019 25.83 359th 448 19.9%
2021 35.53 304th 458 33.6%
2022 64.25 115th 475 75.8%
2023 56.95 170th 463 63.3%
2024 68.74 105th 455 76.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 67.72 3rd 11 72.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.70 293rd 376 22.1%
2019 22.31 371st 452 17.9%
2021 23.91 366th 469 22.0%
2022 47.19 230th 479 52.0%
2023 42.83 253rd 464 45.5%
2024 47.34 230th 464 50.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 49.70 25th 46 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.86 311th 371 16.2%
2019 16.63 399th 453 11.9%
2021 22.96 369th 476 22.5%
2022 45.03 236th 480 50.8%
2023 42.01 258th 470 45.1%
2024 49.97 217th 466 53.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.52 112th 123 8.9%
2019 5.31 151st 152 0.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.01 30th 66 54.5%
2019 31.21 79th 111 28.8%
2021 36.16 69th 106 34.9%
2022 48.40 44th 104 57.7%
2023 83.65 11th 96 88.5%
2024 61.00 29th 90 67.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.87 195th 259 24.7%
2019 31.06 245th 344 28.8%
2021 37.65 207th 353 41.4%
2022 70.46 71st 360 80.3%
2023 49.86 140th 336 58.3%
2024 68.95 76th 344 77.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.28 5th 11 54.5%
2019 39.22 16th 31 48.4%
2021 73.36 2nd 19 89.5%
2022 63.56 6th 20 70.0%
2023 52.87 3rd 6 50.0%
2024 69.13 4th 10 60.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Spanaway Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.86 272nd 325 16.3%
2019 27.18 368th 470 21.7%
2021 22.25 392nd 480 18.3%
2022 53.99 209th 488 57.2%
2023 54.64 199th 488 59.2%
2024 58.35 187th 486 61.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Spanaway Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)
50%

50%

0%

0%

0%

  

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Enrollment information for Spanaway Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 543 75 87 24 15 n/a n/a -1 743
1989 543 76 85 39 12 n/a n/a 0 755
1990 595 72 78 34 18 n/a n/a 0 797
1991 564 82 71 35 16 n/a n/a 0 768
1992 536 81 84 29 12 n/a n/a 0 742
1993 546 66 84 39 10 n/a n/a 0 745
1994 501 54 89 23 18 n/a n/a 0 685
1995 407 103 116 33 17 n/a n/a 0 676
1996 407 103 116 33 17 n/a n/a 0 676
1997 446 108 108 37 24 n/a n/a 0 723
1998 501 121 120 49 31 n/a n/a 0 822
1999 521 134 124 42 17 n/a n/a 0 838
2000 554 148 132 42 28 n/a n/a 0 904
2001 602 157 135 42 28 n/a n/a 0 964
2002 636 151 122 57 22 n/a n/a 0 988
2003 636 151 122 57 22 n/a n/a 0 988
2004 556 148 114 72 36 n/a n/a 0 926
2005 496 149 111 67 60 n/a n/a 0 883
2006 464 132 97 75 47 n/a n/a 0 815
2007 438 128 101 98 34 n/a n/a 0 799
2008 458 128 121 105 35 n/a n/a 0 847
2009 444 155 131 113 30 n/a n/a 0 873
2010 451 167 123 123 31 n/a n/a 0 895
2011 382 139 105 93 22 27 14 0 782
2012 356 118 83 91 13 29 26 0 716
2013 229 93 50 82 4 26 23 0 507
2014 318 99 55 144 15 48 48 0 727
2015 329 88 58 144 18 36 57 0 730
2016 279 87 46 143 18 43 84 0 700
2017 259 101 39 150 17 32 83 0 681
2018 268 67 38 159 8 38 109 0 687
2019 280 80 35 193 8 49 130 0 775
2020 275 76 28 201 7 51 128 0 766
2021 239 61 25 186 15 45 129 1 701
2022 245 78 25 206 8 41 101 1 705
2023 201 87 26 230 7 49 120 0 720

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Spanaway Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 743 32.0 23.2 0
1989 755 34.0 22.2 n/a
1990 797 33.9 23.5 0
1991 768 36.2 21.2 n/a
1992 742 36.6 20.2 n/a
1993 745 31.2 23.9 n/a
1994 685 31.5 21.7 n/a
1995 676 28.8 23.5 n/a
1996 676 28.8 23.5 n/a
1997 723 33.5 21.6 n/a
1998 822 35.8 23.0 n/a
1999 838 40.8 20.5 n/a
2000 904 40.2 22.5 n/a
2001 964 45.8 21.0 n/a
2002 988 47.0 21.0 34.2
2003 988 47.0 21.0 34.2
2004 926 44.0 21.0 44.4
2005 883 44.2 20.0 40.4
2006 815 40.4 20.2 43.7
2007 799 40.6 19.7 43.9
2008 847 36.7 23.1 45.8
2009 873 36.7 23.8 45
2010 895 41.6 21.5 50.1
2011 782 38.9 20.0 34.7
2012 716 37.6 19.0 60.6
2013 507 26.6 19.0 52.5
2014 727 n/a n/a 59.1
2015 730 37.0 19.7 63
2016 700 35.0 20.0 62.4
2017 681 34.2 19.9 72
2018 687 33.5 20.4 61.9
2019 775 38.5 20.0 62.5
2020 766 39.3 19.4 67.1
2021 701 36.0 19.4 66.3
2022 705 37.9 18.5 64.5
2023 720 34.7 20.7 70

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Spanaway Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 743 32.0 23.2 0
1989 755 34.0 22.2 n/a
1990 797 33.9 23.5 0
1991 768 36.2 21.2 n/a
1992 742 36.6 20.2 n/a
1993 745 31.2 23.9 n/a
1994 685 31.5 21.7 n/a
1995 676 28.8 23.5 n/a
1996 676 28.8 23.5 n/a
1997 723 33.5 21.6 n/a
1998 822 35.8 23.0 n/a
1999 838 40.8 20.5 n/a
2000 904 40.2 22.5 n/a
2001 964 45.8 21.0 n/a
2002 988 47.0 21.0 34.2
2003 988 47.0 21.0 34.2
2004 926 44.0 21.0 44.4
2005 883 44.2 20.0 40.4
2006 815 40.4 20.2 43.7
2007 799 40.6 19.7 43.9
2008 847 36.7 23.1 45.8
2009 873 36.7 23.8 45
2010 895 41.6 21.5 50.1
2011 782 38.9 20.0 34.7
2012 716 37.6 19.0 60.6
2013 507 26.6 19.0 52.5
2014 727 n/a n/a 59.1
2015 730 37.0 19.7 63
2016 700 35.0 20.0 62.4
2017 681 34.2 19.9 72
2018 687 33.5 20.4 61.9
2019 775 38.5 20.0 62.5
2020 766 39.3 19.4 67.1
2021 701 36.0 19.4 66.3
2022 705 37.9 18.5 64.5
2023 720 34.7 20.7 70

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

6th Grade Immunization Rates

Spanaway Middle School

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201964.7%0.7%1.1%0.0%0.4%96.1%65.7%97.5%96.1%96.5%66.1%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Immunization Rates (Entire school)

Spanaway Middle School

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201984.0%0.5%0.8%1.7%98.9%98.6%99.5%98.4%98.7%98.6%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Spanaway Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $564 (4.1%) $13,110 (95.9%) $13,675
2020 $469 (4.3%) $10,359 (95.7%) $10,828
2021 $568 (3.3%) $16,550 (96.7%) $17,118
2022 $1,212 (6.6%) $17,179 (93.4%) $18,392

Data source: Washington Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Spanaway Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 431st of 512 Middle schoolsRanks 277th of 539 Middle schools
 32.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Spanaway Middle School)46.645.3
 1.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)53.543.6
 10%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)57.847.9
 9.9%
6th Grade Math (Spanaway Middle School)2945
 15.9%
   6th Grade Math (Bethel School District)42.831.7
 11.1%
   6th Grade Math (Washington)47.738.1
 9.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Spanaway Middle School)4850
 2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)52.449.2
 3.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)6252.1
 9.9%
7th Grade Math (Spanaway Middle School)2935
 6%
   7th Grade Math (Bethel School District)39.634.7
 4.9%
   7th Grade Math (Washington)49.938.6
 11.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Spanaway Middle School)5050.2
 0.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)56.244.8
 11.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)59.651.3
 8.3%
8th Grade Math (Spanaway Middle School)2726.3
 0.8%
   8th Grade Math (Bethel School District)35.125.2
 9.9%
   8th Grade Math (Washington)47.234.4
 12.8%
8th Grade Science (Spanaway Middle School)35.631.8
 3.8%
   8th Grade Science (Bethel School District)42.536
 6.5%
   8th Grade Science (Washington)53.143.9
 9.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Spanaway Middle School)48.148.5
 0.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Bethel School District)58.948.7
 10.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6152.9
 8.1%
All Grades Math (Spanaway Middle School)28.435.7
 7.3%
   All Grades Math (Bethel School District)46.835.4
 11.4%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Spanaway Middle School)35.631.8
 3.8%
   All Grades Science (Bethel School District)44.141.5
 2.6%
   All Grades Science (Washington)52.748.8
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students775720
 7.1%
African American8087
 8.8%
American Indian87
 12.5%
Asian3526
 25.7%
Hispanic193230
 19.2%
Pacific Islander4949
White280201
 28.2%
Two or More Races130120
 7.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients62.5%70%
 7.5%


Schools Near Spanaway Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Spanaway Middle School

Students at Spanaway Middle School are 32% Hispanic, 28% White, 17% Two or more races, 12% African American, 7% Pacific Islander, 4% Asian.

Spanaway Middle School ranks 250th of 535 Washington middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Spanaway Middle School usually go on to attend Spanaway Lake High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 720 students attended Spanaway Middle School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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