Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Q: Is Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School a good school?

Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School ranks 340 th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Bethel School District. This diverse school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, particularly for historically underserved student subgroups.

With strong academic performance across subjects, Katherine G. Johnson Elementary stands out. In the 2023-2024 school year, 57.2% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 49.89% for the Bethel School District and 52.63% for the state. In Math, 57.58% of students were proficient, versus 36.67% for the district and 41.68% for the state. The school also excels in Science, with 72.63% of students proficient or better, far exceeding the district's 42.02% and the state's 49.73%. This academic excellence extends to specific student subgroups, with the school ranking highly for African American, Hispanic, English Language Learner, and low-income students.

While Katherine G. Johnson Elementary's performance is impressive, there are opportunities for continued growth. The school's racial diversity, with a mix of White, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and multi-racial students, is a key strength, but the academic achievement of multi-racial and male students could be an area of focus. Additionally, the school's 3rd-grade Math scores, though still above district and state averages, present a potential area for improvement. Overall, Katherine G. Johnson Elementary is a high-performing school that provides a strong educational foundation for its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public K-5

16720 Waller Rd E
Tacoma, WA 98446

(253) 800-3000

District: Bethel School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
340^th of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,650

Students who attend Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Cedarcrest Middle School
High:	Spanaway Lake High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.1

Number of students: 559

Racial breakdown:

White:

29.3%

Hispanic:

20.2%

Two or more races:

19.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School ranks better than 70.9% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks first among 18 ranked elementary schools in the Bethel School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.76. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (29.3%), Hispanic (20.2%), two or more races (19.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School is 17.1. 17 elementary schools in the Bethel School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School employs 32.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School is $7,650, which is the lowest among 20 elementary schools in the Bethel School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School 340^th of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary 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:

White students:

Bethel School District:

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

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Rank History for Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.67	447^th	1169	61.8%
2024	67.76	340^th	1168	70.9%

See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.48	123^rd	194	36.6%
2024	38.62	129^th	188	31.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	80.66	39^th	320	87.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	75.31	173^rd	1013	82.9%
2024	82.01	95^th	1024	90.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.06	334^th	1094	69.5%
2024	72.05	273^rd	1093	75.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	76.63	5^th	39	87.2%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.54	495^th	1099	55.0%
2024	62.82	391^st	1099	64.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	79.33	9^th	66	86.4%
2024	76.55	10^th	71	85.9%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.02	113^th	633	82.1%
2024	83.40	63^rd	651	90.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	63.64	358^th	1011	64.6%
2024	72.66	266^th	1009	73.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary 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.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2022	142	72	37	95	2	41	79	1	469
2023	164	76	55	113	1	41	107	2	559

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 Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	469	35.9	13.0	1.1
2023	559	32.5	17.1	46.7

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 Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	469	35.9	13.0	1.1
2023	559	32.5	17.1	46.7

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Conditional	Personal Exemption	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	Pertussis	Tetanus
2022	91.2%	1.0%	0.0%	0.0%	1.0%	93.1%	95.1%	95.1%	95.1%	91.2%	95.1%	91.2%	91.2%	91.2%
2023	93.9%	4.1%	0.0%	1.0%	2.0%	94.9%	94.9%	94.9%	94.9%	93.9%	95.9%	94.9%	93.9%	93.9%
2024	89.9%	2.3%	0.0%	0.0%	1.1%	92.1%	92.1%	92.1%	92.1%	91.0%	96.6%	92.1%	91.0%	91.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2022	$457 (6.0%)	$7,193 (94.0%)	$7,650

Data source: Washington Department of Education

Schools Near Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WCAS Science (2024)		SBAC English Language Arts (2024)				SBAC Math (2024)				% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School	Public	K-5	16720 Waller Rd E	Tacoma	98446	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-3000	559	33	17.1	46.7%	164 (29.3%)	76 (13.6%)	113 (20.2%)	55 (9.8%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.3%)	107 (19.1%)	67.8	340^th of 1168 public elementary schools	70.9%		59.7	447^th of 1169 public elementary schools	61.8%	107	72.6	72.6	43.7	54.9	71.6	57.2	47.1	59.8	65.3	57.6	89.9	92.1	92.1	92.1	92.1	91.0	96.6	92.1	91.0	91.0	$7,650	$457	$7,193
Clover Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	16715 36th Avenue East	Tacoma	98446	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-7800	630	38	16.5	51.1%	245 (38.9%)	52 (8.3%)	120 (19.0%)	47 (7.5%)	5 (0.8%)	35 (5.6%)	125 (19.8%)	62.7	415^th of 1168 public elementary schools	64.5%		64.5	376^th of 1169 public elementary schools	67.8%	39	49.5	49.5	62.6	56.9	57.4	58.9	59.2	56.9	48.6	54.8	94.8	94.8	97.9	97.9	97.9	94.8	99.0	96.9	94.8	94.8	$18,122	$936	$17,187
Naches Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	15305 Waller Road East	Tacoma	98446	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-8700	447	34	13.1	58.6%	185 (41.4%)	38 (8.5%)	99 (22.1%)	22 (4.9%)	4 (0.9%)	17 (3.8%)	82 (18.3%)	42.8	648^th of 1168 public elementary schools	44.5%		48.7	566^th of 1169 public elementary schools	51.6%	82	46.0	46.0	37.1	58.3	49.4	49.4	43.6	54.8	31.0	42.9	91.1	92.9	96.4	96.4	96.4	94.6	94.6	94.6	94.6	94.6	$21,409	$1,164	$20,245
Evergreen Elementary	Public	K-5	1311 172nd Street East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-8200	539	35	15.1	63.5%	165 (30.6%)	48 (8.9%)	120 (22.3%)	32 (5.9%)	12 (2.2%)	31 (5.8%)	131 (24.3%)	40.6	671^st of 1168 public elementary schools	42.6%		38.5	712^th of 1169 public elementary schools	39.1%	41	50.7	50.7	37.1	51.4	57.4	48.1	30.3	45.3	37.7	38.3	86.8	89.0	89.0	89.0	89.0	86.8	92.3	89.0	86.8	86.8	$19,108	$1,079	$18,029
Bethel Elementary Learning Academy	Public	K-5	16117 Canyon Road East	Puyallup	98375	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-4990	20	1	20.0	30.0%	9 (45.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (20.0%)	1 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (30.0%)								(n/a)																					$14,389	$381	$14,008
Chester H Thompson Elementary	Public	K-5	303 159th St E	Tacoma	98445	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-5800	624	45	13.8	68.3%	137 (22.0%)	45 (7.2%)	276 (44.2%)	13 (2.1%)	6 (1.0%)	44 (7.1%)	102 (16.3%)	32.8	781^st of 1168 public elementary schools	33.1%		32.5	796^th of 1169 public elementary schools	31.9%	15	45.5	45.5	34.7	50.0	45.9	43.8	37.3	44.1	26.4	35.9	85.3	86.2	86.2	86.2	86.2	87.1	94.8	86.2	87.1	87.1	$20,591	$1,563	$19,028
Camas Prairie Elementary	Public	K-5	320 176th Street East	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-7400	527	38	13.7	65.8%	178 (33.8%)	53 (10.1%)	124 (23.5%)	34 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (9.7%)	86 (16.3%)	67.6	347^th of 1168 public elementary schools	70.3%		64.3	380^th of 1169 public elementary schools	67.5%	33	58.1	58.1	52.3	56.7	63.5	57.2	69.8	54.6	54.1	59.5	86.4	89.8	89.8	89.8	89.8	87.5	94.3	88.6	87.5	87.5	$19,256	$852	$18,404
Bethel Hope Early Learning Center	Public	PK-K	214 167th St. S	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 800-4100	141	8	17.6	56.0%	48 (34.0%)	10 (7.1%)	38 (27.0%)	8 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.4%)	28 (19.9%)								(n/a)																					$14,100	$625	$13,475
Spanaway Elementary	Public	K-5	412 165th St S	Spanaway	98387	Pierce County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 800-5300	364	26	14.0	69.8%	134 (36.8%)	34 (9.3%)	98 (26.9%)	9 (2.5%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (5.2%)	67 (18.4%)	23.6	922^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	21.1%		33.6	785^th of 1169 public elementary schools	32.8%	137	29.7	29.7	28.3	31.3	50.8	37.4	31.2	37.5	33.9	33.9	88.7	94.4	93.0	93.0	93.0	94.4	97.2	91.6	94.4	94.4	$21,727	$1,180	$20,548
Collins Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1920 128th Street E	Tacoma	98444	Pierce County	Franklin Pierce School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 298-3405	462	30	15.4	55.6%	176 (38.1%)	29 (6.3%)	123 (26.6%)	37 (8.0%)	3 (0.6%)	20 (4.3%)	69 (14.9%)	35.5	747^th of 1168 public elementary schools	36.0%		33.7	783^rd of 1169 public elementary schools	33.0%	36	47.6	47.6	40.8	41.8	39.0	40.4	46.7	49.3	30.5	41.5	93.1	93.1	94.3	94.3	94.3	93.1	94.3	93.1	93.1	93.1	$18,589	$1,398	$17,191

Frequently Asked Questions about Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

What district is Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School in?

Bethel School District

How many students attend Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 559 students attended Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School?

Students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School are 29% White, 20% Hispanic, 19% Two or more races, 14% African American, 10% Asian, 7% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cedarcrest Middle School
High : Spanaway Lake High School

Is Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School a good school?

Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School ranks 340^th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.