Is Baker Middle School a good school?

Baker Middle School ranks in the bottom 23.9% of Washington middle schools.

How many students attend Baker Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 694 students attended Baker Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Baker Middle School?

Students at Baker Middle School are 28% Hispanic, 18% White, 17% Two or more races, 16% African American, 13% Asian, 5% Pacific Islander, 2% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Baker Middle School attend?

Students who attend Baker Middle School usually go on to attend Mount Tahoma High School

Baker Middle School

Summary:

Baker Middle School is a public middle school located in Tacoma, Washington, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 694. The school is part of the Tacoma School District, which is ranked 152 out of 247 districts in Washington and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Baker Middle School has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (28.1%) and Pacific Islander (5.48%) students compared to the surrounding schools, it consistently ranks in the bottom half of Washington middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its proficiency rates in SBAC English Language Arts and Math are significantly lower than the Tacoma School District and Washington state averages. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students (74.35%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families. Despite the relatively high spending per student ($18,183 in the 2021-2022 school year), the school's academic performance remains low, suggesting that the resources may not be effectively allocated to address the needs of its students.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Spanaway Middle School, Drum Intermediate, and Hudtloff Middle School, Baker Middle School consistently underperforms, suggesting that there may be systemic issues within the Tacoma School District that need to be addressed. To improve the academic performance of Baker Middle School, the school and district may need to implement targeted interventions, allocate resources more effectively, and address the socioeconomic challenges faced by its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

8001 So J Street
Tacoma, WA 98408

(253) 571-5000

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
407^th of 535 Washington Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,183

Students who attend Baker Middle School usually attend:

High:

Mount Tahoma High School

Feeder schools for Baker Middle School:

Elementary:	Birney Elementary School
	Fern Hill Elementary School
	Helen Stafford Elementary School
	Larchmont Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.9

Number of students: 694

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

28.1%

White:

18.3%

Two or more races:

16.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 74.4%

See top rated Washington middle schools

Compare Baker Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Baker Middle School ranks worse than 76.1% of middle schools in Washington. It also ranks 9^th among 13 ranked middle schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.59. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Baker Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Tacoma School District. Student population at Baker Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (28.1%), White (18.3%), two or more races (16.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 74.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Baker Middle School is 18.9. 9 middle schools in the Tacoma School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Baker Middle School employs 36.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Baker Middle School is $18,183. 7 middle schools in the Tacoma School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Baker Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Baker Middle School 407^th of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Baker 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:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Pacific Islander students:

White students:

Tacoma School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tacoma School District 152^nd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Baker Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	14.02	387^th	421	8.1%
2005	10.53	395^th	425	7.1%
2006	14.10	404^th	449	10.0%
2007	18.34	403^rd	463	13.0%
2008	24.54	378^th	466	18.9%
2009	22.31	397^th	476	16.6%
2010	18.64	416^th	483	13.9%
2011	18.87	428^th	492	13.0%
2012	14.66	453^rd	497	8.9%
2013	12.42	461^st	498	7.4%
2015	19.12	367^th	445	17.5%
2016	21.77	359^th	443	19.0%
2017	17.55	367^th	435	15.6%
2018	20.56	355^th	437	18.8%
2019	17.40	446^th	512	12.9%
2021	18.88	441^st	529	16.6%
2022	18.84	452^nd	541	16.5%
2023	18.56	454^th	539	15.8%
2024	24.59	407^th	535	23.9%

See the entire list of Washington Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	15.32	144^th	166	13.3%
2019	9.40	239^th	246	2.8%
2021	18.81	215^th	250	14.0%
2022	16.47	234^th	257	8.9%
2023	14.78	219^th	244	10.2%
2024	18.20	213^th	243	12.3%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	37.42	77^th	135	43.0%
2024	38.46	38^th	78	51.3%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	21.78	241^st	268	10.1%
2021	30.48	152^nd	210	27.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	30.26	256^th	349	26.6%
2019	29.74	341^st	448	23.9%
2021	27.54	352^nd	458	23.1%
2022	28.62	366^th	475	22.9%
2023	29.64	335^th	463	27.6%
2024	37.64	273^rd	455	40.0%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	31.47	48^th	59	18.6%
2021	33.40	22^nd	27	18.5%
2022	35.80	23^rd	33	30.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	17.93	318^th	376	15.4%
2019	16.14	398^th	452	11.9%
2021	19.37	389^th	469	17.1%
2022	15.24	423^rd	479	11.7%
2023	15.18	405^th	464	12.7%
2024	25.91	356^th	464	23.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	19.46	312^th	371	15.9%
2019	17.85	396^th	453	12.6%
2021	19.16	394^th	476	17.2%
2022	22.46	385^th	480	19.8%
2023	20.92	384^th	470	18.3%
2024	22.66	368^th	466	21.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	13.15	117^th	123	4.9%
2019	15.12	138^th	152	9.2%
2021	17.21	131^st	149	12.1%
2022	22.45	125^th	161	22.4%
2023	16.84	122^nd	145	15.9%
2024	32.26	103^rd	148	30.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	37.14	39^th	66	40.9%
2019	19.72	96^th	111	13.5%
2021	25.85	87^th	106	17.9%
2022	24.42	87^th	104	16.3%
2023	28.17	72^nd	96	25.0%
2024	28.96	67^th	90	25.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	29.50	188^th	259	27.4%
2019	34.59	225^th	344	34.6%
2021	33.59	225^th	353	36.3%
2022	28.70	258^th	360	28.3%
2023	30.01	234^th	336	30.4%
2024	27.12	257^th	344	25.3%

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

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	47.91	13^th	31	58.1%
2021	59.83	5^th	19	73.7%
2022	60.22	7^th	20	65.0%
2024	77.74	3^rd	10	70.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Baker Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	15.06	290^th	325	10.8%
2019	22.94	385^th	470	18.1%
2021	20.86	401^st	480	16.5%
2022	15.87	433^rd	488	11.3%
2023	17.52	422^nd	488	13.5%
2024	36.33	314^th	486	35.4%

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.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Baker Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	508	108	103	10	14	n/a	n/a	0	743
1989	516	110	100	13	16	n/a	n/a	0	755
1990	488	127	117	18	12	n/a	n/a	0	762
1991	492	122	120	17	16	n/a	n/a	0	767
1992	451	136	123	13	11	n/a	n/a	0	734
1993	458	131	162	23	9	n/a	n/a	0	783
1994	447	153	182	33	10	n/a	n/a	0	825
1995	395	168	193	45	11	n/a	n/a	0	812
1996	395	168	193	45	11	n/a	n/a	0	812
1997	425	197	178	51	13	n/a	n/a	0	864
1998	450	191	183	41	19	n/a	n/a	0	884
1999	441	175	177	45	18	n/a	n/a	0	856
2000	442	158	196	62	26	n/a	n/a	0	884
2001	416	182	202	75	24	n/a	n/a	0	899
2002	439	177	191	93	25	n/a	n/a	0	925
2003	439	177	191	93	25	n/a	n/a	0	925
2004	342	154	179	90	18	n/a	n/a	0	783
2005	308	151	170	76	13	n/a	n/a	0	718
2006	280	168	167	84	14	n/a	n/a	0	713
2007	251	150	142	103	13	n/a	n/a	0	659
2008	229	137	139	111	10	n/a	n/a	0	626
2009	210	138	131	99	9	n/a	n/a	0	587
2010	224	141	126	96	9	n/a	n/a	0	596
2011	175	113	100	109	7	14	34	0	552
2012	194	101	101	139	6	16	46	0	603
2013	199	133	111	145	11	22	9	0	630
2014	216	133	128	166	9	28	16	0	696
2015	179	118	136	186	8	36	34	0	697
2016	163	122	137	190	9	35	44	0	700
2017	169	137	123	190	5	34	60	0	718
2018	184	135	124	202	4	30	62	0	741
2019	199	128	102	218	3	44	81	0	775
2020	176	103	119	209	5	42	113	0	767
2021	176	102	123	206	6	38	121	0	772
2022	133	108	104	196	4	43	120	2	710
2023	127	111	93	195	11	38	117	2	694

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 Baker Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	743	35.0	21.2	0
1989	755	40.0	18.8	n/a
1990	762	41.6	18.3	0
1991	767	42.2	18.1	n/a
1992	734	41.0	17.9	n/a
1993	783	41.5	18.9	n/a
1994	825	42.0	19.6	n/a
1995	812	44.3	18.3	n/a
1996	812	44.3	18.3	n/a
1997	864	45.2	19.1	n/a
1998	884	47.8	18.5	n/a
1999	856	43.9	19.5	n/a
2000	884	43.5	20.3	n/a
2001	899	46.6	19.3	n/a
2002	925	48.2	19.2	62.5
2003	925	48.2	19.2	62.5
2004	783	41.0	19.1	58.5
2005	718	41.1	17.5	57.7
2006	713	37.4	19.1	59.7
2007	659	33.7	19.6	60.1
2008	626	34.8	18.0	65.2
2009	587	34.8	16.9	68.8
2010	596	35.0	17.0	72.1
2011	552	32.8	16.8	64.3
2012	603	36.2	16.6	50.2
2013	630	34.1	18.4	76.8
2014	696	n/a	n/a	76.6
2015	697	36.0	19.3	78.8
2016	700	39.0	17.9	76.7
2017	718	38.5	18.6	76.3
2018	741	37.8	19.5	76
2019	775	40.3	19.2	74.7
2020	767	41.3	18.5	74.7
2021	772	42.1	18.3	73.2
2022	710	40.1	17.7	n/a
2023	694	36.7	18.9	74.4

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 Baker Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	743	35.0	21.2	0
1989	755	40.0	18.8	n/a
1990	762	41.6	18.3	0
1991	767	42.2	18.1	n/a
1992	734	41.0	17.9	n/a
1993	783	41.5	18.9	n/a
1994	825	42.0	19.6	n/a
1995	812	44.3	18.3	n/a
1996	812	44.3	18.3	n/a
1997	864	45.2	19.1	n/a
1998	884	47.8	18.5	n/a
1999	856	43.9	19.5	n/a
2000	884	43.5	20.3	n/a
2001	899	46.6	19.3	n/a
2002	925	48.2	19.2	62.5
2003	925	48.2	19.2	62.5
2004	783	41.0	19.1	58.5
2005	718	41.1	17.5	57.7
2006	713	37.4	19.1	59.7
2007	659	33.7	19.6	60.1
2008	626	34.8	18.0	65.2
2009	587	34.8	16.9	68.8
2010	596	35.0	17.0	72.1
2011	552	32.8	16.8	64.3
2012	603	36.2	16.6	50.2
2013	630	34.1	18.4	76.8
2014	696	n/a	n/a	76.6
2015	697	36.0	19.3	78.8
2016	700	39.0	17.9	76.7
2017	718	38.5	18.6	76.3
2018	741	37.8	19.5	76
2019	775	40.3	19.2	74.7
2020	767	41.3	18.5	74.7
2021	772	42.1	18.3	73.2
2022	710	40.1	17.7	n/a
2023	694	36.7	18.9	74.4

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.

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