Foss High School

Summary:

Foss High School is a public high school in Tacoma, Washington, serving 587 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Tacoma School District, which is ranked 152 out of 247 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Foss High School consistently underperforms compared to the Tacoma School District and the state of Washington in standardized test scores, with only 38.05% of students proficient or better in SBAC/English Language Arts and just 8.04% proficient or better in SBAC/Math. The school also has a lower four-year graduation rate, ranging from 85.6% to 88.7% over the past five years, compared to the 97.1% graduation rate at nearby Dr. Dolores Silas High School. Foss High School has a more diverse student population, with higher percentages of African American, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander students, and a significantly higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 53.72% to 74.21% over the past three years.

Despite the higher per-student spending at Foss High School, ranging from $16,196 to $21,863 over the past four years, the school's academic performance and graduation rates remain significantly lower than nearby schools like Dr. Dolores Silas High School and Tacoma Online High School. This suggests the need for a deeper examination of the school's practices and resources to better support the diverse student population and improve student success.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2112 S Tyler St
       Tacoma, WA  98405


(253) 571-7300

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
409th of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,863 Help


Feeder schools for Foss High School:

Elementary:    Delong Elementary School
    Edison Elementary School
    Franklin Elementary School
    Geiger Montessori School
    More...
Middle:    Wainwright Intermediate School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.8 Help
Number of students:  587

Racial breakdown:

White:
26.1%
Hispanic:
25.2%
African American:
21.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.7% Help


 See top rated Washington high schools

 Compare Foss High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Foss High School ranks worse than 93.6% of high schools in Washington. It also ranks 8th among 9 ranked high schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.16. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Foss High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Foss High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (26.1%), Hispanic (25.2%), African American (21.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Foss High School is 15.8, which is the 5th best among 9 high schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Foss High School employs 36.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Foss High School is $21,863, which is the 5th highest among 9 high schools in the Tacoma School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Foss High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Foss High School 409th of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Foss High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Tacoma School District:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Foss High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 40.86 257th 390 34.1%
2005 40.56 258th 394 34.5%
2006 24.73 319th 395 19.2%
2007 42.26 271st 399 32.1%
2008 39.34 279th 396 29.5%
2009 26.69 319th 402 20.6%
2010 31.54 314th 423 25.8%
2011 27.00 331st 440 24.8%
2012 29.53 339th 450 24.7%
2013 29.23 350th 454 22.9%
2017 18.07 259th 301 14.0%
2018 14.96 282nd 315 10.5%
2019 18.21 360th 417 13.7%
2021 12.06 427th 455 6.2%
2022 11.07 408th 434 6.0%
2023 12.26 411th 442 7.0%
2024 12.16 409th 437 6.4%
See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 14.87 150th 163 8.0%
2021 25.09 159th 195 18.5%
2023 3.77 166th 166 0.0%
2024 2.24 160th 161 0.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.48 22nd 65 66.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.12 149th 212 29.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.63 221st 227 2.6%
2019 18.08 312th 344 9.3%
2021 13.43 376th 392 4.1%
2022 14.05 349th 370 5.7%
2023 12.01 345th 362 4.7%
2024 19.57 317th 356 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 37.66 27th 45 40.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.78 226th 243 7.0%
2019 19.26 307th 358 14.2%
2021 21.95 318th 390 18.5%
2022 15.88 330th 368 10.3%
2023 9.20 349th 357 2.2%
2024 9.47 337th 347 2.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.99 238th 254 6.3%
2019 13.74 321st 355 9.6%
2021 7.08 385th 395 2.5%
2022 8.16 354th 363 2.5%
2023 10.64 338th 358 5.6%
2024 10.13 347th 362 4.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.63 78th 87 10.3%
2019 4.72 119th 121 1.7%
2021 46.18 72nd 136 47.1%
2023 25.33 88th 118 25.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.96 54th 54 0.0%
2019 14.17 82nd 86 4.7%
2021 10.15 109th 111 1.8%
2022 8.46 86th 89 3.4%
2024 17.14 63rd 70 10.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.53 124th 156 20.5%
2019 26.75 186th 241 22.8%
2021 17.10 257th 278 7.6%
2022 26.73 206th 261 21.1%
2023 13.12 236th 249 5.2%
2024 21.96 212th 248 14.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Foss High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.31 199th 222 10.4%
2019 23.88 322nd 382 15.7%
2021 5.16 405th 413 1.9%
2022 22.53 331st 390 15.1%
2023 19.53 322nd 379 15.0%
2024 12.61 343rd 374 8.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington High 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.

Foss High 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, March 13, 2020

Open Quote My daughter had a good experience at Foss. The teachers and staff were amazing in the ways that they cared for her and helped her learn. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Foss High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 894 291 124 33 24 n/a n/a 0 1366
1989 858 278 149 34 24 n/a n/a 0 1343
1990 834 251 157 39 24 n/a n/a 0 1305
1991 852 284 169 44 21 n/a n/a 0 1370
1992 814 301 184 42 23 n/a n/a 0 1364
1993 798 285 210 42 15 n/a n/a 0 1350
1994 773 293 244 60 16 n/a n/a 0 1386
1995 898 323 409 48 24 n/a n/a 0 1702
1996 898 323 409 48 24 n/a n/a 0 1702
1997 914 371 444 64 26 n/a n/a 0 1819
1998 872 389 491 60 21 n/a n/a 0 1833
1999 891 363 489 89 21 n/a n/a 0 1853
2000 894 392 457 105 31 n/a n/a 0 1879
2001 907 418 439 112 29 n/a n/a 0 1905
2002 892 448 396 108 31 n/a n/a 0 1875
2003 892 448 396 108 31 n/a n/a 0 1875
2004 883 501 392 131 29 n/a n/a 0 1936
2005 788 471 346 136 26 n/a n/a 0 1767
2006 742 491 342 140 22 n/a n/a 0 1737
2007 692 535 354 139 29 n/a n/a 0 1749
2008 546 444 281 123 32 n/a n/a 0 1426
2009 462 419 280 115 22 n/a n/a 0 1298
2010 388 343 258 112 17 n/a n/a 0 1118
2011 372 266 187 123 13 19 76 0 1056
2012 334 239 165 149 9 19 107 0 1022
2013 328 277 172 167 10 24 25 0 1003
2014 300 267 149 175 13 22 40 0 966
2015 290 229 113 152 11 22 70 0 887
2016 279 228 116 185 8 29 66 0 911
2017 253 181 117 156 6 34 54 0 801
2018 260 182 106 152 5 25 61 0 791
2019 200 129 94 117 8 26 57 0 631
2020 198 133 70 119 5 25 77 0 627
2021 185 136 57 122 6 20 79 0 605
2022 178 135 56 140 3 14 90 2 618
2023 153 125 51 148 9 20 74 7 587

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 Foss High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1366 64.0 21.3 0
1989 1343 62.0 21.6 n/a
1990 1305 63.2 20.6 0
1991 1370 65.2 21.0 n/a
1992 1364 63.1 21.6 n/a
1993 1350 64.4 21.0 n/a
1994 1386 67.6 20.5 n/a
1995 1702 75.3 22.6 n/a
1996 1702 75.3 22.6 n/a
1997 1819 79.5 22.9 n/a
1998 1833 80.2 22.9 n/a
1999 1853 82.3 22.5 n/a
2000 1879 80.6 23.3 n/a
2001 1905 86.1 22.1 n/a
2002 1875 84.3 22.2 51.1
2003 1875 84.3 22.2 51.1
2004 1936 92.0 21.0 46.4
2005 1767 92.2 19.2 46.9
2006 1737 82.1 21.2 49.6
2007 1749 85.4 20.5 50.5
2008 1426 75.4 18.9 51.1
2009 1298 75.4 17.2 52.8
2010 1118 63.0 17.7 60
2011 1056 59.8 17.6 56.5
2012 1022 55.3 18.4 47
2013 1003 52.4 19.1 70.7
2014 966 n/a n/a 71.9
2015 887 41.0 21.6 69.8
2016 911 44.0 20.7 71
2017 801 47.3 16.9 64.5
2018 791 44.3 17.8 67
2019 631 43.0 14.6 68.9
2020 627 38.8 16.1 71.6
2021 605 38.4 15.7 74.2
2022 618 37.1 16.6 53.7
2023 587 36.9 15.8 70.7

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 Foss High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1366 64.0 21.3 0
1989 1343 62.0 21.6 n/a
1990 1305 63.2 20.6 0
1991 1370 65.2 21.0 n/a
1992 1364 63.1 21.6 n/a
1993 1350 64.4 21.0 n/a
1994 1386 67.6 20.5 n/a
1995 1702 75.3 22.6 n/a
1996 1702 75.3 22.6 n/a
1997 1819 79.5 22.9 n/a
1998 1833 80.2 22.9 n/a
1999 1853 82.3 22.5 n/a
2000 1879 80.6 23.3 n/a
2001 1905 86.1 22.1 n/a
2002 1875 84.3 22.2 51.1
2003 1875 84.3 22.2 51.1
2004 1936 92.0 21.0 46.4
2005 1767 92.2 19.2 46.9
2006 1737 82.1 21.2 49.6
2007 1749 85.4 20.5 50.5
2008 1426 75.4 18.9 51.1
2009 1298 75.4 17.2 52.8
2010 1118 63.0 17.7 60
2011 1056 59.8 17.6 56.5
2012 1022 55.3 18.4 47
2013 1003 52.4 19.1 70.7
2014 966 n/a n/a 71.9
2015 887 41.0 21.6 69.8
2016 911 44.0 20.7 71
2017 801 47.3 16.9 64.5
2018 791 44.3 17.8 67
2019 631 43.0 14.6 68.9
2020 627 38.8 16.1 71.6
2021 605 38.4 15.7 74.2
2022 618 37.1 16.6 53.7
2023 587 36.9 15.8 70.7

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.

Immunization Rates

Foss High School

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201995.9%0.2%0.5%2.1%98.3%97.7%98.2%98.2%98.3%97.6%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Foss High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,510 (7.8%) $17,916 (92.2%) $19,426
2020 $1,592 (9.8%) $14,604 (90.2%) $16,196
2021 $1,891 (9.6%) $17,793 (90.4%) $19,683
2022 $2,347 (10.7%) $19,516 (89.3%) $21,863

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Foss High 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 360th of 417 High schoolsRanks 411th of 442 High schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Foss High School)50.439
 11.3%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)59.260.4
 1.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)72.865.9
 6.9%
10th Grade Math (Foss High School)23.611.2
 12.4%
   10th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)29.320.8
 8.5%
   10th Grade Math (Washington)42.433.3
 9.1%
11th Grade Science (Foss High School)32.831
 1.8%
   11th Grade Science (Tacoma School District)45.144.7
 0.4%
   11th Grade Science (Washington)5050.5
 0.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Foss High School)50.439
 11.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)53.447.2
 6.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6152.9
 8.1%
All Grades Math (Foss High School)23.611.2
 12.4%
   All Grades Math (Tacoma School District)39.430.5
 8.9%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Foss High School)32.831
 1.8%
   All Grades Science (Tacoma School District)45.640
 5.6%
   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 Students631587
 7%
African American129125
 3.1%
American Indian89
 12.5%
Asian9451
 45.7%
Hispanic117148
 26.5%
Pacific Islander2620
 23.1%
White200153
 23.5%
Two or More Races5774
 29.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients68.9%70.7%
 1.8%


Schools Near Foss High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Foss High School

Foss High School ranks in the bottom 6.4% of Washington high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 587 students attended Foss High School.

Students at Foss High School are 26% White, 25% Hispanic, 21% African American, 13% Two or more races, 9% Asian, 3% Pacific Islander, 2% American Indian, 1% Not Specified.


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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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