Gray Middle School

Summary:

Gray Middle School is a public middle school in Tacoma, Washington, serving 521 students in grades 6-8. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, a diverse student population with a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and a ranking in the bottom half of Washington middle schools.

Academically, Gray Middle School lags behind the Tacoma School District and the state of Washington, with only 24.39% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 45.84% for the district and 52.63% for the state. The school's racial diversity is more pronounced than nearby schools, with a student population that is 20.15% White, 19.19% African American, 27.26% Hispanic, and 16.51% two or more races. Additionally, 77.93% of Gray Middle School students receive free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the surrounding area.

In comparison, nearby schools like Hunt Middle School, Bryant Montessori Middle School, and Narrows View Intermediate generally perform better academically, with higher test scores and better school rankings. While Gray Middle School has a higher per-student spending compared to nearby schools, this higher funding does not seem to translate into improved academic outcomes, suggesting the need for a more targeted and effective approach to supporting student learning.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 6229 S Tyler St
       Tacoma, WA  98409


(253) 571-5200

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
510th of 535 Washington Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,689 Help


Students who attend Gray Middle School usually attend:

High:    Mount Tahoma High School

Feeder schools for Gray Middle School:

Elementary:    Arlington Elementary School
    Edison Elementary School
    Manitou Park Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.5 Help
Number of students:  521

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
27.3%
White:
20.2%
African American:
19.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  77.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Gray Middle School ranks worse than 95.3% of middle schools in Washington. It also ranks last among 13 ranked middle schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.59. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Gray Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (27.3%), White (20.2%), African American (19.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 77.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gray Middle School is 18.5. 8 middle schools in the Tacoma School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Gray Middle School employs 28 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gray Middle School is $18,689, which is the 5th highest among 13 middle schools in the Tacoma School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gray Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Gray Middle School 510th of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Gray Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian 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.)


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Rank History for Gray Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 15.52 380th 421 9.7%
2005 7.62 407th 425 4.2%
2006 10.55 421st 449 6.2%
2007 12.40 432nd 463 6.7%
2008 21.08 397th 466 14.8%
2009 16.96 417th 476 12.4%
2010 11.95 441st 483 8.7%
2011 13.32 456th 492 7.3%
2012 15.45 450th 497 9.5%
2013 13.13 456th 498 8.4%
2015 20.72 365th 445 18.0%
2016 12.11 403rd 443 9.0%
2017 10.55 401st 435 7.8%
2018 11.55 396th 437 9.4%
2019 8.28 482nd 512 5.9%
2021 16.80 454th 529 14.2%
2022 13.69 488th 541 9.8%
2023 12.45 488th 539 9.5%
2024 8.59 510th 535 4.7%
See the entire list of Washington Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 10.66 237th 246 3.7%
2021 16.45 225th 250 10.0%
2022 12.19 242nd 257 5.8%
2023 12.97 224th 244 8.2%
2024 6.75 237th 243 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.24 128th 135 5.2%
2021 49.69 26th 50 48.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.97 262nd 268 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.80 319th 349 8.6%
2019 14.23 416th 448 7.1%
2021 27.45 355th 458 22.5%
2022 23.40 403rd 475 15.2%
2023 22.57 379th 463 18.1%
2024 12.60 428th 455 5.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.83 8th 27 70.4%
2022 25.58 27th 33 18.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.82 345th 376 8.2%
2019 9.22 426th 452 5.8%
2021 16.87 403rd 469 14.1%
2022 16.53 414th 479 13.6%
2023 9.89 433rd 464 6.7%
2024 6.68 450th 464 3.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.39 351st 371 5.4%
2019 7.76 434th 453 4.2%
2021 18.70 398th 476 16.4%
2022 11.99 440th 480 8.3%
2023 14.10 422nd 470 10.2%
2024 10.36 435th 466 6.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.10 93rd 123 24.4%
2019 35.81 105th 152 30.9%
2021 24.75 112th 149 24.8%
2022 21.36 130th 161 19.3%
2023 15.49 127th 145 12.4%
2024 14.45 132nd 148 10.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.77 57th 66 13.6%
2019 14.69 105th 111 5.4%
2021 20.74 95th 106 10.4%
2022 23.74 89th 104 14.4%
2023 18.21 80th 96 16.7%
2024 6.71 89th 90 1.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.97 254th 259 1.9%
2019 17.29 304th 344 11.6%
2021 44.54 177th 353 49.9%
2022 32.17 241st 360 33.1%
2023 19.40 285th 336 15.2%
2024 17.37 306th 344 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 27.67 27th 31 12.9%
2021 41.49 13th 19 31.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Gray Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.01 313th 325 3.7%
2019 5.85 456th 470 3.0%
2021 23.89 377th 480 21.5%
2022 12.08 454th 488 7.0%
2023 14.52 442nd 488 9.4%
2024 12.97 448th 486 7.8%
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.

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






Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Gray Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 407 77 69 16 13 n/a n/a 0 582
1989 420 90 59 20 12 n/a n/a 0 601
1990 455 116 46 22 17 n/a n/a 0 656
1991 450 132 64 26 11 n/a n/a 0 683
1992 478 153 74 40 9 n/a n/a 0 754
1993 455 171 90 43 11 n/a n/a 0 770
1994 416 159 119 51 14 n/a n/a 0 759
1995 435 183 118 61 20 n/a n/a 0 817
1996 435 183 118 61 20 n/a n/a 0 817
1997 410 154 119 66 17 n/a n/a 0 766
1998 413 173 126 67 28 n/a n/a 0 807
1999 427 174 120 69 19 n/a n/a 0 809
2000 442 172 98 77 17 n/a n/a 0 806
2001 424 200 106 71 13 n/a n/a 0 814
2002 398 208 93 84 18 n/a n/a 0 801
2003 398 208 93 84 18 n/a n/a 0 801
2004 328 186 97 74 15 n/a n/a 0 700
2005 306 173 87 69 15 n/a n/a 0 650
2006 301 196 76 75 15 n/a n/a 0 663
2007 277 169 73 82 14 n/a n/a 0 615
2008 263 181 70 74 14 n/a n/a 0 602
2009 225 185 63 90 13 n/a n/a 0 576
2010 243 211 66 106 19 n/a n/a 0 645
2011 221 176 48 104 9 10 64 0 632
2012 220 159 50 112 6 22 80 0 649
2013 215 198 56 122 10 23 5 0 629
2014 207 171 65 116 10 29 9 0 607
2015 201 149 71 137 5 32 22 0 617
2016 167 155 68 138 5 36 36 0 605
2017 150 140 58 137 2 31 35 0 553
2018 153 114 57 130 1 30 41 0 526
2019 134 119 41 148 1 29 60 0 532
2020 129 99 47 185 4 18 77 0 559
2021 126 87 38 170 4 27 95 2 549
2022 120 85 47 157 7 33 91 1 541
2023 105 100 54 142 8 24 86 2 521

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 Gray Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 582 28.0 20.7 0
1989 601 30.0 20.0 n/a
1990 656 31.9 20.5 0
1991 683 38.0 17.9 n/a
1992 754 36.0 20.9 n/a
1993 770 40.5 19.0 n/a
1994 759 41.0 18.5 n/a
1995 817 45.4 18.0 n/a
1996 817 45.4 18.0 n/a
1997 766 43.0 17.8 n/a
1998 807 42.2 19.1 n/a
1999 809 41.7 19.4 n/a
2000 806 42.0 19.2 n/a
2001 814 47.7 17.1 n/a
2002 801 45.7 17.5 73.7
2003 801 45.7 17.5 73.7
2004 700 39.0 17.9 66.4
2005 650 39.3 16.5 68.2
2006 663 37.0 17.9 68.3
2007 615 36.9 16.7 68.6
2008 602 39.9 15.1 69.9
2009 576 39.9 14.4 70
2010 645 34.6 18.6 75.8
2011 632 36.6 17.2 70.7
2012 649 37.0 17.5 55.6
2013 629 32.6 19.2 81.6
2014 607 n/a n/a 80.6
2015 617 31.0 19.9 79.9
2016 605 32.0 18.9 78.3
2017 553 30.6 18.0 78.1
2018 526 28.3 18.5 76.8
2019 532 31.4 16.9 79.1
2020 559 26.4 21.1 79.6
2021 549 29.6 18.5 79.1
2022 541 29.9 18.0 63.4
2023 521 28.0 18.5 77.9

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 Gray Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 582 28.0 20.7 0
1989 601 30.0 20.0 n/a
1990 656 31.9 20.5 0
1991 683 38.0 17.9 n/a
1992 754 36.0 20.9 n/a
1993 770 40.5 19.0 n/a
1994 759 41.0 18.5 n/a
1995 817 45.4 18.0 n/a
1996 817 45.4 18.0 n/a
1997 766 43.0 17.8 n/a
1998 807 42.2 19.1 n/a
1999 809 41.7 19.4 n/a
2000 806 42.0 19.2 n/a
2001 814 47.7 17.1 n/a
2002 801 45.7 17.5 73.7
2003 801 45.7 17.5 73.7
2004 700 39.0 17.9 66.4
2005 650 39.3 16.5 68.2
2006 663 37.0 17.9 68.3
2007 615 36.9 16.7 68.6
2008 602 39.9 15.1 69.9
2009 576 39.9 14.4 70
2010 645 34.6 18.6 75.8
2011 632 36.6 17.2 70.7
2012 649 37.0 17.5 55.6
2013 629 32.6 19.2 81.6
2014 607 n/a n/a 80.6
2015 617 31.0 19.9 79.9
2016 605 32.0 18.9 78.3
2017 553 30.6 18.0 78.1
2018 526 28.3 18.5 76.8
2019 532 31.4 16.9 79.1
2020 559 26.4 21.1 79.6
2021 549 29.6 18.5 79.1
2022 541 29.9 18.0 63.4
2023 521 28.0 18.5 77.9

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

Gray Middle School

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201897.0%0.0%0.0%1.2%1.8%98.8%99.4%99.4%98.2%98.8%97.6%
201995.5%0.0%0.5%1.0%2.5%99.5%99.5%99.0%98.5%99.0%97.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Immunization Rates (Entire school)

Gray Middle School

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201996.5%0.0%0.4%2.2%99.1%99.3%99.4%98.9%98.9%97.4%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gray Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,412 (8.0%) $16,255 (92.0%) $17,668
2020 $1,200 (10.2%) $10,616 (89.9%) $11,815
2021 $1,327 (7.5%) $16,256 (92.5%) $17,583
2022 $1,666 (8.9%) $17,024 (91.1%) $18,689

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Gray 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 482nd of 512 Middle schoolsRanks 488th of 539 Middle schools
 3.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Middle School)35.125.2
 10%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)4841.1
 6.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)57.847.9
 9.9%
6th Grade Math (Gray Middle School)22.616.4
 6.1%
   6th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)31.928.2
 3.7%
   6th Grade Math (Washington)47.738.1
 9.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Middle School)34.636.1
 1.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)5245.9
 6.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)6252.1
 9.9%
7th Grade Math (Gray Middle School)28.319.8
 8.5%
   7th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)37.625.7
 11.9%
   7th Grade Math (Washington)49.938.6
 11.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Middle School)31.330.9
 0.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)46.942.4
 4.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)59.651.3
 8.3%
8th Grade Math (Gray Middle School)24.713.3
 11.4%
   8th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)30.719.8
 10.9%
   8th Grade Math (Washington)47.234.4
 12.8%
8th Grade Science (Gray Middle School)25.518.9
 6.5%
   8th Grade Science (Tacoma School District)42.531.9
 10.6%
   8th Grade Science (Washington)53.143.9
 9.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Gray Middle School)33.731.1
 2.6%
   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 (Gray Middle School)25.116.8
 8.2%
   All Grades Math (Tacoma School District)39.430.5
 8.9%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Gray Middle School)25.518.9
 6.5%
   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 Students532521
 2.1%
African American119100
 16%
American Indian18
 700%
Asian4154
 31.7%
Hispanic148142
 4.1%
Pacific Islander2924
 17.2%
White134105
 21.6%
Two or More Races6086
 43.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients79.1%77.9%
 1.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Gray Middle School

Students at Gray Middle School are 27% Hispanic, 20% White, 19% African American, 17% Two or more races, 10% Asian, 5% Pacific Islander, 2% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 521 students attended Gray Middle School.

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

Gray Middle School ranks in the bottom 4.7% of Washington middle schools.


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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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