Science and Math Institute

Summary:

The Science and Math Institute (SMI) is a public magnet high school in Tacoma, Washington, serving 610 students in grades 9-12. This high-performing school consistently outshines the Tacoma School District and the state of Washington in academic achievement, with exceptional proficiency rates in English language arts, math, and science.

SMI's academic excellence is evident in its impressive rankings and ratings. In 2023-2024, the school ranked 71 out of 437 high schools in Washington, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, far surpassing nearby schools like Stadium High School and Foss High School. SMI's student subgroups, including female, Asian, Hispanic, and low-income students, also demonstrate exceptional performance, highlighting the school's commitment to equity and inclusion.

What sets SMI apart is its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of non-White students compared to nearby schools. This diversity, combined with the school's focus on science and math, small size, and higher per-student spending, may contribute to its remarkable academic success. The Science and Math Institute's consistent excellence, strong rankings, and ability to support the success of diverse learners make it a standout public high school in the Tacoma area.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

 5501 N. Pearl St
       Tacoma, WA  98407


(253) 571-2300

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
71st of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,455 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  23.8 Help
Number of students:  610

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.9%
Two or more races:
14.6%
Hispanic:
13.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  37.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Science and Math Institute ranks better than 83.8% of high schools in Washington. It also ranks first 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 80.28. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Science and Math Institute is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.9%), two or more races (14.6%), Hispanic (13.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 37.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Science and Math Institute is 23.8. 12 high schools in the Tacoma School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Science and Math Institute employs 25.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Science and Math Institute is $14,455. 11 high schools in the Tacoma School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Science and Math Institute:

SchoolDigger ranks Science and Math Institute 71st of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Science and Math Institute 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.)


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Rank History for Science and Math Institute

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 65.21 106th 440 75.9%
2012 55.38 203rd 450 54.9%
2013 58.58 198th 454 56.4%
2015 93.30 12th 341 96.5%
2016 91.33 9th 306 97.1%
2017 64.20 120th 301 60.1%
2018 81.26 46th 315 85.4%
2019 80.49 60th 417 85.6%
2021 83.26 57th 455 87.5%
2022 89.33 33rd 434 92.4%
2023 79.82 71st 442 83.9%
2024 80.28 71st 437 83.8%
See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 61.82 63rd 195 67.7%
2022 71.23 46th 179 74.3%
2023 66.33 44th 166 73.5%
2024 71.98 41st 161 74.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 81.88 11th 212 94.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.32 30th 227 86.8%
2019 86.45 21st 344 93.9%
2021 85.24 24th 392 93.9%
2022 81.43 44th 370 88.1%
2023 81.66 34th 362 90.6%
2024 89.95 20th 356 94.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.06 56th 243 77.0%
2019 80.83 51st 358 85.8%
2021 77.04 60th 390 84.6%
2022 91.22 22nd 368 94.0%
2023 78.34 63rd 357 82.4%
2024 73.90 71st 347 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.45 30th 254 88.2%
2019 79.33 58th 355 83.7%
2021 87.58 34th 395 91.4%
2022 84.10 49th 363 86.5%
2023 77.63 60th 358 83.2%
2024 83.03 54th 362 85.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.85 37th 87 57.5%
2019 77.17 27th 121 77.7%
2021 75.68 28th 136 79.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.37 5th 54 90.7%
2019 85.35 10th 86 88.4%
2021 95.99 3rd 111 97.3%
2023 46.90 45th 78 42.3%
2024 58.10 26th 70 62.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.46 12th 156 92.3%
2019 71.78 52nd 241 78.4%
2021 94.55 6th 278 97.8%
2022 97.47 4th 261 98.5%
2023 84.68 23rd 249 90.8%
2024 80.68 35th 248 85.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Science and Math Institute

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.68 40th 222 82.0%
2019 73.69 85th 382 77.7%
2021 82.69 54th 413 86.9%
2022 83.53 45th 390 88.5%
2023 78.32 63rd 379 83.4%
2024 78.88 60th 374 84.0%
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.

Science and Math Institute 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
Saturday, August 26, 2017

Open Quote Great teachers, great atmosphere and my son has thrived there. Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, January 15, 2015

Open Quote I love going here. The opportunities are unsurpassed by any school. Internships are a great example of opportunities we get that you can hardly find at any other schools. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Science and Math Institute

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 74 40 11 11 2 n/a n/a 0 138
2011 109 29 15 18 4 1 25 0 201
2012 159 34 23 27 4 2 30 0 279
2013 255 64 38 32 6 6 2 0 403
2014 315 54 40 30 4 9 1 0 453
2015 326 47 36 37 4 6 3 0 459
2016 332 55 41 44 5 5 4 0 486
2017 300 57 39 50 3 4 13 0 466
2018 297 50 57 59 2 2 17 0 484
2019 316 57 62 63 2 2 30 5 537
2020 302 42 59 77 3 2 70 0 555
2021 352 40 57 86 4 2 74 0 615
2022 349 41 45 83 5 3 74 0 600
2023 341 43 46 82 3 5 89 1 610

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 Science and Math Institute

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 138 9.4 14.6 46.4
2011 201 12.5 16.0 37.8
2012 279 13.4 20.6 19.7
2013 403 21.2 19.0 42.9
2014 453 n/a n/a 38.9
2015 459 27.0 17.0 38.3
2016 486 25.0 19.4 39.1
2017 466 24.9 18.6 38
2018 484 26.3 18.3 36.4
2019 537 26.9 19.9 37.2
2020 555 25.4 21.8 38
2021 615 23.4 26.2 36.1
2022 600 25.6 23.3 25.8
2023 610 25.5 23.8 37.2

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 Science and Math Institute

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 138 9.4 14.6 46.4
2011 201 12.5 16.0 37.8
2012 279 13.4 20.6 19.7
2013 403 21.2 19.0 42.9
2014 453 n/a n/a 38.9
2015 459 27.0 17.0 38.3
2016 486 25.0 19.4 39.1
2017 466 24.9 18.6 38
2018 484 26.3 18.3 36.4
2019 537 26.9 19.9 37.2
2020 555 25.4 21.8 38
2021 615 23.4 26.2 36.1
2022 600 25.6 23.3 25.8
2023 610 25.5 23.8 37.2

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

Science and Math Institute

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201995.3%0.2%0.4%3.2%97.8%98.1%97.0%97.8%98.5%98.3%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Science and Math Institute

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $615 (4.2%) $14,114 (95.8%) $14,729
2020 $585 (6.1%) $8,947 (93.9%) $9,532
2021 $976 (7.3%) $12,398 (92.7%) $13,374
2022 $1,466 (10.1%) $12,989 (89.9%) $14,455

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Science and Math Institute

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 60th of 417 High schoolsRanks 71st of 442 High schools
 1.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Science and Math Institute)80.776.2
 4.4%
   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 (Science and Math Institute)49.437.6
 11.8%
   10th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)29.320.8
 8.5%
   10th Grade Math (Washington)42.433.3
 9.1%
11th Grade Science (Science and Math Institute)7880.9
 2.9%
   11th Grade Science (Tacoma School District)45.144.7
 0.4%
   11th Grade Science (Washington)5050.5
 0.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Science and Math Institute)80.776.2
 4.4%
   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 (Science and Math Institute)49.437.6
 11.8%
   All Grades Math (Tacoma School District)39.430.5
 8.9%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Science and Math Institute)7880.9
 2.9%
   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 Students537610
 13.6%
African American5743
 24.6%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian6246
 25.8%
Hispanic6382
 30.2%
Pacific Islander25
 150%
White316341
 7.9%
Two or More Races3089
 196.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.2%37.2%
 0%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Science and Math Institute

Science and Math Institute ranks 71st of 437 Washington high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Science and Math Institute are 56% White, 15% Two or more races, 13% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 7% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 610 students attended Science and Math Institute.


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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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