Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98403

The 98403 zip code area of Tacoma, Washington is home to three schools - one high school, one middle school, and one elementary school - all part of the Tacoma School District. Among these schools, Lowell Elementary School stands out as a high-performing institution, consistently ranking among the top elementary schools in the state and significantly outperforming the district and state averages on standardized tests. In contrast, Hilltop Heritage Middle School appears to be a lower-performing school, with test scores below the district and state averages.

Stadium High School also stands out, maintaining a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past three school years and boasting a strong graduation rate of 92.8% and a relatively low dropout rate of 4%. The school's test scores are above the district and state averages, particularly in English Language Arts. The racial diversity of the schools varies, with Stadium High School and Hilltop Heritage Middle School having more diverse student populations compared to Lowell Elementary.

The differences in per-student spending and student-teacher ratios across the schools may also be contributing factors to their varying levels of academic achievement. Lowell Elementary and Hilltop Heritage Middle School receive higher levels of funding per student, while Lowell Elementary has the lowest student-teacher ratio. Additionally, Hilltop Heritage Middle School serves a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, which could be a factor in its lower academic performance compared to the other schools in the area.