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#1578 of 2,228 schools in WA

Bethel Middle School

Middle School · Bethel School District · Spanaway, WA

A middle school in Spanaway, WA where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

22201 38th Avenue East, Spanaway, WA 98387

  • Math 28% vs WA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 44% vs WA 49% (2024)
  • 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.1Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.29 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.3Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.9% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.8% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-10.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-3.7 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-4.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile35th
Resources & Environment2.5Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.9:1
District spending per student$15,370
Chronic Absenteeism50.4%

Students at Bethel Middle School score 36% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency28%(2024 SBA)
School
State
38%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency44%(2024 SBA)
School
State
49%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 8 points since 2018, to 36% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
43%
ELA
65%
2010
Math
39%
ELA
45%
2011
Math
49%
ELA
59%
2012
Math
58%
ELA
56%
2014
Math
41%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
36%
ELA
48%
2016
Math
36%
ELA
48%
2017
Math
36%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
35%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
35%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
20%
ELA
40%
2024
Math
28%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

57.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Bethel Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Seattle map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 11Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated763/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$101,141

Median home value

$424,100

Median rent

$1,837/mo

College educated

17.4%

Homeownership

77%

Poverty rate

7.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98387; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Bethel Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified2.5K–122.4 mi444Compare →
Liberty Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.66–82.4 mi898Compare →
Cedarcrest Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.16–82.5 mi706Compare →
Cougar Mountain Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.66–82.8 mi605Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Bethel School District

Schools in district
39
Rank in district
#23 of 33
District spending per student
$15,370NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bethel Middle School is listed in Bethel School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bethel Middle School

Bethel Middle School is a public middle school in Spanaway, WA, part of Bethel School District, serving approximately 668 students in grades 6th-8th with a 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,578 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bethel Middle School

What grades does Bethel Middle School serve?

Bethel Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Bethel Middle School?

Bethel Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 668 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethel Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Bethel Middle School is 20.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bethel Middle School rank in WA?

Bethel Middle School ranks #1,578 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Bethel Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Bethel Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Bethel Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bethel Middle School has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Bethel Middle School a charter school?

No, Bethel Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bethel Middle School a Title I school?

No, Bethel Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bethel Middle School?

57.5% of students at Bethel Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
668
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
50.4%
Area population (ZIP 98387)
49,940
Area average commute
37.7 min
Area median age
34.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 98387; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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