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Public middle school · Bethel School District · Spanaway, Washington

Bethel Middle School

Bethel Middle School rates 5.4, right at the middle of Bethel School District's middle schools, whose rated median is 5.1.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.4this school

5.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the Bethel School District median is 5.1.

#1,589 of 2,251 schools in Washington · Bethel School District: 6 middle schools rated, median 5.1

The brief

A middle school in Spanaway, WA where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,589 of 2,251 schools in Washington and 21 of 33 in Bethel School District.

Bethel Middle School is listed in Bethel School District, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math31%10 points below the Washington average of 41%2026 SBA
Reading47%4 points below the Washington average of 51%2026 SBA
Proficiency has held near 39% across the 3-year record (2024–2026).2026 SBA; 52 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
7.3
40% of the rating
Academics
5.3
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
2.5
25% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 SBA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 SBA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 SBA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 SBA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Bethel Middle School and the 20 nearest middle schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$101,141
Median home value
$424,100
Median rent
$1,837/mo
College educated
17.4%
Homeownership
77%
Poverty rate
7.7%

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

Getting around

Walk Score
11
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
30
Somewhat Bikeable
County reported crime
2,438/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
57.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 5.8Compare →
  2. Bethel Middle Schoolthis school
    5.4
  3. 5.3Compare →
  4. 5.2Compare →
  5. 5.2Compare →
  6. 5.0Compare →
  7. 4.9Compare →
  8. 4.6Compare →
Seven grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Bethel Middle School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

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 #1,589 of 2,251 schools in WA.

What is Bethel Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Bethel Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.4 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 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 facts

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
668
Student-teacher ratio
20.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Rank in district
#21 of 33
Schools in district
39
District spending per student
$15,370
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.1%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 98387)
49,940
Area average commute
37.7 min
Area median age
34.1

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Washington Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.