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Below Average

#1943 of 2,228 schools in WA

Christensen Elementary

Elementary School · Franklin Pierce School District · Tacoma, WA

A Franklin Pierce School District elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

10232 Barnes Lane, Tacoma, WA 98444

  • Math 28% vs WA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 31% vs WA 50% (2024)
  • 15:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-2.51 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.5% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency30.3% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-24.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.1 pts
Overall Proficiency29% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-0.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment6.6Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15:1
District spending per student$19,065
Chronic Absenteeism50%

Students at Christensen Elementary score 29% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency28%(2024 SBA)
School
State
46%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency31%(2024 SBA)
School
State
50%(2024 SBA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 25 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 29% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
52%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
52%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
31%
2015
Math
31%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
26%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
37%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
31%
ELA
37%
2019
Math
31%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
24%
2024
Math
28%
ELA
31%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 42% (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

75.4%

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 Christensen Elementary 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 29Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High6,715/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Tacoma), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$64,464

Median home value

$369,500

Median rent

$1,581/mo

College educated

15.2%

Homeownership

45.8%

Poverty rate

14.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98444; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
James Sales ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.6K–50.6 mi377Compare →
Faith Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.1privatePK–80.8 mi94Compare →
Helen Stafford Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.9PK–50.9 mi432Compare →
Fern Hill Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.2PK–51.1 mi287Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Franklin Pierce School District

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#10 of 14
District spending per student
$19,065NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Christensen Elementary is listed in Franklin Pierce School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Christensen Elementary

Christensen Elementary is a public elementary school in Tacoma, WA, part of Franklin Pierce School District, serving approximately 346 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,943 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Christensen Elementary

What grades does Christensen Elementary serve?

Christensen Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Christensen Elementary?

Christensen Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 346 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Christensen Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Christensen Elementary is 15:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Christensen Elementary rank in WA?

Christensen Elementary ranks #1,943 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Christensen Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Christensen Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 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 Christensen Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Christensen Elementary has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Christensen Elementary a charter school?

No, Christensen Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Christensen Elementary a Title I school?

No, Christensen Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Christensen Elementary?

75.4% of students at Christensen Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
346
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
50.0%
Area population (ZIP 98444)
35,660
Area average commute
30.3 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 98444; this does not measure the attendance area.

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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